The aim of this study was to differentiate between conceptual and rote learning and trial their effectiveness of enabling accelerated progress in times tables. A sample group of six focus pupils, from across Years 3 and 4, were selected to take part in a ten week daily times table intervention. Half of the pupils from the Year 3 cohort were given recurrent rote opportunities to recall multiplication facts in and out of order repetitively to enable effective memorisation. The other half of the children from the Year 4 cohort explored multiplications using a range of conceptual methods, such as: using arrays to recognise multiplication as commutative and as repeated addition; using knowledge of double to derive multiplication fact; understanding fact families to make links between multiplication and division.
Before the intervention commenced, the pupils were tested using iPrimary (online testing tool), which was used to calculate the percentage of correct multiplication recall and form a baseline. A group of times tables ambassadors were trained to conduct daily times tables sessions, lasting no more than ten minutes. After the ten week intervention, pupils were tested again using IPrimary, which was also used to calculate the percentage of correct multiplication recall and compare with the baseline in order to measure impact. The Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) was also used as secondary data to further inform the conclusion.