Multiple Representations Representing multiplication in Key Stage 1

Developing fluency The children have been counting in steps of 2, 5 and 10 and practising multiplication facts. How is this supporting children’s fluency in multiplication?

Conceptual understanding The teacher stops and shows different representations of multiplication facts on the whiteboard and the children are required to match symbols to pictures. How might this support children’s conceptual understanding of multiplication?

What do you notice? Sam says: “What we are trying to focus on is not children just learning table facts by heart or by rote and not understanding what it means”. How does Sam attempt to integrate fluency with understanding?

Integrating fluency with conceptual understanding Children are developing fluency through the practice of multiplication facts. This is being underpinned by conceptual understanding through reference to pictures which illustrate the concept of multiplication.