Mnemonic Multiplication Fact Instruction
Category: Mathematics
Grade Level: Grade 3 to 12
1. What is the purpose of Mnemonic
Multiplication Fact Instruction?
Mneumonic Multiplication Fact
Instruction was developed to help
students remember basic multiplication
facts. This strategy covers all 100 basic
multiplication facts.
2.With whom can it be used?
This technique is recommended for
children who have failed to adequately
memorize basic multiplication facts
through “traditional” classroom methods
or repeated instruction in special
education settings. It is specifically
beneficial for children with learning
disabilities who have semantic memory
deficits. A prerequisite skill for learning
through this method is that students must
be able to correctly name and write the
numerals from 0-9 and count by 5s.
3.What teaching procedure should be
used?
In this strategy, all 100 basic
multiplication facts involving the
numbers 0-9 are grouped into families:
the zeros, ones, twos, fives, nines and
pegwords. For a fact to be included in a
family, it must contain at least one
numeral that corresponds to the name of
the family (e.g., 0x3 belongs to the zero
family because it contains a zero).
Steps for teaching:
 Start teaching from the easiest
families to remember and work to
the more difficult. Therefore, start
with the zeros and ones, then move
to the twos, fives and nines, and then
to the pegwords.
 If one or more strategies have been
taught, review them at the beginning
of the lesson.
 Give each student a worksheet which
has a few multiplication facts from
each family written on it.
Demonstrate how to find the
problems in the family being taught
by running your finger under the
problems. Stop at each and think out
loud “is there a _(e.g., 0) in the
problem?” Then answer your own
question.
 Hold up the strategy chart. Read to
the students. Go through the
examples on the chart. Have the
students practice the rules. Draw the
students’ attention to the first
problem on their worksheet. Ask the
question “is there a __ (e.g., 0) in
this problem?” If yes, lead the
students in saying the rule, then
direct them to write the answer under
the first problem. If not tell students
to skip the problem and go on to the
next one.
 Continue this procedure until all
problems in the family have been
identified and answered.
 Continuous data collection by the
students must be completed to
determine their progress. Do this by
having the students complete
multiplication fact worksheets 2-3
times per week as part of the lesson.
After the worksheets are scored,
have the students plot their results on
a graph; this provides a motivator for
the students.
4.In what types of settings should the
Mnemonic Multiplication Fact
Instruction be used?
This approach can be taught in both one
to one or small group settings, as the
teacher will have to monitor the
students’ progress.
5.What are the benefits of this
strategy?
Rather than relying on rote
memorization, this method will allow
students to be active learners, analyzing
each problem and not only determining
the correct strategy, but also applying
each step in the strategy. The modeling
conducted by the teacher helps facilitate
good learning strategies and cognitive
structuring for the students.
Additionally, the graphing of the
students’ progress helps provide
motivation and positive reinforcement.
6.To what extent has research shown
Mnemonic Multiplication Fact
Instruction to be useful?
Greene (1999) and Scruggs and
Mastropeiri (1990) have found this
technique to be beneficial in building
foundational skills needed by students
with learning disabilities. Specifically,
this strategy has helped enhance learning
for students who have deficits in
semantic memory, helping build a
semantic “memory bridge” for coding
mathematical operations and improving
recall of facts needed for more advanced
mathematical operations. Additionally,
the benefits of this strategy have been
demonstrated to be retained over time.
References
1.
Greene, G. (1999). Mnemonic
multiplication fact Instruction for
students with learning
disabilities. Learning Disabilities
Research & Practice, 14, 141148
2.
Scruggs, T.E. & Mastropieri,
M.A. ( 1990). Mnemonic
instruction for students with LD:
What it is and what it does.
Learning Disability Quarterly,
19, 271-280
3.
Wood, D. & Frank, A. (2000).
Using memory-enhancing
strategies to learn multiplication
facts. Teaching Exceptional
Children, 32, 78-82.
Reviewed by: Chandi Fernando