Mental Maths Strategies
Workshop 2: Multiplication and Division
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Introduction
This booklet was designed to accompany the Mental Maths Strategies Workshop based on
Multiplication and Division. This workshop is a 2-hour after school workshop aimed at
supporting teachers in developing multiplication and division mental maths strategies in
their classrooms. The workshop is most suitable for teachers of senior classes but strategies
included may benefit all primary school teachers.
Contents
Workshop activities
3
Cuisenaire
5
Square paper
6
3rd & 4th class skills checklist
7
5th and 6th class skills checklist
8
Learning Logs
9
Notes page
10
2
Workshop Activities
Teacher Reflection
Reflection Before Workshop
•
What are the main challenges pupils
face when calculating mentally?
•
What is your current practice in
relation to teaching mental maths?
Reflection After Workshop

How will your practice in relation to
mental maths change now?

What resources do you need to
source to assist teaching mental
maths?
3
Take Your Pick
Doubles and near doubles
Doubling and Halving
Partitioning
Proportional Adjustment
Partial Products
Multiplying up/Think Multiplication
Factorisation
Partial Quotients
Rounding and Compensating
Problem
Name an Efficient Strategy
5.6 × 20
20% of €290
560 ÷28
6 × 325
58 × 8
12 × 15
312÷13
432 ÷ 12
4
Cuisenaire
Cuisenaire is a collection of coloured rods ranging in length from 1cm to 10cm. Each rod represents
a number from 1 to 10. The rods can be used to foster understanding of a wide variety of ideas in
number. The structure of the rods means that children come to recognise each number in terms of
its length rather than as a collection of discrete objects. The use of Cuisenaire rods will support the
development of mathematical concepts throughout the primary school years. From infant classes,
pupils will build on earlier work with a variety of concrete resources and continue to develop their
understanding of the components of number and addition and subtraction through the use of
Cuisenaire rods.
Furthermore, the rods can help to support the linear and area models for
representing multiplication and division problems (adapted from Pitt, 2001, p, 87).
ICT Opportunities
More Cuisenaire
rods
Image sourced at:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Cuisenaire-Rods-2.png
ICT: http://www.cuisenaire.co.uk/index.php/home/videos/cuisenaire-rods-in-the-classroom/video/
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Third and Fourth Class Skills Checklist
Applying and Problem Solving
select appropriate materials, concepts and processes for mathematical tasks and applications
apply concepts and processes in a variety of contexts
analyse problems and plan an approach to solving them
select and apply a variety of strategies to complete tasks and projects or to solve problems
evaluate solutions to problems
Communicating and expressing
discuss and explain the processes used and the results of mathematical activities, problems, and projects
listen to and discuss other children's mathematical descriptions and explanations
discuss and record the processes and results of work using a variety of methods
discuss problems presented verbally or diagrammatically and carry out analyses
Integrating and connecting
connect informally acquired mathematical ideas and processes with formal mathematical ideas and processes
understand the connections between mathematical procedures and the concepts he/she uses
recognise mathematics in the environment
represent mathematical ideas and processes in different modes: verbal, pictorial, diagrammatic, and symbolic
recognise and apply mathematical ideas and processes in other areas of the curriculum
Reasoning
make hypotheses and carry out experiments to test them
make informal deductions involving a small number of steps
explore and investigate mathematical patterns and relationships
reason systematically in a mathematical context
justify processes and results of mathematical activities, problems and projects
Implementing
devise and use mental strategies and procedures for carrying out mathematical tasks
use appropriate manipulatives to carry out mathematical procedures
execute standard procedures efficiently with a variety of tools
Understanding and recalling
understand and recall terminology, facts and definitions.
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5th and 6th class skills
Applying and problem-solving
select appropriate materials, concepts and processes for particular tasks and applications
apply concepts and processes in a variety of contexts
analyse problems and plan an approach to solving them
select and apply a variety of strategies to complete tasks and projects or solve problems
reflect upon and evaluate solutions to problems
Communicating and expressing
discuss and explain the processes used and the results of mathematical activities, problems and projects in an organised way
listen to and discuss other children's mathematical descriptions and explanations
discuss and record the processes and results of work using a variety of methods
discuss problems and carry out analyses
Integrating and connecting
connect informally acquired mathematical ideas and processes with formal mathematical ideas and processes
recognise mathematics in the environment
represent mathematical ideas and processes in different modes: verbal, pictorial, diagrammatic and symbolic
understand the connections between mathematical procedures and the concepts he/she uses
recognise and apply mathematical ideas and processes in other areas of the curriculum
Reasoning
make hypotheses and carry out experiments to test them
make informal deductions
search for and investigate mathematical patterns and relationships
reason systematically in a mathematical context
justify processes and results of mathematical activities, problems and projects
Implementing
devise and use mental strategies and procedures for carrying out mathematical tasks
use appropriate manipulatives to carry out mathematical procedures
execute standard procedures efficiently with a variety of tools
Understanding and recalling
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Learning Log
Name:
Class
What strategy did I use
to solve the problem?
What would I do
differently the next
time?
One thing I learned:
My effort:
Learning Log
Name:
Class
What strategy did I use
to solve the problem?
What would I do
differently the next
time?
One thing I learned:
My effort:
9
Notes
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