TabTabTab
How do I prepare my child for the MTC?
The MTC asks 25 facts with 6 seconds each: your child needs to remember, not calculate. Prepare with short daily…
Read more →The research behind the app
Start here: the 3 essentials
MTC Preparation
How long does it take to learn times tables?
With 3 to 5 minutes a day, most kids improve within days and know their tables well within a few weeks. Consistency…
Read more →How many minutes a day should my child practise times tables?
A little and often beats a lot now and then. Three to five minutes a day is enough, as long as it happens every day or…
Read more →What does the MTC actually test: speed or accuracy?
Both at once. In 6 seconds children have to read, remember and type. Answering out loud trains memory; the keyboard is…
Read more →My child gets 6×7 right at home but wrong in the test. Why?
In a test, time, a different setting and anxiety block working memory. A fact your child knows at home may simply not…
Read more →Memory & Retention
Why does my child keep forgetting times tables?
Times tables are memories made of words: without review, they fade. Repeating them won't help. Recall them instead: a…
Read more →Should my child learn one times table at a time?
Probably not as the only way. Drilling one table at a time lets children follow the sequence instead of remembering each…
Read more →Why does my child mix up 6×8 and 7×8?
Neighbouring facts like 6×8 and 7×8 compete in memory. It's a normal part of learning that never fully goes away, so the…
Read more →Are times tables maths or memory?
Memory. The brain stores times tables in the language areas, not the calculation ones: they're remembered best in the…
Read more →My child can recite the 7 times table but can't answer 7×8 quickly. Why?
Reciting a table in order is different from answering a fact asked at random. The MTC asks for the second: practise with…
Read more →Why does my child think they know their tables when they don't?
Cramming it all into one sitting gives the illusion of knowing. Sessions on different days show what your child really…
Read more →Does being good at reading help with times tables?
Yes, and it surprises many parents. Times tables are memories made of words, so children with strong language skills…
Read more →Methods & Practice
Do flashcards work for times tables?
Yes, and better than chanting. In a classroom study with Year 2 pupils, flashcards worked better, both straight away and…
Read more →What is spaced repetition and does it work for children?
It means reviewing each fact at the right moment, at each child's own pace. It works: studies of more than 3,000…
Read more →Is it better to practise times tables every day or in longer sessions?
Every day, no question. For times tables, daily practice beats any other schedule, even with the same total time. A…
Read more →Should my child say times tables out loud?
It's not essential: what matters is practising recall. But out loud you can tell right away whether the answer is…
Read more →Does correcting mistakes immediately help?
Yes, it's crucial. Only immediate correction reduces repeated mistakes: a correction given later works no better than…
Read more →What is interleaving and why does it matter for times tables?
Interleaving means mixing questions from different tables. It feels harder, but it forces real recall: in older pupils,…
Read more →Can an app replace traditional times tables practice?
Research says yes, if it uses the right mechanisms: reviews spread over time and immediate correction. What counts is…
Read more →Does the order you learn times tables in matter?
Yes. Introducing similar facts together, like 6×7 and 6×8, causes confusion that lasts for weeks. Start with facts that…
Read more →Anxiety & Timing
Are timed tests bad for children?
It depends on the child. If they're ready, timing helps them get fast. If they have maths anxiety, the timer can block…
Read more →Why does my child freeze when asked times tables on the spot?
Anxiety takes up the mental space needed to remember. It hits well-prepared kids hardest: the more they care about…
Read more →My child panics during timed tests but is fine otherwise. What's happening?
For anxious children, it's the timer, not the maths, that blocks them. Practising recall without a visible timer…
Read more →Does keyboard speed affect MTC results?
It can: the 6 seconds cover both remembering and typing, so a child who knows the answer but is slow on the keys has…
Read more →Why does maths anxiety affect times tables more than other maths?
Times tables are memories made of words, and anxiety takes up exactly the mental space needed to recall them. Other…
Read more →Parents & Teachers
How can I help my child with times tables?
You don't need to teach, you need to listen. Sit with your child while they practise out loud and notice which answers…
Read more →What do teachers recommend for times tables practice at home?
Short daily sessions, mixed questions, recalling instead of repeating, correcting right away. Chanting and copying help…
Read more →At what age do children learn times tables?
In England, children learn times tables in Year 3 and 4, aged 7 to 9, and take the MTC in Year 4. Around 8 to 9 they…
Read more →How do I know if my child has really memorised a times table?
Speed counts, not just accuracy. If the answer takes 2 to 3 seconds, it's still slow: not memorised yet. Memorised means…
Read more →Is it worth practising times tables over the summer?
Yes: summer is one of the times kids forget the most. Five minutes every few days is enough to keep months of progress.
Read more →Is memorising times tables enough for maths?
No. Knowing them instantly frees up the mind, but on its own it doesn't teach kids to use them in problems. It's a tool,…
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