When looking at how to learn multiplication facts quickly, the best way to do that is through a strategy-based approach. We don’t need to kill-and-drill our students with endless flash cards or timed tests. 

 

For learning multiplication tables the easy way, we are going to help students use facts that they have already committed to memory to find the answer to facts they haven’t memorized yet through the One More Set Strategy.

 

 

This is important because these strategies build number sense and meaning behind the number and facts. The connections that students make help them remember the facts. Or students will be able to reason through and find the answer to the multiplication fact in just a few seconds or less.

 

Whether they commit the facts to memory or can solve it in a few seconds or less, that is what we call math fact mastery.

 

Want to see how this fits in a full fluency plan? Grab my free workbook: The 7 Steps to Ensure Math Fact Fluency

 

So let’s get into what the One More Set Strategy is and how it can help when thinking about how to learn multiplication facts quickly.

 

What is the One More Set Strategy?

 

This strategy is where you take a fact you already know and just add one more set. For students to do this strategy, they need to know the meaning of multiplication. 

What I mean by that is they need to know that multiplication involves equal groups or sets.  Learn more about how I teach the meaning of multiplication through models in this blog post here.

 

 

Then I start students using the one more set strategy with multiplication facts of 3. This is because students memorize double facts pretty quickly, like 2×6. We can think of that as 2 sets of 6. 2 sets of 6 is 12. Then add one more set, 12+6, and we know that 3×6=18.

 

Read more about how I do this with facts of 3 in this blog post here.

 

But the reality is, we can use the One More Set strategy with any strategy we know. If we know 6×6=36, then we just add one more set of 6 to know the answer of 7×6.

 

To teach this to students, I like to first use models and then move on to just using numbers. This helps it naturally become a mental strategy. So let me show you exactly how I do this.

 

How to Learn Multiplication Facts Quickly Using the One More Set Strategy

 

Like I said, I like to start by showing this strategy with models. I begin with set models.

To do this, I use display pages that act as slides. The first slide shows a set model of 4 sets of 7. 3 sets are grouped together in a rectangle and the 4th is outside the rectangle. I show students how we will get the answer of the grouped sets. 3×7=21. Then we can just add one more set of 7 to get 28, so 4×7=28.

 

 

We practice another example with set models and then I will show students this strategy with an area model.

 

I split the area model into 2 colors. The main group and then one more row another color to show one more set. We get the answer to the top part, and then add the bottom row to get the answer.

 

I will give students another example of this and then I will show the One More Set strategy with an array.

 

The top rows of the array are grouped together with a rectangle, leaving the bottom row out of the rectangle. This helps show students that we have to find that top fact and then we can just add one more row or set to find the answer.

 

After students get the hang of these with the models, I just want students to use numbers. I don’t want them to rely on drawing pictures to solve.

 

So I will show a multiplication fact as a repeated addition equation. We group the numbers together except for the last one because that’s the one set we will be adding. We solve this together and then practice a few more as a class.

 

Find the display pages I use to teach the One More Set Strategy here.

 

Learning Multiplication Tables With the One More Set Strategy Through Worksheets, Activities, & Games

 

As I am showing students this strategy with the different models, I am also getting them their own practice with worksheets. I have them complete worksheets with set models, area models, and arrays.

 

When I give students a worksheet, we will do a couple problems together. Then I let students do the rest by themselves but I am walking around giving help and support as needed.

 

 

Then I will give students another worksheet that will act as their independent practice. Once I give students the worksheet, I go and sit at our classroom table. As students finish, they will line up by me. Then I will check their work with them and help them fix any mistakes.

 

After that, I like to get students even more practice. So as they finish, I assign them a partner and then work together on a scoot activity. 

 

This is an activity where I have different task cards taped up around our classroom and students go around with a recording sheet and solve the problems. The task cards show the models that represent the One More Set Strategy so they get lots of practice.

 

I also have task cards that I laminate so students can write on them with draw erase markers. These have students working with only the numbers, not with the pictures or models. These task cards are great for centers. Find them here.

After students complete the scoot activity, I have them work with the same partner to complete a One More Set Puzzle. These puzzles have 4 different pieces that students have to line up. One part shows the set model for the equation. There’s a piece with the fact of the grouped sets. Then a piece with the one set they need to add. And then a piece with the whole fact and the answer.

 

 

I love to have students work together for these because they get students naturally talking about the math together. This solidifies their understanding of the strategy even more.

 

And then, students individually complete an exit ticket. I’ll review these after school and take note of students who could use some more practice.

 

You may still have some questions about teaching the One More Set Strategy and how to learn multiplication facts quickly, so let’s go over some frequently asked questions I get from teachers.

 

When should I teach the One More Set Strategy?

 

This is a great strategy to introduce in 3rd grade and then to come back to if students struggle with fact fluency in 4th and 5th grade.

 

First introduce it to students when learning multiplication facts of 3. They are just adding one more set to a doubles fact.

 

I’ll then teach other strategies like Double & Double Again and Half then Double. Then I show students how they can use the One More Set strategy for any facts they already know.

 

Learn about all of the math fact strategies I teach for multiplication in this blog post here: 9 Proven Multiplication Strategies That Build Lasting Fluency

 

How can the One More Set Strategy help students learn multiplication facts quickly?

 

Students will take facts they already have memorized, add one more set, and know they automatically know another fact. When students get sufficient practice they also commit these facts to memory so they don’t have to reason through and take the time to add one more set. They will just know the facts. Find all of my One More Set practice materials here.

 

How can students learn multiplication facts quickly?

 

There is not one quick fix, but hard work does pay off. Teach the meaning of multiplication. Then have students memorize the easy facts like multiplying by 0, 1, 5, 9, and 10. And after that move on to more reasoning strategies. One of those strategies being the One More Set Strategy.

 

Find a full fluency plan, grab your free copy of my workbook: The 7 Steps to Ensure Math Fact Fluency 

 

Ready to help your students learn multiplication fast?

 

Grab the One More Set Strategy Resource Pack here and give your students the tools to build real number sense and fluency without flashcards or frustration.

Or save big when you grab the full multiplication strategy bundle here.