One of the first things we learnt in school were the time tables! How can one forget sitting in their first grade math class, trying to get all these numbers, and the products of their multiplication, into their head? It seemed impossible then, but now it’s etched in our brains. The product of any multiplication comes to us so quickly now; our teachers did a good job of making us learn our times tables by heart. We should be thankful for that, since multiplication is the very basic of any mathematical problem, and not knowing it will hinder your ability to do math.
These days, everybody uses calculators; it seems to be the easiest way out. But multiplication is still very essential, and so are the ways employed to teach students how to multiply. Of course, there are a couple of different techniques and ways to teach multiplication, including Vedic multiplication. What is of concern is whether the tables are ingrained in one’s memory. In order to do this, teachers have to constantly come up with new, innovative and interesting methods of teaching. Incorporating games will make learning seem fun for the kids. One of the games that is frequently and is quite popularly used is Bingo.
The bottom line is- Bingo is fun. And when it also helps in learning, what could be better? It’s a very simple game, in terms of both learning and playing. It is economical- all you need is pen and paper. It is also very flexible, allowing teachers to adapt it according to the subject. For all the above reasons and more, Bingo is being chosen by teachers as an exciting way of teaching multiplication tables. And students take to it quite enthusiastically as well!
Time table Bingo is, of course, based on the traditional form of the game. In the original version, 5×5 boxes containing numbers are used. Teachers use the same type of cards as well, but the boxes are filled with the objects that are related to the subject at hand. Hence, while playing time table bingo, bingo cards containing multiplication problems are utilized. While playing the game, the students are required to pick the product of the multiplication of the numbers that are called out. Thus, the students have to solve the problem and arrive at the answer. This can be done as an individual activity, or in groups. For instance, if 5×5 is called out, students have to circle ‘25’ on their cards. This process is continued until someone gets five answers in a row, or column, and screams ‘Bingo!’ The game can be made more interesting by offering the winner a prize, which will also motivate all the students to strive to win a game.
Time table bingo cards are tedious to prepare by hand. Earlier you probably would have to get them done by a specialist publisher, but these days there are lots of bingo card generator software available on the Internet, which you can downloaded and utilize for creating time table bingo cards.
Tags: bingo, educational bingo
