Why multiplication?
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The foundation for successful multiplication instruction is set in the early grades of elementary school when students learn to add. Thus, students who do not master addition in their early elementary school years will likely struggle when mastery of multiplication is expected once formally introduced.
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Multiplication is “one of two fundamental operations, along with addition…” (Otto, Caldwell, Lubinski, & Hancock, 2011, p. 10) that is imperative for students to grasp in upper elementary school. According to Kinzer and Stanford (2014), “at least half of all the third-grade standards in CCSSM involve multiplication in one way or another.”
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Multiplication is a “fundamental operation that is used to solve everyday problems” (Otto et al., 2011, p. 10).
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Multiplication can be defined as “unioning multiple sets of equal cardinality” (Sherman, Richardson, & Yard, 2005, p. 89). In addition, it makes the “manipulation of numbers more efficient” (Chinn, 2012, p. 134).
References
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Chinn, S. (2012). The trouble with maths: A practical guide to helping with numeracy difficulties (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
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Kinzer, C., & Stanford, T. (2014). The distributive property: The core of multiplication. Teaching Children Mathematics, 20(5), 302-309. doi:10.5951/teacchilmath.20.5.0302
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Otto, A. D., Caldwell, J. H., Lubinski, C. A., & Hancock, S. W. (2011). Developing essential understanding of multiplication and division for teaching mathematics in grades 3-5. Reston, VA: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
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Sherman, H. J., Richardson, L. I., & Yard, G. J. (2005). Teaching children who struggle with mathematics: A systematic approach to analysis and correction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.