Some words from the author…

I started my journey as a teacher in the 1990s, studying for my Bachelor of Education honors degree at the leading teacher training college in Worcester, England.

During my time at Worcester College of Higher Education, I worked alongside some inspirational teachers and was taught by some excellent university lecturers and teacher mentors. They instilled in me the importance of using the knowledge of Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic (VAK) learning styles to create learning opportunities and teaching resources, amongst other things.

Every learner is different, some are predominantly Visual, Auditory or Kinaesthetic learners. A learner could also be a combination of two or all three learning styles. It is not always appropriate, necessary or possible to use all three VAK learning styles in lessons or when learning at home.

A Visual learner is someone who learns best by seeing and absorbing information through visual aids, such as graphs, charts, and diagrams.

An Auditory learner is someone who learns best by listening and processing information through sound, meaning they retain information most effectively when they hear it spoken out loud.

A Kinaesthetic ‘hands-on’ learner is someone who learns best through physical activity, movement, and hands-on experiences, meaning they absorb information most effectively by touching, feeling, and manipulating objects rather than simply reading or listening; essentially, they learn by “doing” rather than passively receiving information.

I have always loved making resources for lessons, often bringing a range of learning styles together with music, singing and Rhymes into my classroom, singing assemblies and private tutoring sessions. I have also been known to do this with my daughter’s homework.

It’s well-known that children happily and quickly memorise song lyrics, yet some children find recalling the Times Tables difficult and stressful. Pop songs are often written in rhyme. Rhyme repetition is good for the brain, improving memory, concentration, spatial intelligence and thinking skills. Because verses are made up of patterns, they are easy to remember.

Research suggests that the brain processes rhymes through acoustic encoding, which makes it easier for the brain to recall them. 

Through my work as a primary mathematics consultant, I am privileged to have worked in many primary schools and academies, supporting teachers and teaching assistants to improve standards in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Through this work, I saw first-hand how knowledge, understanding and fluency in the Times Tables vastly improve children’s progress in mathematics. Following this, I co-wrote a series of successful Times Tables music albums, “Sing Your Times Tables”.

When my daughter started to learn the Times Tables, like a lot of learners, she found learning them tricky! My daughter and I enjoyed making up some memorable Times Tables Rhymes together to help her remember the tricky ones. Besides being lots of fun, the Rhymes helped her to remember what she previously couldn’t, and this is how the book ‘Memorable Times Tables Rhymes’ began.

Helen Eaton, Education Consultant & Parent