Most of the kids found the material boring and repetitious. A few thought the characters looked like gangsters. Some children rapped along with the video. Kids said they might want to watch it again if they were having trouble with multiplication.
Watching this DVD may help some kids learn their multiplication tables. Unfortunately, it relies heavily on memorization and flash card techniques, which are not the preferred way to teach subjects according to current educational research. However, if you skip the rap section, which comes up automatically when you play the DVD, there is a section on "What is Multiplication" where Marko the Pen guides children through a general description of how multiplication works and some easy tips for multiplying certain numbers. Adult jurors recommend that you skip to this section if your child is struggling with multiplication, and only use the rap section as an addendum for kids who enjoy memorizing.
Each set of facts through twelve has its own cool video song. Memorization becomes a game when answers are delayed the second time facts are presented. Includes bonus section of "What is Multiplication" and skip counting.
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KIDS FIRST! Goes Local: Submit a review & win!
KIDS FIRST! Goes Local: Submit a review & win!
