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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

As a former classroom teacher and now homeschool mom, I’ve seen my share of kids struggling to learn their multiplication facts. However, most programs are designed to help younger kids learn their facts, not help older kids still trying to master them. Because of this, I was very excited to try Accelerated Individualized Mastery (AIM) for Multiplication with a Bridge to Division by Math-U-See. I was hoping my 12-year-old son would finally master his multiplication facts once and for all.

Table of Contents

• What is AIM Multiplication
• Learning Multiplication Facts
  • Beginning the Lessons
  • Working Through Each Session
• Memorizing Multiplication Facts in Our Homeschool
  • Completing the Multiplication Facts
• Overall Thoughts of AIM Multiplication

What is AIM Multiplication

To start off, AIM Multiplication is a math program to help kids ages 10+ master their multiplication facts. Kids work on the 2s to 10s times tables. It uses a multisensory approach: manipulating blocks, writing things out, and saying the facts to build understanding.  

Included with the program are:

1. Resource Guide
2. Online videos and materials
3. Blocks (integer blocks)
4. Flashcards
5. Math Facts Strategy Posters

All of these hands-on materials and online resources help make up a well-rounded program.

Learning Multiplication Facts

As with most programs, AIM Multiplication begins with having you assess your child. It is a simple sheet in which you ask your child the multiplication fact verbally.  If they can answer the problem quickly, you cross it off. In the end, you count up how many they got correct. You can now set a goal for them to work on.

For my son, he did pretty well. He got 71 correct out of 81 multiplication facts. My goal for him was to recall his multiplication facts more quickly.

Beginning the Lessons

Before beginning each lesson, I would watch the video on how to teach the fact family and read through the resource guide. This prepared me for teaching the day’s lesson with my son. It is SUPER helpful! At times, my son watched the videos with me, and we worked through the lesson that way. He liked the videos.

Each lesson is broken down into Sessions A-D. It is meant to break things up so your child doesn’t become frustrated. A frustrated kid isn’t going to learn a thing. Plus, it breaks things into manageable sections to help understand the material.

Working Through Each Session

Session A is the initial lesson for the math fact family. Kids will Build, Say, Write for each problem. This is where kids are using a multisensory approach to help them learn the information. I LOVE this!

Next, your child will write the fact 4 x 8 and read it with the answer.

Using the blocks, kids BUILD the multiplication fact. So when building 4 X 8, kids use the blocks and place them four over and eight up. They write and say, “Four over and eight up.”

However, they are not done. Now kids learn the complimentary fact. As in the image below, my son was learning 6 X 3, He then rotated the blocks and did 3 X 6 which shows the communitive property being used.

In Session B, kids demonstrate their understanding with a word problem worksheet. It is real-life math at its best. All the word problems involve just the fact family being taught. Kids will once again Build, Say, Write to reinforce learning.

By the time you move into Session C, kids will begin fading from the blocks into memorizing their facts. Kids will draw rectangles instead of using the blocks to represent the facts.

Finally, in the last session, you assess if your child has mastered the facts using flashcards. You color a star at the bottom of the flashcard if the fact has been memorized. In all, you repeat this three times.  

Memorizing Multiplication Facts in Our Homeschool

As mentioned earlier, my son had most of his facts from 2-10 mastered. He just didn’t know them quickly. We started from the beginning of the program, though. I wanted to make sure he learned all the tips along the way, and he became quicker with his facts. Some lessons we moved through fairly quickly.

When we got to the nine times tables, though, we slowed down because my son’s definition of mastery and mine were different. He would take well over three seconds to answer a problem and become angry I didn’t color the star on the flashcard. At these moments, we stopped immediately. We weren’t going to make any progress. Eventually, we got past this. Taking a break was the best answer.

Completing the Multiplication Facts

Once we completed the AIM Multiplication program, we did the final assessment. My son now scored 79 out of 81. However, a few days later, I asked him 7 X 7 and 8 X 8 (the facts he didn’t know on the assessment). He answered them without pause. He truly has all his facts memorized.

I may occasionally use the worksheet generator on the site. It will be an excellent way to review tricky facts, so he doesn’t forget them.

Another part of the program we will continue to use is the online math drill. My son loved using this. I would check off one or two fact families for him to practice. Once it started, he would type in his answers (on the computer) as fast as possible. When he was finished, it would show how many correct and how long it took him. For him, he was motivated to try again and again to beat his previous time.  

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We have not yet completed the last lessons that are a bridge to division. These lessons help kids understand the relationship between multiplication and division. We will be doing these lessons soon.

Overall Thoughts of AIM Multiplication

Overall, I think this is an excellent program that will help older kids master their multiplication facts. The multisensory approach used by Math-U-See is the perfect way to get these troublesome facts to stick. Kids won’t only memorize their facts but understand multiplication so much better.

I found the overall approach is age-appropriate, too. Kids over the age of ten may already be insecure about not knowing their facts; they don’t want some program that seems babyish. This is definitely not the case.

What did my son think???

When I asked my son if he liked the program, he said, “Uh, yes! I got better at my facts, didn’t I?!” So there you have it from my 12-year-old. 😊

I really wish this program taught the twelves facts, too. However, after using the program, I can see how I can use these techniques to help my son learn them.

I would highly recommend this program to families looking to help their older kids master their multiplication facts. To find out what other families thought of the program, check out other Homeschool Review Crew reviews.

Happy Homeschooling!