Times turntables

GETTING his multiplication tables wrong was bad enough for schools minister Stephen Byers, but it can put some children off maths for life.

Maths teacher Wendy Fortescue-Hubbard, of the University of Plymouth, has found that reciting times-tables can be a traumatic experience for some youngsters.

She says children's mental recall is more successful if their multiplication practice is given in a fun and stimulating way, rather than traditional rote learning.