Overview
We are an Outstanding primary school in Kent with around 840 pupils on roll. Like many schools, we have a group of SEN pupils who struggle to grasp even basic multiplication facts. Traditional methods, including rote learning, repetition and games, were not working, and my pupils’ confidence and engagement were very low.
We needed to try something different, something that would stick, so I took ten pupils along to the Fables World multi-school demonstration session.
If I’m honest, I was sceptical about the approach. The idea of using storytelling to teach times tables seemed overly complex and likely to increase the cognitive load for pupils who were already struggling.
But within just one hour, everything changed.
The turning point
I was genuinely stunned by what happened during the demonstration session. After just one hour, children who had struggled for years to remember their times tables were excitedly recalling the fables, explaining the characters and, most importantly, getting the answers right.
More than that, they weren’t just remembering the multiplication facts. They were enjoying it. They were focused, animated and fully engaged.
Lasting impact
The true test would always be whether what the children had learnt in the session would stick. Back at school over the next two weeks, my pupils continued retelling the fables, accurately recalling multiplication facts and displaying confidence and enthusiasm for maths.
Seeing such remarkable progress, we decided to invest in the full Fables World programme. Our SEN pupils have flourished with this programme. They are not afraid of times tables anymore. They remember them, use them and feel proud of their progress. The change in their attitude and achievement has been amazing to see.
Conclusion
If you’re a teacher working with pupils who learn differently and struggle with traditional methods, I can’t recommend Fables World enough. The power of storytelling and visual memory cues has transformed our maths teaching for SEN pupils.