Written multiplication Written multiplication is one of the harder topics for children to learn in primary school. It has long been thought that children need to understand what is happening when they use the standard written method of multiplication rather than just learn a method by rote without having a clue why it works. A variety of methods have been introduced to help with this, one of which is known as the ‘grid method’.  In the ‘grid method’ a 2-digit number is partitioned into tens and units before each part is multiplied and finally added to reach the answer. As it is now suggested in the new maths curriculum that written multiplication should be introduced in year 3 we have just published a set of pages showing how the ‘grid method’ works and practising it. However, this is only an intermediate stage and children will need to quickly develop an efficient standard method so we have also published several sets of pages which look at multiplying 2-digit numbers by 3, 4 and 5 using this standard written method.