Age 4-11 Pupils dance the Macarena (instructions below) as they drill their times tables or count up in tens. I used this with the 1, 2, 5 and 10 times tables.
1) Practise the dance, arm movements only.
2) Practise saying the 1 times table, arm movements only.
3) Repeat with other tables.
4) Combine tables and dance, i.e. times 1, jigglejumpturn to the right, times 2, jigglejumpturn, times 5, jigglejumpturn, times 10, jigglejumpturn, and you’re all facing forwards again.
The Macarena 1) Right hand straight out in front palm down.
2) Left hand out palm down.
3) Turn right palm up.
4) Turn left palm up.
5) Right hand to left shoulder.
6) Left hand to right shoulder (both arms crossed over chest).
7) Right hand to back of your head.
8) Left hand to left of head (you should now look like you’re doing sit-ups).
9) Right hand touches left hip.
10) Left hand crosses to the right hip.
11) Right hand to right hip 12) Left hand to left hip Geoff Harman is a trainee in County Durham