Teaching Concept = Large, Clear, and Plain, Easy to Read
Premise: What goes in clear is best able to be understood clearly without confusion. What goes in muddied, is more likely to be muddled.

Teaching concept: Use of bright bold color and plenty of white space between things.
Premise: Sharp clear focused differention is good and helpful.

What we're seeking here is to present perfect clarity and ease of understanding to the child, or to the student of whatever age. Scripture reference: Hab 2:2 "...write the vision, and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it."

The first thought that goes into the brain with a new subject is the one most likely to grow the most on that subject.
Therefore, we certainly do not want that first thought to be cloudy or confused.

These things are very simple to do.
Please take the time to get your child grounded in doing them for himself
by taking time to do it for him first and then with him, until finally he
catches on to doing it alone, for himself. [ Ok, i'll give way to modern
political correctness, him or her self. :)]

Take a legal size, 14 inch sheet of paper.
Take a bright color fine point marker, red or blue or green will do fine.
You want a broad bold easy to read line, like with a fine felt tip.
Write large, taking two spaces for each number instead of one line each.
Skip two spaces between each number going down the page.

Keep in mind through-out our teaching, we want very much to AVOID any confusion entering while we're learning a new idea. Confusion has a way of taking deep root fast, and attaching many unwanted ideas with it, such as I don't understand this so it makes me look bad so I don't like it, so I'm not learning it ie working on it any more.

Cognitive Dissonance is the term I learned in college for what we're trying to avoid. It involves early mis-conceptions or confusions which we want to avoid. Scripture ref: Job 10:22 A land of darkness...without any order and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness. This is what we want to avoid. We do not want our presentation to be darkness to the student. We do not want it to be out of order or confusion to him. We want to take steps so as to present to his understanding in perfect clarity.

The presentation should be carefully arranged as not to allow confusion.

For a very young child, you might say, "Johny, how many sheep do you see in this picture? " And in that picture there should only be one (1) sheep. He will probably answer that he sees one sheep. Tell him that's right. Say "That's right, Johny. Very good." Don't get too carried away on the very good, end the sentence with a flat tone. Else he may think you're overdoing the flattery. Kids can be sensitive to that. I know I was. And my own kids are too. So take a hint. You can put a little more enthusiasm in the first "that's right, Johny," but tone down on the very good. It should work fine most of the time for most of the kids.

Psalm 9:14 "I will show forth all thy praise at the gate..." Taking the gate to mean where others can hear, it is sometimes good and fitting to announce things to the class if others are present. Sometimes it is good to encourage the class if others are present, by showing the extrodinary steps one member of the class has taken.... but wisdom must be used in this, one must judge the circumstances and attitude of the body of class members.

Psalm 44:8 "In God we boast all the day long..." So long as the children are understanding that we all depend upon Him, and all praise comes from and returns to Him, there is no problem with praise. I wished America still had schools where God got the credit for good teaching and good understanding. He is our All and All. Suggest you read through the Psalms verses with the word praise. Read them all. It will help you as a teacher. Get those ideas into your heart. The entrance of His word gives light to the soul. Psalm 119:130.

Affirm 1st Timothy 1:7 and 3:8 After affirming his answer, (He needs immediate almost instant affirmation) and giving him praise, ( the praise can come slower after it sinks in to him that he got something right and it was good. So he can appreciate the praise.)

Then write down on the page using two spaces, the number 1 (one).
leave plenty of room, don't crowd the writing, and write down a large X and then after that write another 1. Just show it to him and say 1 x 1 = 1 Tell him, "That's how we say it. One times one = 1"

skip a row and repeat the process with two. Hold up a picture that has two sheep. Ask him how many sheep he sees. Respond. That's right, you saw two sheep on this one picture. So we can say you saw two sheep one time. Then write down 2 x 1 = 2
1 x 1 = 1
2 x 1 = 2
3 x 1 = 3
and continue...

you should go to the copy store, take your picture of a sheep, and make pages with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 sheep. To be consistent in all the concepts, yes you do need these pictures. Don't skimp here, as it is foundational concept.

The first time through, you can just tell him.
Telling him through the process instead of asking him.
Don't expect him to know. For sure, don't ask him if he hasn't been taught.

Teach first. Then ask. At least the first time through in math.