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When do you call it quits on remediating computation and break out the calculator?


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Last time we did standardized testing, dd had a 30pt discrepancy between computation vs. concepts.  She's worked incredibly hard with multisensory methods to master her facts, but starts mixing them up as soon as we add more than one fact family.

 

I'm thinking about letting her move on with a cheat sheet for facts, or even a calculator.  We've only got a couple more years before Algebra, and still need to get through long division, fraction, decimals, etc., because multiplication (and even multi-digit addition and subtraction) have been so hard to master.

 

Have any of you done this?  I'm afraid of fractions being a beast if she doesn't have the multiplication facts memorized to automaticity, but I don't think we're ever going to get there at this rate no matter what I do.

 

And what happens when it's time to do standardized testing?  We're required in my state.  I can give standard special needs accomodations as far as extending time and such...anyone know if calculator use is allowed?  How'd that fly with your district/state if you tried it?

Feeling discouraged...

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We use the ACT (or SAT) for state testing from 7th grade on. I don't know if that is allowed in your state? Both tests allow a calculator. I've allowed both girls to start using a calculator for all of their math from PreAlgebra up. If it matters, neither of the girls are interested in a math-based career and one struggles in math. I had the one that struggles use Key to Fractions and that helped her a bit.

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Although we are still in the middle of this ourselves, so I am no expert, I have found some things that helped here so I have a few suggestions:

 

1.  Print out a blank multiplication grid off the internet (several copies) and help her skip count her way to creating her own to use as reference.

 

2.  Do this often, maybe every day, or at least 3 times a week until she can create one on her own without help.

 

3.  Have her use the grid she creates for her multiplication when she can.

 

4.  Have her use a calculator as you are teaching her new concepts, but use the grid still upon occasion.

 

5.  Keep moving slowly forward with new concepts but keep reviewing old ones.

 

6.  Don't hold up exposing her to new concepts while you constantly work on automaticity since automaticity may never happen.

 

7.  If you haven't already, look at Ronit Bird's book Overcoming Difficulty with Numbers.

 

How well does your child do with reading calendars, clocks, counting money, etc.?  How old is she?

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I thought I might add a bit more detail to what we are doing, in case it helps...

 

DD has a math notebook she created at my suggestion.  Inside she has several items:

 

blank multiplication grids to use each week  (she creates a new one each week to use for that week now that she is used to the process but she used to create them more often) 

 

chart with numbers in written and standard form to refer to when she needs to write using numbers

 

triangle chart we use from Beast Academy to see which triangles are called what and what their properties are

 

She is in the process of creating a chart for fractions so she has something to refer to for steps regarding fractions, terms used in fractions, etc. 

 

 

She will continue to add to her notebook as things come up.  She uses her notebook for reference.   All items in the notebook are put into a clear, non-glare, easy load notebook sleave so they last longer and so she can write on them when needed using a dry erase but the original page is not damaged. 

 

 We do SOME work with a calculator but mainly she created material to use in her notebook.  I have her recreate things periodically for the practice.

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