When DD was in K, I taught her to count the way that Geodob explained. I then drew a rectangle on a sheet of paper, divided it into halves, labeled each portion 10s and units, and laminated it. We took a dry erase marker, a die, and the MUS blocks for 10 and 1 (greens and blues) and made numbers together. I jotted the numbers down while DD rolled, counted out the blocks, and read them. We worked our way up to making 100s. Laminating the sheet made things simpler, and we also used this freebie. ETA: I never really pushed counting past 10 much. DD picked that up by making the numbers. In fact, she leapt conceptually and started counting by 2s and 5s on her own. I recall thinking that was crazy to witness because she was seeing OT. She was a little over 6 yo at that time, and her bro has dyscalculia.

And it may work for your DS. I hate to be a Debbie Downer... :scared:

None whatsoever. Sometimes it is hard to plumb the depths of their needs. If I hadn't raised the child myself for 15 years and witnessed first hand his struggles, I would be absolutely convinced that he was purposefully being obtuse. My 7yo DD is better organized. She is scary organized.

I'd like to add that my son's organization skills nearly killed me at the beginning of the year. DS made me nuts because I assumed he could self-organize in ways, and I discovered that he could not. I had to really work with him at the beginning of the year and after Christmas break. He is much better now but teaching these kiddos organization can be a challenge, and the process is ongoing.

It may be too much trouble, but you can use a stylus on an IPad with the software Notability and write upon imported PDFs. My son's handwriting is so bad that when he uses his Echo LiveScribe and converts his handwritten notes with software (MyScript for LiveScribe) the result is at least 50% in translation mistakes. This means he has to correct numerous typos, so it is easier for DS to simply retype his notes than bother with handwriting recognition sw.

Well, I'm curious. Did you understand the Khan video? There were parts of it that could have been explained better.

Here's a Khan video: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/pre-algebra/fractions-pre-alg/multiplying-fractions-pre-alg/v/multiplying-a-fraction-by-a-fraction I personally think that the Overcoming book by RB is fabulous because she teaches the area model, which is premised upon understanding how to decompose numbers. The area model also may be used to visually demonstrate the commutative and distributive properties of multiplication`. I taught my DS how to factor quadratics and derive the quadratic equation based upon an extenuation of the area model as explained by James Tanton. James Tanton has a website, and he is very helpful. Should you purchase Overcoming for yourself? Email Ronit Bird and ask her. Maybe encourage her to produce some fraction material while you are at it. I rip apart curriculum and adjust it to suit DS, but I have a strong math background. I am also motivated to help DS. I seriously doubt my DS could self teach math, so I applaud you for making every effort. I honestly think you should maybe use Khan, c-rod materials, and hire a tutor. We used MUS for fractions. DS found the MUS videos to be confusing, so I watched and explained. I really felt the MUS instructor had poor white/chalk board habits, and he didn't use clear math language. The fraction overlays with MUS were great though. I just feel you need an understanding tutor that can help identify the specific math weaknesses and explain concepts to you. I realize that finding a good math tutor is difficult. Unfortunately, there is no one math program that can suit all learners. DS uses math mnemonics for process, grid paper, colored pencils, a math fact sheet, and a calculator. Draw pictures, type up process steps in big letters, and just do whatever it takes to internalize solving math problems.

DS has a specific wake time and morning routine (bath, Bible, and breakfast). Once that routine is completed, we sit down and review what needs to be accomplished for the day. He writes everything down in his journal, and we discuss the best order to complete his tasks. Any task that requires my immediate presence is saved until the afternoon. I periodically check on him to ensure work is getting done. DS takes classes outside the home, so his workload is too fluid for me to plan. I also never know how math will work out, so I have to make adjustments on the fly. The days are consistent but not rigid.

The thing is, the manipulatives are to teach a concept. If you understand the concept, you then explain it to your child using the rods that you have. It may be easier to use c-rods. IDK, it is up to you and how flexible you are. The rods are a means to an end. It is really about your comfort with teaching. Up thread I mentioned pre-skills. See, IDK what the e-books look like, but with Overcoming the student needs to master a certain set of pre-skills prior to jumping into multiplication. If RB tells you to use her c-rod ebook first, do it because RB has a very specific approach. It was late 5th grade when I ditched son's math book and turned to RB. I recall being scared which seems odd now that I look back, but I was also desperate. Initially, DS thought I was joking as we worked through some of the concepts. Anyways, DS and I worked together following RB methods, and he kept earning himself little victories. As DS learned his division facts, we had a watershed moment. I don't know how to say it. My child started to believe he could learn, and he trusted my math teaching. Even now when he struggles, DS never gets super frustrated because he trusts that he will eventually learn the concept.

Use the MUS blocks. Yeah, I know they have marks on them but turn them on their side. MUS blocks are based on a 1/2" measure while c-rods are based upon 1 cm.

Here is a link to some Landmark materials that may be useful...Thank-you, VinNY! :D http://www.landmarkschool.org/resources/woodinmath/word-problems

If the multiplication facts are mastered, division facts should go quickly. Division facts came quickly to DS, and we even used flashcards, which was a huge no-no at one point. Your child may need practice with a subroutine essential for division. I have never used the e-books because they were not available 4 years ago, so I cannot really compare them. Some people find the books confusing, but for whatever reason, I don't. My only beef with RB is the cost of her materials, but then we have paid more money for tutoring and my son's private school education than I care to count.

Where you start with RB depends on where your child is. We used Overcoming because DS was a 5th grader who knew add/subtraction facts to 20 and some multiplication facts (1s, 2s, 10s, 11s). RB was very explicit about what math concepts should be mastered prior to multiplication. Armed with her list of concepts, I systematically worked through the concepts with DS using c-rods, colored pencils, and metric graph paper to teach him the distributive property. I used the latter half of the Overcoming book for mental bridging and new methods for long division and multi-digit multiplication. DS could subitize dots, so I didn't bother with dot work. I used RB like a road map and drew upon outside sources to work on concepts when RB seemed too babyish. You could email RB directly and solicit her opinion. I have and she is very helpful. RB actually sent me materials for algebra work.

We used Physical Science Concepts in Action for the chem part and switched over to Derek Owens for the physics part. PS is not very hard. The chem portion was mainly definitions and understanding the periodic table. We performed the weekly investigations in the kitchen for the chemistry. DS loves the physics side of physical science and wanted some independence, so I purchased the DO materials mid-year and DS loved it. I helped with the math whenever he struggled, but it wasn't a big problem. DS also attended a two week catapult class to learn and use the Scientific Method and made a science fair worthy project complete with a display board, charts, and the write-up. I think OhE ripped apart lab manuals from a couple of PS programs and her DD performed labs for a year. BJU videos may also have been involved. If you go the conceptual physics route, perform a WTM search over at the High School board and look at what Lori D did. I seem to recall she lined up several labs that worked with the Conceptual Physics book. You could just use the PAC PS materials and pump it up with labs from other physical science programs too.

Rainbow comments on their product and high school.

Displace, here are a handful of book titles to consider for hands-on science and literature....Reading Strands Understanding Fiction teaches the user how to apply the Socratic Method when reviewing stories with your student. Use How to Report on Books to expound on what story elements are discussed. Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method provides 100 experiments that teach the SM using critters that you capture from your backyard. E-M's Giant Science Resource Book is filled with integrated science sheets that can be used to supplement science books from the library, science, and animal encyclopedias, documentaries, and science kits. Inspiration software and basic mindmapping can be used to support the writing and projects.

Yes, you need to specifically ask for convergence and tracking tests. You may look up a provider here. I would go to the OT first. You may need a referral from your DD's ped for insurance to cover, but that should only take a phone call. The OT will tell you what refs you need. The OT evaluation should take about an hour and examine visual perception, developmental motor, balance, pincer/core strength, handedness, and motor planning.

When I Google MBTH, links about proteins show up. Would you please provide a link? I am curious now. Eta|. MBTP...I have never looked at those materials before. Looking over them now, I cannot see a reason not to use them. They seem expensive and don't follow a 4 year history cycle, but that may not matter to you. Modify/accommodate when necessary. The science seems expensive for an early grammar staged student. Maybe try a unit and then model it with library books for other topics.

DS rarely answers the phone. I typically don't answer calls during the day and when I do, I know who is on the other end. The answering machine is turned on, and we have caller ID.

Yeah, you need evals. Here is a link for graph paper. http://customgraph.com/SG/piart.php?art=654 For DD's hand pain, we wheelbarrow walked and completed tons of exercises using an exercise ball. DD saw an OT for 6 weeks, maybe. She did OT homework 5 days per week. Maybe explore Developmental Math. CBD sells it.

OP, I like how you want to do something to help your child's handwriting. OT, NP, and accommodations are the things that you do. Dysgraphia was a shock diagnosis for my family because DS was in 2nd grade and getting by. I was extremely reluctant to accommodate, and then the writing expectations jumped for DS in 5th grade. By 5th grade, I realized that I was harming my son by not accommodating, and I deeply regret not acting sooner. My son is bright and hardworking. Since homeschooling, DS has met and made a handful of same aged friends with LDs that cannot type, and none of them are able to take the rigorous classes that my son attends. I know the moms and hear their complaints. Typing has enabled my son to work more at his intellectual level and afforded him a level of independence that his friends don't have. DS doesn't want me sitting beside him for every subject. During the grammar and logic stage, hauling a device for typing at school every day was a challenge, but as a high schooler, a laptop is no big deal. In fact, laptops are mandatory at our local prep school. I say these things to encourage you. If your child does have dysgraphia, the accommodations are more of a lifestyle adjustment. Up thread you mentioned your DD losing focus when reading. Whenever possible, allow her to use audio books. Have her practice reading with the speed increased. She could practice listening to books at 2-3 times read aloud speed. My local library loans audio books in the digital domain. An IPad app called VoiceDream will read aloud books with immersion technology. I download books from Project Gutenberg and listen for pleasure. Good luck whatever direction you take.

As he learns new math skills, maybe review old skills with a short daily Math Minute Sheet. A link follows: http://www.amazon.com/Eighth-Grade-Math-Minutes-Stoffel/dp/1591984327/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1426766881&sr=8-16&keywords=Daily+math+minutes

I have read about the RIDD strategy being recommended for word problems. A link follows: http://nycdoeit.airws.org/pdf/ridd.pdf The latter half of the book Overcoming Difficulties with Number by RB has been extremely helpful for DS. RB teaches more visual ways to problem solve, a mental math subtraction technique called mental bridging, and alternative methods of long division, and multi-digit multiplication. Eta: You could also print up a math keyword chart and allow your child to use the chart as she solves word problems. Another link follows: http://www.lamoure.k12.nd.us/pcarlson/files/2013/10/Key-Words-for-Math-Word-Problems.pdf You and your DD could create math keyword posters together and use those instead.

I can't see a private school allowing typing in a grammar stage classroom without a private NP report. Even with the diagnosis, son's teachers and the private school administrators were reluctant to allow DS to use his NEO in class. Typed work in both the logic and grammar stage classrooms is a royal pain for the student. The teachers feared the technology and wanted no part of it.

I forgot to mention this. Since your child is on the younger side, maybe look for a device called a NEO Alphasmart. It is a portable word processor that is very sturdy and runs forever on 6 AA batteries. You can purchase one cheaply from Amazon as the company has closed down. DS used one from 4th through 7th grades.