lisabees Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Ds is being hs for the first time. I knew he had trouble with multiplication/division, but he cannot get addition/subtraction facts down either for the 5s, 6s, 7s and 8s tables. We do a 5 min drill every day with flashcards and also play addition war for 10 mins everyday. I know this has been asked many times before. But ds is not young - he needs to get this down!!! I mean, when we do a fact like 6+7, he says 15? 12? 14? Aaaaaah! How long will this take? What else can I try? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I use this website with all four of my kids and have been known to try it myself from time to time. http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/math-trainer-addition.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iammommy Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 We just started using factsfirst.com and really like it. I got it through that Homeschool Buyers Co-op online. It covers add, sub, mult and div. My ds is 10, and is still struggling with mult and div. and this is the first time he has really stuck with something which is helping him. HTH! Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I learned lots of tips from Singapore (1B or 2A , I don't remember) about mental addition & subtraction. If you can borrow a HIG that describes the techniques, that may be helpful. My son is working on his multiplication tables, and in addition to the "tricks" we also use flashcards with answers showing. For him, it helps to see the whole equation. I will show him the whole fact (such as 6x9=54) and then soon after show him just the 6x9. He's a very visual learner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 You might consider Flashmaster for drills. It is a fun way to learn math and practice math facts. I purchased it this summer and have all my kids doing drills on it. I am even using it myself to brush up on my math facts . . . while I learned multiplication tables with my parents' help, I did not really drill addition/subtraction facts. Anyway, take a look at it and consider it. It is a little expensive, but it is very nice and it is fun. http://www.flashmaster.com/ Adrianne in IL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I would say, which might be heresy to some...its not actually necessary, so I would choose whether its a hill you wish to die on or not. Many a kid goes on to do well in math who hasnt memorised all the math facts. Its not actually a done thing here in Australia to memorise addition/subtraction....only multiplication/division, generally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisabees Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 I would say, which might be heresy to some...its not actually necessary, so I would choose whether its a hill you wish to die on or not. Many a kid goes on to do well in math who hasnt memorised all the math facts. Its not actually a done thing here in Australia to memorise addition/subtraction....only multiplication/division, generally. Unfortunately, it causes him to make unnecessary mistakes while doing everything else! He actually is math-minded, but can get many wrong in his work, because he adds/subtracts incorrectly. How are you liking Connect the Thoughts by the way? We need a change, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in CA Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Maybe working on Math Strategies could work for him. If I really think about it, I have to admit that I do not know all the Math facts. However, I use Math Strategies. i.e. for 6 + 7 it goes something like this: I take the higher number 7 add 3 to get to 10 and this leaves me another 3 I must add and that takes me to 13. Now, this sounds very cumbersome, but it's not. This kind of thing goes on in my head very fast. As an aside, I grew up in Austria, and we didn't do all this fact practice either. The only ones I remember doing is Multiplication and frankly even here one can use strategies. You have to only remember a few, not all. I know Singapore focuses on strategies and so does RightStart; both do this in the very early levels. Obviously, you wouldn't need these programs anymore. Just use various strategies to help him get to the answer. Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchel210 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 We have to do drills all the time and we had to drop back in our math book. I realized we had been behind in math. We are working in saxon 7/6 very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonor Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 How have you been doing the flashcards? Do you have him read the side that has the answer.? For example, set the timer for 1 min. and have him read the cards as fast as he can, reading the side with the answer. He would say, " two times two is four". Do this for several weeks or a couple, depends on the child. Then test with the side that does not have the answer. If mastered, then move on to the next family. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchel210 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I use the flashcards on a wheel. They are not in order. I hold them and show him one side...he has to say the answer. Then I do each number about 4 rotations and then turn it over so it is on the division side. Then we do that side about 4 rotations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 My kids like the math practice at www.freerice.com What about Math Blaster software? Timez Attack for multiplication? My older son has resisted most drills but those are 3 that worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 (edited) Give him fact charts and let him use them while doing his math. By referring to the charts, he'll memorize the correct answers through repetition. In my opinion, allowing him to guess reinforces the wrong answer to a math fact. It's cheap and it works. :) http://www.donnayoung.org/math/charts.htm Edited October 1, 2009 by PollyOR added link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I recommend Professor B Math. The link is in my signature line, and it has a proven track record as a remedial math program. Professor B Math used as a remedial math program. Let me know if you have questions - I have been very impressed with results of using this program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB in NJ Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 The EASIEST thing I have found to teach my dc their addition/subtraction facts has been the method taught at this site. It's easy, straight-forward, and free. Her method of teaching "Doubles," "Doubles Plus One," and "Missing Doubles" has made life much easier for my ds, as he was struggling with his facts something awful! In addition to the methods taught on that site, I use the online drill at Math-U-See. It's free too, and you can choose only the concepts you're currently working on and then add in previously learned facts for review. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 watch it on youtube for all the facts LEARN THE SONG: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jeq5a8bBh8c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerdingCats Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I have all three of mine (12, 9, and 7yo) doing a sheet of 100 math facts each day. I found these fact drill sheets in an used Sonlight IG and decided to give them a try. You could make some yourself pretty easily, it's just 100 problems of a single type (either addition, subtraction, multiplication) on one sheet of paper. In the IG it said that if you spend more than 2 seconds on any one problem, you should consider that one a weak fact to study. I figured the 2-second rule means they should complete the page in no more than 3:20 if they know them cold, so I give them a timed drill each day. (I am giving my 7 yo double the time since he is still learning the facts and is slower writing down his answers.) The trick to getting them to do their best here has been to pay them a penny for each correct answer at the end of the time. So far they have been VERY excited to do math facts each day:D Hope this helps! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Don Potter has a nice multiplication matrix on his math page. Maybe you could figure out how to have him make and use one for addition as well? It only takes a few minutes to write one up each day, and he could use it on tests if he ever goes back to high school or in tests in college. Eventually, one would hope that the facts would stick in the brain, but if they never do, at least he would have a way to figure them out without a calculator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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