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R&S or CLE for DS6 who has not mastered math facts?


diaperjoys
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I switched ds to CLE right after Christmas. He placed in 2nd grade. It was the best thing I have ever done. He is thriving. Math is an easy subject for him to understand, but he needed more review than what was in the other program I was using.

 

Mastering the math facts are a key component of CLE. I would say not many six year old children have the facts memorized yet, but CLE is helping that tremendously with my ds. I really like their flashcards. They are coded by lesson number in the first grade, and grouped in categories for second grade. Each lesson lists which cards to practice. There are speed drills in the second grade from lesson number 1, so I assume their must be in 1st. These have helped my ds to want to know his math facts because he is racing with himself to see how much time he can leave on the clock.

 

I believe any good math program will include mastering the facts in these early grades. It should not be a requirement before starting. I looked at the R & S samples, and I personally like the look of the CLE pages better. A lot seems to be on one page with R & S, while CLE problems are spread out and more visually appealing.

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I was in the same situation just two months ago! I realized my son hadn't mastered even the basic facts when we did school at the library one day. He didn't have the number chart like the one on the wall in our school room so he had no idea how to add or subtract in his head:001_huh: I ordered CLE that night (we use their LA and love it). I am SOOOO glad I switched. In just a few months he has made HUGE improvements on the speed drills. The first day he only did 4 problems in a minute and he is now up to 20 or so. CLE takes us a lot longer to complete...probably 40 minutes or so, but it's well worth it. As much as I dislike doing it, the daily flashcard drilling has worked wonders:) I've never used R&S so I can't comment on that...but I love CLE!!!

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I've never used R&S either...this fall I switched from Singapore to CLE 1, because I really noticed that DD didn't seem to know ANY math facts. I know you're supposed to add drill to Singapore, but we just weren't doing it. The drill is built into CLE, so even though I don't "love" it, it gets done.

 

I've seen a huge improvement with my dd, and we are thrilled with the program.

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We used CLE with my 6 year old since last May, taking it slowly. When we got to numbers that went past the number of fingers he has, we hit a wall! He was not retaining the facts with the way that CLE taught them. We dropped back and now are using R&S Math for him. R&S has a LOT of drill and lots of practice with the facts each day. It also introduces the facts in "fact houses" which is preferable IMO...especially for a non-mathy kid. My mathy kid uses and loves CLE, my non-mathy kid is using and thriving with R&S.

 

CLE hits other concepts earlier on - like my son was doing clock reading by 5's, counting mixed money, adding double and triple digits, etc. R&S is really going slowly through those things and focusing mostly on the facts. I *wish* it took him faster through the other stuff, but I think getting the facts down is most important right now. That helped me make my decision for him.

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I'm using CLE for my daughter and R&S for my son. My daughter is picking up her math facts and doing great. She started halfway into CLE 2 after using RS for a couple of years and now she's well into CLE 3 and there have been no problems thus far. I do also use a math fact software program which takes a few minutes a day for each of the kids.

 

My son uses R&S. I do not think he would have picked up the facts as well with CLE. It just moves much faster. The first few levels of R&S are mainly focused on the math facts and have lots and lots of repetition and practice. This has worked beautifully for him.

 

I could also see using R&S for the first few levels to really cement those facts and then eventually switching over to CLE if your child is one who picks up on the concepts quickly.

 

Lisa

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