Tell me your fave curricula for your ASD child

[SproutMamaK]

I'm just looking for reviews, some ideas as to what worked well and what definitely did NOT work with your ASD child. My boys are (almost) 5 and 6. I think we're good for math (We're doing some work with MUS and it's going great), but history, geography, science, english, etc, I feel like I'm flying blind.

 

Any collective experiences to share?

[chiguirre]

We did Five in a Row when ds was 6/7 and that was a fabulous experience for all of us. The kids learned (and retained) a lot of geography, science and literary terms and we had fun. Ds's receptive language improved a LOT that year as well. He went from having both expressive and receptive delays to testing average in receptive language.

 

I taught ds to read using Learning Language Arts Through Literature Blue. The tactile activities worked very well for him. We also used Pathway readers with workbooks, SL readers for fun, ETC for more phonics and, now, Abecedarian for spelling/phonics.

 

We also use MUS now and it's been the best fit I've found. Ds lost his (previously mastered) math facts when he turned 8. This is the only academic regression he's had, but it was a doozy! He's slowing recouping his math skills and he can do a page with both addition and subtraction (and missing addends) successfully with blocks. He just needs to rememorize the facts.

 

We started All About Spelling and it seems to be a good fit for ds as well. It's a bit like MUS in that it's incremental and manipulative based. I like that it slowly builds dictation skills, because that's a big challenge for ds.

 

For learning how to write better, we've been working with (his sister's) Storytime Treasures. The reading is pretty easy for ds, but it's good practice for reading expressively and fluently. The reading comprehension questions aren't as daunting for him to use as writing prompts as straight narration and he's been doing better with mechanics because he can use the question as a model.

 

Of course, your mileage will vary. In fact, I've had to switch programs many times with ds when he hit a wall or something didn't work well anymore. It's a process of trial and error to find a good fit and it's much harder to find a good fit for auties and aspies than it is for NT kids. I used to think I was a flighty curriculum junkie, but now that dd is older, I see that she can adapt to a much wider array of curriculum than ds can. It's much easier to find something that works for her than it is for ds.

 

Good luck!

[Purpledaizy]

:bigear::lurk5:

[AngieW in Texas]

My definite Aspie is 14yo now.

 

SL worked well for history, readers, and readalouds. I stopped periodically while reading to make sure that she was understanding what was going on in the stories. We have switched to Oak Meadow for high school because I don't like SL's high school level Cores.

 

Miquon worked very well for her in 1st-3rd because she has always been mathy. Singapore 3A-6B worked very well for her for the same reason. She did Singapore independently from 4A-6B.

 

She tried aleks for pre-algebra and nearly lost her mind with it. Won't ever attempt that with her again. The explanations weren't at all clear. It's really set up more to fill in gaps than to instruct from the beginning. The immediate feedback was very difficult for her to deal with. She was usually better at handling being told that she was wrong when she had some time in between working the problem and being told that she was wrong (this was at 11.5yo). She absolutely hated that after missing a problem, it sent her back to the same explanation that she didn't understand the first time. She also didn't like that there was no undo button, so once you submitted a wrong answer, it forced you to get three problems right in a row before you could do anything else. It never said what you did wrong, just told you that you were.

 

She thought Jacobs Algebra looked intimidating, so she decided to try Kinetic Books Algebra I instead. This program also had immediate feedback (which still frustrated her a great deal at 12yo), but it had stepped help for most of the problems to help her figure out exactly where she went wrong. She ended up using Jacobs and KB for all of 7th grade and then decided to use just KB for 8th grade. She thought the explanations in KB were better and by that time (almost 13yo) she found the immediate feedback very helpful (although it still bothered her) because she was able to do all the problems after that correctly instead of repeating the same mistake for a whole problem set and then having to redo it.

 

We used Jacobs Geometry this past year (finished it last week). That was pretty rough at the beginning, but she hit her stride about halfway through. She's very happy to be back to Kinetic Books this year for Algebra II. She definitely prefers algebra over geometry.

 

In the lower grade we used SL science. I thought the Usborne books were great. My dd was very unhappy with her fun books being used for school. Fun books were supposed to be for fun, not school. She asked me to switch her to a textbook program for 5th grade. She found the series that we ended up switching to when we were browsing at Half-Price books. She was so excited to find the Science Explorer series that she started crying because she had finally found a program that was "at my level!"

 

IEW has been a fantastic program for her for writing. Before IEW she could never figure out what to do with her blank piece of paper. It took a lot to coax anything out of her. IEW gave her a structure to hang her thoughts on. We tried Writing Strands and Wordsmith Apprentice before IEW, but neither one worked for her (and WS caused horrible meltdowns).

 

We have been using Windows to the World (IEW) this year for literary analysis and that has been fabulous. She has written some excellent papers using the approach this program teaches.

 

I tried several different approaches with her for spelling. We used Reading Reflex for a long while, but then she got past the level that it goes to. I tried SWO for her, but that caused meltdowns. I tried Spelling Power also. That didn't work out very well either. She couldn't do the test-study-test method at all. The study-test method was okay, but missing any of the words she had studied nearly killed her. The program that worked the best for her was Megawords.

[sbgrace]

I'm just looking for reviews, some ideas as to what worked well and what definitely did NOT work with your ASD child. My boys are (almost) 5 and 6. I think we're good for math (We're doing some work with MUS and it's going great), but history, geography, science, english, etc, I feel like I'm flying blind.

 

Any collective experiences to share?

I'm new to this and wasn't going to respond but then I noticed your oldest is a bit younger than mine so...

 

My ASD kid does well with RightStart math and I know MUS is a great program too. I am concentrating mostly on phonics/math/handwriting for these young ages. If I had it to do over and needed a curriclum for phonics I would do ABeCDeDarian I think. He loves Headsprout but I'm not happy with it especially given the cost. We're doing I See Sam readers (BRI) and it's going great. He loves them. Handwriting without Tears is going well and his fine motor isn't great so it's saying a lot that it's working. We're doing Heart of Dakota for all else and he loves that too (obviously it has cc so not for everyone).

[MamaSheep]

I really love Handwriting Without Tears and All About Spelling for both my ASD son and my ADHD daughter. They're straightforward without any confusing side-tracks, good visuals, and it's easy to work at them at your own pace. I think if you like MUS, you'd like both of these for English. For science at that age I loved REAL Science Oddyssey. I think Story of the World would work well for history, but I would probably take it pretty easy on the extras if I were to do it over again.

[cjbeach]

We've been tweaking and still have tweaking to do.

Worked -- HWT, time4learning for math drills( actually anything on the computer works for my Aspie guy so i think I'm moving our narration over to keyboarding), Horizon math, videos from Khan academy - youtube for visuals of working out math problems, WWE but he needs *more*. FLL seems to have worked this year. I think anything spiral method worked for my guy.

Did not work -- most of the science we've used so we're going to attempt APologia this year. Sadly SOTW3 so we're going to try Lit based history with SL. Drawing with Children.

He's strong in math so tried Singapore but he was totally distracted by anything he found in the book relating to Asian culture. It was a total distraction for him.

[hsmamainva]

I can tell you what has worked for my oldest son over the years, who has high functioning autism.

 

Math -- Math-U-See K through 7th / Teaching Textbooks 8th and up

 

English -- Alpha Phonics (for learning to read) and Sonlight readers from K through high school. IEW for writing and Spelling Power for Spelling. Easy Grammar from 3rd through 7th. Handwriting Without Tears from K through 5th.

 

History -- Sonlight K through high school. We also used the SOTW books with activity guides in the elementary years. He loved the map work and the coloring pages.

 

Science -- We're pretty hands-on for science. We've used various things through the years and he loves to read science and nature books, so we sort of went with his interests in the younger years. Have used various textbooks from middle school and up.

 

Art -- Lots of drawing and painting books.

[happygrrl]

I often have to use two programs so that we get two different views of the same subject. I totally agree with the others who have to change when they hit a wall! Many times I have to put books back on the shelf until he is developmentally ready... this means being brave enough to wait ;). Pushing him makes him feel bad, but when he is ready we can do the work faster and even catch up a bit. There is such a balance between pushing him and pushing him. KWIM?

 

Language Arts: Rod and Staff supplemented with MCT (both below level).

Spelling: Apples and Pears (a big winner!)

Handwriting: HWT

 

Math: MUS, supplemented with Developmental Math. I am going to throw in LoF this year just fo fun, but it definitely won't work as a stand alone here.

 

Writing: Nothing really! WT worked as well as any, but was too young in feel (plus there are no higher levels). He is starting to do better with the physical act of writing, so we'll keep on trying stuff. Will likely do IEW at some point.

 

Logic: He could NOT do logic until this year (age 13). We are using the Orbiting with Logic series and he is liking it.

 

Foreign Language: Again, not really ready until this year, we are doing Greek Code Cracker and talking about trying Latin again. maybe.

 

Science: Nothing has worked well except having books around. This year I am gearing science to the others, letting him participate but not stressing out about it.

 

History: He is a history guy, so he could probably teach me. STOW is great. My ds doesn't like fiction (except mythology or mythology-like stuff), so I try to do fictional read alouds. We have used TOG and that was a great fit, as I could let everyone work on their own levels. This year we are taking a break to get up to speed in practical areas.

 

Life Skills: This is essential for us. It is not really a subject per se, but I have to consciously work in this area. Things like ordering and paying at a restaurant, how to clean something, how to get gas at the station, how to do laundry, etc. I do social skills with this as well. It is so easy to do to much for him, and I try to remember that by hovering I am not doing him any favors! (Dh has to help me with that one ;))

[cjbeach]

I

 

Life Skills: This is essential for us. It is not really a subject per se, but I have to consciously work in this area. Things like ordering and paying at a restaurant, how to clean something, how to get gas at the station, how to do laundry, etc. I do social skills with this as well. It is so easy to do to much for him, and I try to remember that by hovering I am not doing him any favors! (Dh has to help me with that one ;))

 

:iagree:The #1 reason for us to homeschool our guy here. Though we need more of a guide for social skills. I'm ordering the FIeld's LIfe Skills book to help with #1 and I've still not ordered the socialthinking.com materials I want so badly.

[happygrrl]

:iagree:The #1 reason for us to homeschool our guy here. Though we need more of a guide for social skills. I'm ordering the FIeld's LIfe Skills book to help with #1 and I've still not ordered the socialthinking.com materials I want so badly.

 

 

Oooh! Checking out these resources. And I also had a lightbulb moment when reading your post above: youtube for math demos! Brilliant!

[Greta Lea]

When he was as young as your sons, I just read aloud picture books. He did learn to read when he was 5 1/2 yo using the book 100 Easy Lessons to TEach Your Child to Read. He caught on easily. We stopped on lesson 60 since he was reading on a solid 2nd grade level at that point.

 

Over the next few years, I taught him any other phonics rules while he was reading aloud to me daily just as things would come up in his reading.

 

One thing I need to mention is the fact that my son has always tested well above grade level in reading and comprehension, but he still always prefered to read "grade level" books. He needed the shorter chapters and larger print even though he could read MUCH harder books.

 

He has dysgraphia, so writing with a pencil is STILL a chore. He types everything now, but when he was about 10yo, I started doing dictation with him daily. I just chose passages from books he was reading and we'd read it together. I would teach spelling and grammar rules while reading it with him. Then I'd dicate it to him. When he had worked up to a 45-50 word dictation, I stopped dictation and had him start doing written narrations. He had been doing ORAL narrations daily up until that point. I think he was about 12yo when he started doing the written narrations.

 

Oh, and after working through the Handwriting Without Tears cursive book THREE years in a row, we just gave up on cursive. He CAN do the cursive in the workbook, but he can't transfer what he's learned in the workbook to regular writing. I've decided that he will be just fine without this skill and if he ever decides that he really needs to learn to write in cursive, then he figure it out on his own somehow. I just had to let this go. Too many more important things to worry over in life than cursive!

 

He did work through a couple of levels of Easy Grammar during that time also.

 

My son is a natural at creative writing, but not so great with academic writing, like reports and compartive essays and such. We are using IEW for that reason now. He didn't start that until he was 15yo. I really wish I had started IEW when he was about 13yo. That's what I'm doing now with my 12 1/2yo (he has dylsexia).

 

We've never figured out the math for my son. Just when I think we have found something that really helps him understand math, he gets stuck and I mean REALLY stuck. He's been using Teaching Textbooks for the past 3 years, but this summer is doing review work using the Key To...books (fractions, decimal and percents) and an online program called ALEKS. Next fall he will be using MUS Alg. 1 at a homeschool tutorial program. We'll see how that goes!!!

 

My son is a reader and a thinker. He loves to talk about what he reads, so I've pretty much just always let him just read and talk to me about it. Next year he will use some of the Progreny PRess study guides for his highschool lit. At the age of your boys, he just read a lot and I read aloud to him even more.

 

My son still loves those encyclopedia type books (like DK, Usborne and Kingfisher) for history and science topics. When he was the age of your boys, he read these for fun. I would read picture books aloud that pertained to history, nature and science. That was as "formal" as we got back then for those subjects.

 

We started "formal" history when he was 12yo using SOTW. He LOVED that series. All we did was read it, do the map work and oral and/or written narrations.

 

We dabbled in formal science around that age using some Bob Jones materials and library books (encyclopedia type stuff). The first of the Apologia Elem. science books came out around that same time. I now really wish I'd went with those. My 12yo did the Astronomy books this past school year. My older son would have REALLY loved that book much more than the Bob Jones we did at age 12.

 

Anyway, I guess my main advice is to have them read to you daily, you read aloud to them daily a LOT from various type books and pictures books are JUST FINE. Don't push chapter books on them. The picture book stage of life is SO short. Savor it!!!:) Have them practice handwriting via copywork for the next few years and slowly start simple, short dictation as they seem ready for it. Don't start anything formal for history, science, grammar and writing until they are around 12yo.

 

Now, my Aspie didn't struggle with reading and spelling, but my 12yo does. If your's struggle with this at all, I HIGHLY recommend All About Spelling. It is one of THE BEST things we've ever used in our homeschooling!!!! My 12yo has used AAS levels 1-4. They have more levels, but this year he wanted a change of pace, so we've been using the Megawords this year with GREAT success. Megawords is a perfect fit after AAS level 4.

 

HTH,

Greta:)

[happygrrl]

When he was as young as your sons, I just read aloud picture books. He did learn to read when he was 5 1/2 yo using the book 100 Easy Lessons to TEach Your Child to Read. He caught on easily. We stopped on lesson 60 since he was reading on a solid 2nd grade level at that point.

 

Over the next few years, I taught him any other phonics rules while he was reading aloud to me daily just as things would come up in his reading.

 

One thing I need to mention is the fact that my son has always tested well above grade level in reading and comprehension, but he still always prefered to read "grade level" books. He needed the shorter chapters and larger print even though he could read MUCH harder books.

 

He has dysgraphia, so writing with a pencil is STILL a chore. He types everything now, but when he was about 10yo, I started doing dictation with him daily. I just chose passages from books he was reading and we'd read it together. I would teach spelling and grammar rules while reading it with him. Then I'd dicate it to him. When he had worked up to a 45-50 word dictation, I stopped dictation and had him start doing written narrations. He had been doing ORAL narrations daily up until that point. I think he was about 12yo when he started doing the written narrations.

 

Oh, and after working through the Handwriting Without Tears cursive book THREE years in a row, we just gave up on cursive. He CAN do the cursive in the workbook, but he can't transfer what he's learned in the workbook to regular writing. I've decided that he will be just fine without this skill and if he ever decides that he really needs to learn to write in cursive, then he figure it out on his own somehow. I just had to let this go. Too many more important things to worry over in life than cursive!

 

He did work through a couple of levels of Easy Grammar during that time also.

 

My son is a natural at creative writing, but not so great with academic writing, like reports and compartive essays and such. We are using IEW for that reason now. He didn't start that until he was 15yo. I really wish I had started IEW when he was about 13yo. That's what I'm doing now with my 12 1/2yo (he has dylsexia).

 

We've never figured out the math for my son. Just when I think we have found something that really helps him understand math, he gets stuck and I mean REALLY stuck. He's been using Teaching Textbooks for the past 3 years, but this summer is doing review work using the Key To...books (fractions, decimal and percents) and an online program called ALEKS. Next fall he will be using MUS Alg. 1 at a homeschool tutorial program. We'll see how that goes!!!

 

My son is a reader and a thinker. He loves to talk about what he reads, so I've pretty much just always let him just read and talk to me about it. Next year he will use some of the Progreny PRess study guides for his highschool lit. At the age of your boys, he just read a lot and I read aloud to him even more.

 

My son still loves those encyclopedia type books (like DK, Usborne and Kingfisher) for history and science topics. When he was the age of your boys, he read these for fun. I would read picture books aloud that pertained to history, nature and science. That was as "formal" as we got back then for those subjects.

 

We started "formal" history when he was 12yo using SOTW. He LOVED that series. All we did was read it, do the map work and oral and/or written narrations.

 

We dabbled in formal science around that age using some Bob Jones materials and library books (encyclopedia type stuff). The first of the Apologia Elem. science books came out around that same time. I now really wish I'd went with those. My 12yo did the Astronomy books this past school year. My older son would have REALLY loved that book much more than the Bob Jones we did at age 12.

 

Anyway, I guess my main advice is to have them read to you daily, you read aloud to them daily a LOT from various type books and pictures books are JUST FINE. Don't push chapter books on them. The picture book stage of life is SO short. Savor it!!!:) Have them practice handwriting via copywork for the next few years and slowly start simple, short dictation as they seem ready for it. Don't start anything formal for history, science, grammar and writing until they are around 12yo.

 

Now, my Aspie didn't struggle with reading and spelling, but my 12yo does. If your's struggle with this at all, I HIGHLY recommend All About Spelling. It is one of THE BEST things we've ever used in our homeschooling!!!! My 12yo has used AAS levels 1-4. They have more levels, but this year he wanted a change of pace, so we've been using the Megawords this year with GREAT success. Megawords is a perfect fit after AAS level 4.

 

 

 

HTH,

Greta:)

 

Greta- Thanks for this post! Your son sounds very much like mine, and you have helped me focus a few things. My second son has dyslexia as well, so am happy to hear again about AAS. We are working through Barton with him, but my ears are always open for what I need to do next. :bigear:

[SproutMamaK]

Wow, thanks guys! I'll have to sort through these all and try to get a look at these curricula, see what would fit their personalities. I think I'll just go out and buy AAS and HWOT sight unseen, though. ;)

[Rhonda in TX]

My 13 yo Aspie DS has done well with the following:

 

IEW for writing

BJU Science (tried Apologia, but it was too "chatty" for him)

literature-based history (it really draws him in) - AO, SL, and TOG

Meet the Masters art (found out he has more artistic abilities than I thought)

 

We've used CLE for math, but I'm not sure it was the right fit. He really struggles with math, so he does need the constant review, plus it is a workbook format, rather than copying problems.

 

My DS is not an auditory learner, so he learns best by reading it himself.

[happygrrl]

My 13 yo Aspie DS has done well with the following:

 

IEW for writing

BJU Science (tried Apologia, but it was too "chatty" for him)

 

Rhonda- I have been toying with the idea of Apologia, I am so glad that you mentioned the "chatty" aspect. I think it would drive my ds nuts.

 

I have also heard you say great things about IEW, thanks for keeping it on my radar!

[LinzluvsGJ]

We have used Handwriting Without Tears with a lot of success for improving fine motor for my oldest daughter. It helped her to have clear consistent directions for writing her letters, that there was order to it. Her penmanship improved a LOT using that this past year.