Mental Math Question

[Embassy]

Can someone give me some insight into how my son is learning math so I can figure out the best way to teach him? He is six and is finishing his Kindergarten year. Math is one of his stronger skills as he is in a grade 2 book. My question relates to how he adds numbers in his head. For instance, if I ask him what is 15 + 4 he will add them in his head by counting silently like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 slight pause 16 (1), 17 (2), 18 (3), 19 (4). This usually takes a couple of seconds. He says he doesn't see anything in his head when he counts and he doesn't use his fingers at all. In fact using fingers to count confuses him. He doesn't just know the answer, he has to count up in his head. Has anyone seen this before?

 

He is a visual learner in many areas and auditory skills are not his strength.

[Dinsfamily]

Can someone give me some insight into how my son is learning math so I can figure out the best way to teach him? He is six and is finishing his Kindergarten year. Math is one of his stronger skills as he is in a grade 2 book. My question relates to how he adds numbers in his head. For instance, if I ask him what is 15 + 4 he will add them in his head by counting silently like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 slight pause 16 (1), 17 (2), 18 (3), 19 (4). This usually takes a couple of seconds. He says he doesn't see anything in his head when he counts and he doesn't use his fingers at all. In fact using fingers to count confuses him. He doesn't just know the answer, he has to count up in his head. Has anyone seen this before?

 

He is a visual learner in many areas and auditory skills are not his strength.

 

What math program are you using? Have you taught him addition and subtraction strategies?

 

My ds is the same age and is similar. He grasps and discovers math concepts easily and is way ahead conceptually of the 2nd grade math book we're working through, but doesn't have his math facts down yet. He's very visual and struggles with auditory skills. He doesn't count like your ds, but does have trouble memorizing math facts. I've noticed he's faster with fact recall (or applying strategies) when we're doing more complicated problems like subtraction with renaming than straight drill. I've decided not to dwell on math facts. He doesn't get frustrated and is good at applying addition and subtraction strategies, just not memorization.

 

While we continue to forge on, he does practice his facts on Flashmaster which is fun for him.

[Snickerdoodle]

My son is not a gifted kid so forgive me for posting in this forum.

 

My son (the 6yo) I think is doing this same (or a very similar) thing. He also has some auditory problems. That's very interesting that you posted this.

 

Right now instead of having him give an answer I have been just making sheets where he has to just rewrite the problem (in blue):

 

 

15 + 4 = 10 + 9

 

or

 

7 + 5 = 10 + 2

 

or

 

17 - 5 = 10 + 2

 

 

This kid is so different than my older one. He's really throwing me for a loop.

[Embassy]

What math program are you using? Have you taught him addition and subtraction strategies?

 

 

I am using Critical Thinking's Mathematical Reasoning curriculum with Singapore's Rainbow Rock game and flashcards to supplement. I started him on it when he was 4 and he is on his fourth book. I've tried to teach using finger counting and have tried manipulatives, but he prefers his mental way. He does it pretty quickly.

 

At the beginning of this school year I started him in Horizons, Miquon, and Mathematical Reasoning and ended up dropping Horizon and Miquon because he "got" or enjoyed the Critical Thinking's math better.

[Embassy]

My son is not a gifted kid so forgive me for posting in this forum.

 

My son (the 6yo) I think is doing this same (or a very similar) thing. He also has some auditory problems. That's very interesting that you posted this.

 

Right now instead of having him give an answer I have been just making sheets where he has to just rewrite the problem (in blue):

 

 

15 + 4 = 10 + 9

 

or

 

7 + 5 = 10 + 2

 

or

 

17 - 5 = 10 + 2

 

 

This kid is so different than my older one. He's really throwing me for a loop.

 

Thanks for the help! I don't know if my son is gifted, but since he is working above his grade level I thought the question might be received better here.

 

Do you find his rewriting the problem to help?

[Snickerdoodle]

Well (here is my "What do I know?" response), I think the counting strategy is used when they still are in the very concrete stage. Does your child use manipulatives? Mine hates them and I think he is still chewing on the cuisenaire rods when I'm not looking. He does this eye crossing thing (I can't believe I'm posting this) when he's figuring (counting?) his sums.

 

Which reminds me, when I ask my older son how he does his mental math exercises he says, "Oh mom, I just use the whiteboard in my brain."

 

I don't know if the rewrites will help, but I'm going to park him here with addition and subtraction within 20 for a while until I feel like he has a good grasp of what he's doing and not just counting.

[nmoira]

I am using Critical Thinking's Mathematical Reasoning curriculum with Singapore's Rainbow Rock game and flashcards to supplement.

Rainbow Rock might not be the best supplement for a non-Asian math program. It reinforces the "Singapore Way," but it doesn't really teach it, nor does it drill facts (with the exception of 10 bonds, IIRC). I'd recommend looking into the old Math Blaster games.

 

I started him on it when he was 4 and he is on his fourth book. I've tried to teach using finger counting and have tried manipulatives, but he prefers his mental way. He does it pretty quickly.

Even as a counting on strategy, what he's doing isn't efficient. How would he handle 85+4?

[Embassy]

Rainbow Rock might not be the best supplement for a non-Asian math program. It reinforces the "Singapore Way," but it doesn't really teach it, nor does it drill facts (with the exception of 10 bonds, IIRC). I'd recommend looking into the old Math Blaster games.

 

Even as a counting on strategy, what he's doing isn't efficient. How would he handle 85+4?

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look into the Math Blaster games. As for 85+4 he would add 5+4 with his counting way and add it to 80 in his head.

[Embassy]

Well (here is my "What do I know?" response), I think the counting strategy is used when they still are in the very concrete stage. Does your child use manipulatives? Mine hates them and I think he is still chewing on the cuisenaire rods when I'm not looking. He does this eye crossing thing (I can't believe I'm posting this) when he's figuring (counting?) his sums.

 

Which reminds me, when I ask my older son how he does his mental math exercises he says, "Oh mom, I just use the whiteboard in my brain."

 

I don't know if the rewrites will help, but I'm going to park him here with addition and subtraction within 20 for a while until I feel like he has a good grasp of what he's doing and not just counting.

 

Hmm...food for thought. Thanks! I'll have to watch him more closely. He doesn't use manipulatives. He prefers to do it mentally. I think I'll explore some things next week with him to see how much he is understanding.

[nmoira]

Hmm...food for thought. Thanks! I'll have to watch him more closely. He doesn't use manipulatives. He prefers to do it mentally. I think I'll explore some things next week with him to see how much he is understanding.

You might wish to look at Math Mammoth Blue Series. This should walk him through some more efficient mental math techniques. It's similar to Singapore Math, but the Blue Series allows you to buy only the topics you wish.

 

You could also pick and choose techniques from the MathExpress Speed Maths Strategies. I'd start him in book 1. He'd need to know his 10 bonds and within 10 facts cold to do these, but there are no other prerequisites.

[Dinsfamily]

I agree with Moira that counting is inefficient, I'd teach him some strategies like making tens and number bonds. Singapore has been great for my ds, but I've read that MUS, RS, and MM are also good too. The MM Blue series might be worth looking into.

[EmilyGF]

I think the counting (besides being inefficient) shows that he doesn't understand the decimal system. If he did, he could just count up from five and then add back the "teen" at the end of 15 + 4. I use RightStart which teaches the decimal system really clearly; I think SM does, too. Believe it or not, I've read that many american students don't understand the decimal system for years. You might look into RS abacus games or activities since they are really good for basic number system understanding.

 

Emily

[Embassy]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll check into them. I was considering a switch to Singapore next school year.

 

The 15+4 was a bad example though. When I actually asked him 15+4 he gave me the answer in a couple seconds. I asked him how he arrived at 19. He said something like 5+4 is nine, 5+5 is ten and take one away is 9 and the answer is 19. I think he is doing the counting thing for some equations and not for others:001_huh: When I asked him 11+3 he did the counting thing in his head and gave me the answer in a few seconds. I haven't worked much on memorizing addition facts. Maybe I should.