khames Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 I need some help picking out the best curriculum to use with my ds that's 10. He is a hands on learner, left-handed writer, but throws balls and hits right-handed. He has mild dyslexia and major dysgraphia. For math- he likes manipulatives. he can't stand page after page of the same problems, once he gets something it usually sticks, however as we are learning multiplication facts, he has 4x6 but can't automatically get that 6x4 is the same thing. he doesn't like constant repetition. Based on all that, does anybody have any recommendations for us? For language arts/grammar- he just doesn't get it. he is finally reading well now, and even though he isn't spelling at grade level, there has been much improvement over last year. he is practicing cursive everyday without too much complaining, using the book cheerful cursive. grammar is a whole mother story. this is a huge problem for him. there is just so much to keep straight. you have nouns (proper, common, pronouns), verbs (action, being, helping) subjects, capitalization, punctuation, and the list goes on... he can't keep it all straight in his head. with math there are manipulatives to help, but grammar doesn't have any of that. So, does anyone know of what I could use to help him learn grammar? thanks so much!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamonaQ Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 I am a fan of Writing Skills by Diana Hansbury King. We have used book A and book 1. It is a set of books developed for dyslexic kids. It combines grammar and writing (although the grammar in the early books is not at the level you are describing). Instead of manipulatives, I consistently use different colored highlighters. As far as math, ds (11) still relies on a math grid that is taped to his desk. This way he can move along on math and not be held back by facts. Finally, I had my ds learn to type at ten. It was an intensive 5 day class, and he really hated it. However, he walked out typing, and given the choice he will type rather than write. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiD Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 My son is similar to yours, although his dyslexia has been more severe. Here are some suggestions that might help you. For grammar: Winston Grammar http://www.nestlearning.com/winston-grammar-precious-memories-ed-resources_s420.aspx?utm_source=MSN&utm_medium=MSN%2BPPC&utm_content=Precious%2BMemories%2BEd%2BResources%2B-%2BPhrase&utm_campaign=Curriculum-Series%2B-%2BPhrase No-Glamour Grammar - I use this workbook as a supplement. http://www.linguisystems.com/itemdetail.php?id=10059 I've decided to give MCT for language arts a try as well, because it's supposed to be integrated, which works well with his right-brained learning style. Spelling: All About Spelling - lots of fans of this program on the WTM boards. My son is using LiPS and Angling for Words at the moment, which work very efficiently in his case. http://rlac.com/store/Angling-for-Words-Series.html Also, he uses Seeing Stars software for sight words. Math Facts: While he was learning those, I wrote them out on large flashcards, color coded like Dianne Craft recommends, and had him arrange them in order. To make that link between 6 X 4 and 4 X 6, I placed them on the table side by side, pointed out how they are alike, and if necessary, showed him with manipulatives at the same time until the connection sank in. I like the On Cloud Nine math manipulatives from Gander. They are expensive, but really big and colorful, which I think helped with retention. Also, I continue to rely heavily on a wipe-off number line with negative and positive integers up to 20 that came from the Rainbow Resources catalog. Another program we've been using is Hands-on Equations, a manipulative-based program. http://www.borenson.com/ I've found that well-matched curricula are important, but even more important has been finding the most efficient teaching techniques for his learning style. HTH! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 You might take a look at the Marilyn Burns math replacement units. They are a series of lessons on concepts -- no worksheets, but rather an extended look into a particular topic or skill and the understanding behind it. Almost all of them begin with some type of hands-on activity: some use pattern blocks, or cubes, or dice, or paper manipulatives the child makes himself. A typical book will have a fairly lengthy series of lessons on a topic (say, multiplication), with some repetition but from different angles or perspectives. I used these books, Hands-On Equations, math picture books, mental math, and the like all the way through sixth grade in lieu of a typical math program and I thought they gave an excellent base to dd, who is also a hands-on learner and who had major dysgraphia as a younger child. Some libraries carry some of Marilyn Burns's books, so you might be able to get a look at a couple without having to buy them. If you want to see all of her books, go to: http://www.mathsolutions.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 For math- he likes manipulatives. he can't stand page after page of the same problems, once he gets something it usually sticks, however as we are learning multiplication facts, he has 4x6 but can't automatically get that 6x4 is the same thing. he doesn't like constant repetition. Based on all that, does anybody have any recommendations for us? Right Start math. For language arts/grammar- he just doesn't get it. he is finally reading well now, and even though he isn't spelling at grade level, there has been much improvement over last year. he is practicing cursive everyday without too much complaining, using the book cheerful cursive. grammar is a whole mother story. this is a huge problem for him. there is just so much to keep straight. you have nouns (proper, common, pronouns), verbs (action, being, helping) subjects, capitalization, punctuation, and the list goes on... he can't keep it all straight in his head. with math there are manipulatives to help, but grammar doesn't have any of that. So, does anyone know of what I could use to help him learn grammar? thanks so much!! I will second All About Spelling. For grammar I like Junior Analytical Grammar. It doesn't have hands on though. As a child I also never got grammar. They would tell me to find the subject and predicate, and I would look at all those nouns and get so confused. Don't even get me stared on nouns that can also be verbs like dance. I never got they were nouns. Generally I would end up picking the first noun. It never occurred to me that I could first eliminate other parts of the sentence and then find the subject. I was told to find the subject first, and being a good child I was doing that. JAG works for me because you eliminate most of the sentence first, and you don't focus on details, but rather the big picture. So first you find articles and nouns. Then you identify adjectives, note this order eliminates pronouns acting as adjectives before you get to pronouns. Now you do pronouns, and you don't worry about which type it is. Then you find prepositions and their phrases. Now that you have a good portion of the sentence eliminated you look for the predicated and use it to find the subject. To date I have two children doing AG/JAG and both have a better grasp of grammar than I did as a child, despite their dyslexia. Now I do have to slow it down. I also have them do half of it, then back up and do it again to the end then go back and re-do the second half. They need the repetition. The last thing I did was to make up a ring of cards that explains each part of speech, and in the order they are suppose to find things. That way any time they have one of those days and just can't remember what to do next they can grab their ring, and they have both the order and the definitions. I include examples of how to do all the diagramming taught on the ring (I just use a different color of index card so they know it is the diagramming and not definitions). If needed, I was ready to add in the Winston cards, but to date it hasn't been necessary. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 You could try the book series "If I were a verb" and also some mad libs. You can start with junior mad libs if need be, they have pre-made lists. Most libraries have this series: http://www.amazon.com/You-Were-Verb-Word-Fun/dp/1404819819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289599172&sr=8-1 We did it when my kids were 3 and 6, and my then 3 year old boy was able to figure out what a verb was by acting out things in the book and jumping around the room being different verbs. The MCT posters also might be a good visual, you can look at them online and see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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