Verity Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 First day of fourth grade for my middle son - multiplication with large numbers is soooo challenging for him because he can't visually manage the long columns of numbers. Even with I use lined paper on its side, even when I draw lines to make it large graph paper. He just gets lost in the jumble. We are on the fourth time of doing one of the problems, he has been picking at math (8 multiplication problems) for about two hours now (attention problems too). I just want to bang my head against a concrete wall. I think that we may have to use some attention medicine...he can't go through life like this and neither can I. :sigh: Just wanted to complain, and I know alot of you have been here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misty Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Sounds like a visual-spatial issue. My daughter has the same problem. You might try Dianne Craft's Brain Integration Therapy Manual. Others have suggested to me to try vision therapy as well. Sounds like more than just ADHD going on. Does he also have dysgraphia? You might also look into Interactive Metronome. It did wonders for my girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verity Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 (edited) Sounds like a visual-spatial issue. My daughter has the same problem. You might try Dianne Craft's Brain Integration Therapy Manual. Others have suggested to me to try vision therapy as well. Sounds like more than just ADHD going on. Does he also have dysgraphia? You might also look into Interactive Metronome. It did wonders for my girls. I have suspected something visual, I know that at age nine he still flips numbers and letters and can't spell worth beans! He struggled with reading but going to slow classical methods and assigning easy chapter books he will now read for pleasure and seems to comprehend "okay". We are financially very tight and new programs probably aren't going to be possible - I remember researching some of those last year and seeing $$$$$. I comfort myself by knowing that he wouldn't receive any of those therapies at PS either - he was there for 4 years and they were pretty much wasted time. Editted to add: I'm so used to just being overwhelmed that I just shut down and didn't even take in your suggestion. I am sorry and I'm looking at the book at Amazon, going to shop around and see if I can find more info on the Dianne Kraft method. I feel so pressed for time (homeschooling three SN kids) but maybe he would benefit more from this kind of therapy even if his part of school didn't happen for a few weeks. This is where I wish I had tons of money so I could pay for all the therapies that I think would help my kiddos! Edited August 15, 2011 by Verity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verity Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 Sounds like more than just ADHD going on. Does he also have dysgraphia? You might also look into Interactive Metronome. It did wonders for my girls. Did you do the IM yourself or have a therapist who worked with your girls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misty Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Did you do the IM yourself or have a therapist who worked with your girls? We did IM with a psychologist as part of their behavior therapy program. They did IM, neurofeedback, and biofeedback. You can do IM with an OT too though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evergreen State Sue Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I think the ADHD driving you batty is one issue and the difficulty doing multiplication is another. As far as the multiplication goes: 1. Buy real graph paper for him in a large size. Don't try to skimp and save room on the paper if he needs the room. My ds used the graph paper for several years. 2. Use black paper to cover up the numbers he isn't working with. Sometimes seeing less is best. 3. Try having him use his own white board to work out the problems. Sometimes using a marker is much smoother and easier to work with. My dd always uses a pen because she doesn't like the feel of a pencil. 4. If remembering his multiplication tables is a problem, have him fill out a chart and then let him refer to it. That will help him remember. As far as the ADHD medicine is concerned, our doctor told us we would know when we were ready to try medication. When you are frustrated and he is frustrated, there isn't much learning going on. :grouphug: I've been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleWMN Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I'm SO there with my 5th grade ADHD dd. Great suggestions. We tried meds, and they helped... but she stopped eating. I have another ADHD'er who meds work wonderfully for. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Start the day with exercise, eat a decent non processed breakfast, play some white noise or nature sounds in the background while you eat, then do math first - together. You do one problem on the white board, thinking out loud as you do it. For the next problem, act stumped and have him help you work through the problem. For the third, you write it on the board, give him a different color dry erase and have him solve it with you there. Then have him do a couple on his own. Focus on progress. Rinse, repeat the next day. :iagree: AND, it takes kids without ADHD time to get it. So he needs an extra dose of patience. Try different ways of multiplying. There's Does he really know his place value? Can you get him blocks, like Math U See? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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