Math for kids with Dysgraphia/Dyslexia

[Daisy]

Can you all share what math curriculum you are using with your children who have dysgraphia and/or dyslexia? Is it working?

 

Vent...(Feel free to skip if you just want to answer the above question).

 

I'm really struggling to find something that will work with my son. All I know for sure is that R&S textbook approach is not. He cannot copy the problems, so I let him write in the book. Even with that the problems are cramped and he loses his place or writes so sloppy he can't see what he wrote. It takes him two hours to do HALF problems.

 

We've worked for two solid years on math facts and he pretty much has very little to show for it. For those familiar with R&S that is pretty much ALL they work on. He's in 4th grade math and went back to trying to subtract 7 from 2 by simply switching the numbers around this week. AGHGHGH.

 

This week was really the breaking point. I think we both wound up in tears and I said some things that I'm sure hurt him. :crying: He feels like he is stupid and I just feel so frustrated at not being able to teach him.

[Momofeat]

Can you all share what math curriculum you are using with your children who have dysgraphia and/or dyslexia? Is it working?

 

Vent...(Feel free to skip if you just want to answer the above question).

 

I'm really struggling to find something that will work with my son. All I know for sure is that R&S textbook approach is not. He cannot copy the problems, so I let him write in the book. Even with that the problems are cramped and he loses his place or writes so sloppy he can't see what he wrote. It takes him two hours to do HALF problems.

 

We've worked for two solid years on math facts and he pretty much has very little to show for it. For those familiar with R&S that is pretty much ALL they work on. He's in 4th grade math and went back to trying to subtract 7 from 2 by simply switching the numbers around this week. AGHGHGH.

 

This week was really the breaking point. I think we both wound up in tears and I said some things that I'm sure hurt him. :crying: He feels like he is stupid and I just feel so frustrated at not being able to teach him.

 

:grouphug:

 

I have been where you are. My dd(12) has dysgraphia, and it is very frustrating.

 

We now use RightStart and Aleks Math. She doesn't like RS because it was written for children who are younger, but I wholeheartedly believe that it is helping her to understand concepts she was missing before. We began in Level B last year, and she is currently about 1/3 of the way through Level D.

 

Aleks Math takes a lot of our friction out. When she gets upset, she's mad at the computer--not ME. It's much less personal this way, and in this case, that's good.

 

I do not feel comfortable with a program that is only on the computer, because I think she needs to be able to do math in many different situations, and I believe she might have trouble generalizing from the computer setting to other settings.

 

She's still behind, but she is moving faster than one grade level per year, so I am hopeful that she will eventually catch up.

 

ETA: She also has dyscalculia--a bit of important information for this discussion, lol!

Edited September 25, 2011 by Momofeat
added information

[Misty]

My 14yr old daughter has dysgraphia (but not dyslexia) and borderline dyscalculia.. She has working memory issues and visual-spatial issues. She has always had a difficult time with math facts and with writing math problems, lining them up properly, etc..

 

The two programs that worked best with her are RightStart Math (in elementary) and Teaching Textbooks (for junior high and up).

[chiguirre]

I've been using Semple Math with ds2 for about 8 months. It's the first program that's actually "stuck" with him. It was designed for special ed and has a lot of memory tricks that have helped ds FINALLY learn his addition facts. He has fewer issues with place value, but Semple hits it hard and really drills the basics you need to be a competent adult. The tm is well written and the program hangs together well, so it's easy to use for hsing (unlike TouchMath).

[Laurie]

My dd started with Math U See and then we switched to Teaching Textbooks for Math 5, 6, and 7.

I sit with her during her lessons at the computer and copy the problems on a white board for her to work out. (Her dysgraphia is severe.) She doesn't have to write small on the white board and isn't distracted by other problems since there's only one in front of her at a time. (For longer problems like 3 digit multiplication problems she needs columns to help her keep her place. Being able to use different colored dry erase markers helps, too.)

My dd still needs the repetition of math fact practice so we also use flashcards and "Calculadder" workbooks.

 

:grouphug:I feel for you and your ds. Math and handwriting have always been difficult for my dd...having to do both at the same time stinks.

[tlshive]

We really like Right Start Math as well...

[Paintedlady]

We've been using MUS and added in TT for extra fun/review.

[Xanadu]

We actually hit a wall with Pre-Algebra. I couldn't figure it out until a friend with dyslexia explained mixing letters and numbers was horrifically difficult for them in math.....(My 12yos is Dysgraphic, Dyslexic and suffers from a documented lack of mid-term memory...he just doesn't have it, so memorization is literally impossible for him)

 

I had a "DUH" moment....lol :tongue_smilie: It all made sense.

 

Anyway, we switched to Teaching Textbooks.

 

I actually had him check out demos of Thinkwell and TT. He really like the look, interaction and explaination with the TT. He also loves entering the answers into the computer after each problem and getting the immediate feedback, correct answer and explaination of how to solve it. (It helps him to correct mistakes immediately so he can adjust any misunderstanding of the process before he does all the problems with the same mistake.)

 

He also works any problems in a graph paper notebook (not the book that comes with the program) This really helps him keep everything lined up.

 

We were actually waiting for the new Pre-Algebra 2.0, so we started TT 7 with him 2 months ago to review. (He is sailing thru, and we discovered a few holes / memory loss he had with division of fractions and multiplication of negative numbers that TT retaught him) As soon as he's done he's moving into TT Pre-Algebra (Prior to TT he was using the K-12 Virtual Academy Pre-Algebra)

[freerange]

Think of mathematics and arithmetic as two seperate things.if he understand s the concepts, eg associative & distributive properties of addition, but struggling to memorize number bonds, move on to new stuff whilst continuing to do small & often work on the memorizing. Don't make him hate maths by dwelling Only on the bits he can't do.

 

Conceptual maths like singapore & mep has worked well for us. Add in fun maths without numbers - look for Vi Hart on youtube, look out for ' living maths' books.

 

Scribe for him or do question s orally to take the physical act of writing out of the equation.

 

Be on the lookout for sudden leaps in understanding.

Edited September 25, 2011 by freerange

[pfamilygal]

Teaching Textbooks! He loves that it reads the problems for him.

[Daisy]

Thanks, ladies. :grouphug:

 

I'm going to look at all of these.

 

Since we found out about all of this, I can't stop crying. All this time I've treated it as a behavioral problem and I just feel TERRIBLE. Why didn't I realize something more was going on?

[freerange]

:grouphug: you did the best you knew how at the time. Now you have better information to work from, so hopefully you can do better now.

[AHASRADA]

:grouphug: I spent years being incredibly frustrated and losing my patience with dd when she just couldn't get concepts that I had explained in every conceivable fashion! Even post-diagnosis, I sometimes lose it, especially when she gives me 'attitude', getting defensive about not understanding.

 

I would be honest with your dc, tell him you didn't know what was causing his behavior, didn't know he couldn't help it, that you're sorry and you'll work together to find the best way for him to learn in the way his brain works.

 

As for math, we had been using Saxon, which worked very well, since my dd needs constant review to retain material. However, with the new baby I don't have time to read through every lesson and help her with all the word problems, so we've switched to TT.

 

She absolutely loves TT! She loves to be independent, and she can with TT because everything is read aloud for her. This is the only program I have found where a dyslexic child can learn independently. I am also having her do Daily Math Practice workbook, which gives 5 mixed problems per day, just to make sure she is getting a thorough review of different types of problems.

 

Best of luck!

[peacefully]

.

[Daisy]

Thanks for the book list!

[Xanadu]

I also forgot to mention we supplement TT with Life of Fred, Khan Academy and I recently discovered Ko's Journey (Think Oregon Trail for Math). All of which give him a fun mixed-media approach that works well with his Dyslexia and supplements the TT with repetition of skills for retention. We do TT Mon-Thurs and the Supplements for Fun on Friday.

[peacefully]

.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[Maeintx]

My dyslexic ds is loving Teaching Textbooks. I let him write in the books (gasp!!), so that he can concentrate on the math and not copying problems. The course is taught and graded by the computer, plus every. single. problem. is read aloud. What's not to love? TT may have a rep for being "too easy" but it is a perfect fit here.

 

We just started and LOVE it too.. I sit with him while he does it but he's only 9. It has taken all the agony out of the writing portion.

 

And even if it is too easy, I'd rather him excel at something right now since EVERYTHING else is so difficult for him.

[Daisy]

We just started and LOVE it too.. I sit with him while he does it but he's only 9. It has taken all the agony out of the writing portion.

 

And even if it is too easy, I'd rather him excel at something right now since EVERYTHING else is so difficult for him.

 

This is exactly where we are. My son used to really love math but it has become one more hated subject. I really want math to be something he loves. He is very scientifically/mechanically minded and I really want to encourage that especially since everything else is so blasted difficult.

[khall]

For my DD9 (dysgraphia and a whole bunch of other stuff), we do MEP on my iPad. There's an app (PDF expert....best $9.99 I ever spent) that allows you to save and write on PDFs. She does great with this because she doesn't have to write at all. She just uses her finger on the screen, and can make the page so big that there is only one problem taking up the entire screen. It has completely eliminated the writing aspect from math, and she is FINALLY being successful with math. This won't help you if you don't have an iPad or a tablet of some sort, but it's such a great tool for a kid with dysgraphia!

[Daisy]

For my DD9 (dysgraphia and a whole bunch of other stuff), we do MEP on my iPad. There's an app (PDF expert....best $9.99 I ever spent) that allows you to save and write on PDFs. She does great with this because she doesn't have to write at all. She just uses her finger on the screen, and can make the page so big that there is only one problem taking up the entire screen. It has completely eliminated the writing aspect from math, and she is FINALLY being successful with math. This won't help you if you don't have an iPad or a tablet of some sort, but it's such a great tool for a kid with dysgraphia!

 

That sounds fabulous. I don't have an iPad though. I finally just bought my first brand new desktop. We are in the stone age and really just since we bought this computer have I noticed how well my son is improving with typing! Hopefully that will help him with some of his writing issues.