Best curriculums for Aspies

[GreenKitty]

Are their any specific curriculums that work best with Aspie children?

What are you using that works?

What doesn't work?

[hsmamainva]

I can tell you what is working, and has worked in the past, for my Aspie. (He's 14, and finishing the 8th grade, and has been homeschooled all his life)

 

Phonics / Reading -- he learned to read with Alpha Phonics, which uses a word ladder approach to reading vs "true phonics". Color distracted him terribly and he enjoyed the Pathway Reader series for 1st and half of 2nd grade. Once he got the hang of reading, he enjoyed the easy-to-read chapter books. I remember that he liked Frog and Toad and The Magic Treehouse and he *loved* Amelia Bedelia when he 8 or so!! He likes to read science fiction and fantasy, or real stories (biographies, action stories, etc.), and he loves to read science and nature books. Finding something he enjoys reading has made him into a reader, if that makes sense. We use alot of Sonlight in our homeschool, which has been wonderful for him!

 

Handwriting - Handwriting Without Tears -- he used the entire series, from Kindergarten through 5th grade.

 

Spelling -- Natural Speller -- I love this book! He struggled with spelling for years and I tried many curriculums until I realized that the trouble he had with spelling was the same trouble he had when he was learning how to read - he can't hear all of the phonetic sounds. Natural Speller is one book with short spelling lists, organized by grade level, and phonetic or spelling rule. He began with the 2nd grade list and worked his way up to the 5th and 6th grade lists this year (this coming fall, he'll tackle the 7th and 8th grade lists, which is the end of the Natural Speller book)

 

Writing and Grammar -- Rod & Staff!!! Oh, what a difference this has made!! He loves the black and white pages, as they're not distracting, and the drill has been invaluable for him. We started late (with the 2nd grade book in 5th grade) and he's doing so well with it! He'll be using the 6th grade text this year in 9th

 

History -- He loved the Story of the World series, along with the maps and coloring pages, and he loves Sonlight

 

Science -- anything hands-on was great when he was younger. We used the Considering God's Creation, The Scientist's Apprentice, The Backyard Scientist, and the Janice Van Cleave books. He's now using Apologia science.

 

Math -- Math-U-See -- we used this from Kindergarten through 7th grade, and then we switched to Teaching Textbooks for PreAlgebra in 8th. He loved both programs. He loves the TT book because he can teach himself math and the built-in review has been very good for him -- again, no distracting color -- just black and white pages and the CDs are great if he is stuck on a problem he can't figure out

 

Art -- How Great Thou Art -- he *loves* art and we've used almost all of the books in this series! He also loves the "how - to - draw" type of books.

 

I think that's everything!

 

Hope this helps!

[SheilaZ]

I can only answer for my sons because every Aspergerian is different. My older one thrives on Spelling Workout, Core Knowledge History from Pearson Learning, MCP math, and a reading textbook from Haughton Mifflin.

He enjoys copywork taken from his history book and he will happily do Singapore math as a second math program.

 

He does not do well with Grammar. Abeka english was torture. Easy Grammar left him with no retention at all. He does enjoy his Spectrum English workbook. I am planning to use R&S next year but the jury is out on how he'll do with it.

 

The younger child loves listening to SOTW. He loves MCP math but doesn't care for Singapore math at all. He's learning to read with Hooked on Phonics and Explode the Code because SSRW required way more writing than he could produce. He also loves FLL though his older brother hated it with every cell of his being. He loves memorizing poetry and the auditory method of leaning. He also loves lapbooks and doing activities from FIAR. (Which his older brother also hated thoroughly.)

 

So one of them like a very no-nonsense straight forward work with no coloring, drawing, or projects. The other like creative projects where he can make up stories, recite answers, and lots of artistic projects.

 

That doesn't help you one bit does it?

[asta]

My "quirky" kid cannot stand having to seek out his information on a page. He wants to be able to simply read the data (no side bars, no stupid, distracting graphics, etc.) and perhaps have a map to tie it all together (he is 14).

 

He can't stand "squeaky" paper, nor does he like reading off of the computer. If he "gets" the concept, he wants to be DONE with the concept - he is not a "busy work" kind of kid. He will stonewall me before he will do 20 problems in a set for the sake of doing them.

 

That said, this is what has worked for us:

 

Analytical Grammar. They now have a "junior" program, but we didn't use it. Nor did we do the "8 weeks on, then rest with just weekly tune-ups" program. We simply powered through all 3 levels. It worked well. It is extremely structured, methodical, and logical. Best of all, it is black ink on white paper - NON glossy.

 

Systematic Mathematics. This math program is a series of DVDs of an actual math teacher working at a chalkboard in front of students being videotaped. He teaches "old math" very methodically and logically. There is no rote memorization involved; everything is simply explained in a manner that connects math to the world around us. There is a "data disc" of .pdf files that comes with the program to print out daily problem sets (never more than 10-20, large type). It includes answers and tests.

 

Trisms. I believe this all-in-one History/Literature/Writing program is a natural fit for the ASD child. Because it offers an array of subject matter for any given time period, it is more likely that one of them will catch the eye/obsession of an ASD kid. I learned more about my kid doing the middle school "History Makers" (and I did it verrryy loosely) than I think he learned doing the curriculum. I simply hadn't realized the breadth of his interests. You know how it is, you hear about Lego enough...

 

Science, it depends. What level are you looking for? At the elementary and middle school level, I really believe that science should be all about exploration of the world around them. If they hone in on one particular subject, then run with it. At the high school level, it comes down to a particular learning style. My son dislikes biology, but loves botany, so his biology text is heavy on the plant world (though still a standard biology text). He has put his foot down on dissection (it's not an animal rights thing, he is just icked out about it), so I've purchased DigitalFrog software. Chemistrywill be more fun. We're still deciding on Physics, but the National Weather Service has a great Meteorology course.

 

I have failed miserably with formal art instruction. I try to catch museums here and there, and listen to decent music. I also do my best to teach him "cultural" knowledge. It sounds strange, but I really think it is important that he understand all of the little pop culture references in American society, like bits and pieces of the Wizard of Oz, Casa Blanca, Monty Python, (old, original) MTV references, Star Trek even. These are weird bits that the people he will eventually work for will have grown up with. Standing there staring at people as if THEY are from Mars won't help him. Understanding the joke, will. (The new phone books are here! The new phone books are here!)

 

Oh, and I make him do sport. He has two left feet, and I make him do it anyway. It turns out that he is a great soccer goalie and can swim a mean backstroke.

 

 

asta

[GreenKitty]

asta -I'm not really 'looking' for anything specific. Just curious in general. My child does not like workbook type stuff nor does the idea of dissecting. Likes to nature journal and to be hands on.

 

Writing is the not liked subject. Trying out Grammar for Middle School and Sentence Composing for Middle School this summer. Not sure it will help or not. We've used lots of good writing programs in the past, but it doesn't seem to matter. I am trying Megawords for spelling and handwriting well...the closer the lines on the paper are together the better. :)

[ga girl]

I don't know how old your child is...

 

My son is 10. Here's what we found so far:

 

Spelling - Sequential Spelling has been a lifesaver!

 

Math - Teaching Textbooks

 

Grammar - First Language Lessons 3 (we'll move on to FLL 4 this year.After that, we'll go to Growing with Grammar. The diagramming just makes sense to him.

 

Science - anything hands on

 

Handwriting - Handwriting without Tears is fabulous

 

Writing - we did Bravewriter this year. I think for a formal program, we'll try SWB's WWE or Writing Tales.

 

Connie

[Oakblossoms]

My 11 year...

 

Keepers for us have been Italics Handwriting, Math U See, and SOTW on CD only.

 

He reads really well so moving really close to the library has been good;)

 

We have started Writing Strands and that seems to be good. He likes that there is a week break between lessons.

[happygrrl]

We also love HWT and MUS (with some developmental math thrown in). Our big surprise has been R&S grammar! I do it mostly verbally, and when I do ask for writing (diagramming for example) we use a dry-erase board. It deals with all those 'squeaky pencil rough paper' issues.

[JennW in SoCal]

This may not work for your son, but my Aspie ds writes best when he can just type. He learned to type early on but worked on his handwriting a bit through the years. He commented recently that in his high school biology class he didn't learn when he had to take notes by hand. He realized he learns more by watching and doing, and the act of writing out notes acted to effectively block out the information given out by the teacher during class.

 

He learned to write by typing narrations and e-mails, and now can write a decent essay. I've never used a formal writing curriculum with him or a grammar curriculum. He did well with Sequential Spelling, but using a word processor, and the desire to not be embarrassed by bad spelling did more than any spelling program ever could.

[AngieW in Texas]

My Aspie strongly dislikes busywork. She needs explicit instruction in anything that is not math or science related. Science is her thing and she's math-intuitive.

 

programs that have worked well for her:

Miquon Math

Singapore Math 3A-6B (started Singapore when she finished Miquon)

combination of Kinetic Books Algebra and Jacobs Algebra

Sonlight history, readers, and readalouds - NOT SL LA

Prentice Hall Science Explorer

IEW for writing

Megawords

 

She did NOT like Spelling Power or Spelling Workout at all. She couldn't deal with missing words on the pretest for Spelling Power and she thought that SWO was just busywork. She enjoys Megawords.

[Niffercoo]

I am very lucky in that my Aspie will try anything I throw his way. He rarely complains about his school work, though he struggles quite a bit academically.

 

Some things that have worked for him are Math-U-See, Junior Analytical Grammar (at a very, very slow pace), Type It!, Handwriting Without Tears.

[...................]

MCP Math- my son needs the gentle straightforward approach. While he loves color, he gets so unbelievably distracted by it that we have opted for mostly colorless curr. this year. Seeing a tiny colorful picture will send him off talking about his current obsession!!!

 

Reading- I hate it, but it's good for my son- he needs a combination of sight reading and phonics. Right now Pathway reading is going very well but well.

 

I think many aspies are visual-spatial/global learners...so whole to parts is good for them in any subject.

 

Miquon Math- a great supplement to show them the way math works.

 

Spelling- We are going to try Natural Speller, too. My son likes to take quizzes, and short lessons. We haven't used it yet, though.

 

Reading- My son is a little slower than I expected in reading. He began reading at 3, so I thought by now he'd be reading anything but it hasn't happened that way. I think a big part of the reason is my insistence on phonics. This week we started our Sight Word flashcards (which he loves and understands though he hates/hated phonics flashcards) and he already knows 5 new words in two days. Go figure! So I say this with caution- I know phonics are so important. But for my Aspie, sight reading is important. The pathway readers come in handy. He doesn't like them too much so hopefully we'll find something he likes better. Obviously, easy reader library books are great. He loves the Snake and Turtle books. Those are his favorite so far.

 

Here are some more tips:

 

A checklist. Stream-lining. No rote memory. For instance right now my son is memorizing pretty much the whole chapter of Luke 8. But he sort of says his own words and now i know that's okay. If this were a year ago I would have either given up or insisted on the exact wording. But he absolutely cannot memorize. He can't even memorize songs. Everything is about the "whole story" to him...not the parts!

 

So anyway today we started with Luke 8, and I read the first few verses 3 times, and said it was his turn. I expected to prompt him over and over but this was not the case!

 

They say:

Now there were in the same country shephers living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 

And behold an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

 

Now my personality, I would just say it over and over till I had it memorized.

 

But he saw it all in his mind- he played it all out while I was saying it!

So he said:

 

Now in the valley there were a bunch of shepherds living there, taking care of their sheep at night.

 

And behold- An angel of God appeared in front of them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid!

 

So you see...for my Aspie a program like FLL would be a total, absolute disaster. Memorizing poems would be torture!!! Memorizing exact definitions of grammar rules would also be torture. So...some is necessary, but for me I will focus on the idea, and not worry about exact wording. I'm happy with his rendition of the Shepherds.

 

So that is what I've discovered so far.

 

One more thing- if you're new to homeschooling, make sure he takes a break to go to his room for a while every day. My little guy exhausts me if I don't do that.

 

Also- I just started today with separating my dd4 and him at separate tables, and his concentration was much better. I cleared the table, and used only black and white school products, and it was a total change!!

[jenn&charles]

These are some things that have worked for Otter:

 

History: WinterPromise - plenty of activities, a better balance of non fiction books & visual books, etc.

 

Sequential Spelling - the only spelling program I've found that works

 

Shurley English - The repetition of the jingles every day has helped him with grammar concepts. It's a very predictable program and has really drilled concepts into his head. We don't use the writing portion as it's just too much for him right now.

 

I'm also going to be using First Language Lessons with him.

 

Currently he's working with LLATL, but it's only good for him as review. He wouldn't do well if he was having to learn grammar concepts from it.

 

RightStart math

Miquon Math

Singapore Math

 

All 3 of the above have worked well for him. He hates MUS for some odd reason.

 

Handwriting Without Tears - if it wasn't for this program, he'd have illegible writing.

 

Science: Apologia, Real Science 4 Kids, WinterPromise's Animals & Their Worlds, lots of kits, etc. He'll be using a program I designed for him this fall (in my sig.)

He LOVES science.

 

Reading: Usborne readers - He loves them and they are some of the only chapter books that he will actually get through. He has such a hard time with retention otherwise. He totally can NOT read books that are about modern social situations - like a story of a kid out with a bunch of friends solving a mystery or something like that. He does much better if the story is about an animal, or is history based (think Little House series), etc.

 

He also reads lots of non fiction books from the library, etc.

 

He's also worked with Latin for Children and did very well with it, but I'm holding off on continuing with it to give him more time to work on his reading and writing skills.