Rikki06 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I've never started my own thread so this is somewhat scary. This is my 1st year homeschooling so I want that stated at the beginning. :) My DS (7) had vision therapy last year and struggles more with learning, in general, than his sister. However, I am just stuck on math. He has not mastered basic counting, as in he can not count to 100 by himself. He has extreme difficulty in telling me what comes before/after a random number, such as 74. Just no concept. He was in private school for K and 1st and that was typical learning to count curriculum. Since we've been homeschooling, I've tried to show place value like MUS with the castle/tower/house to show how the numbers rotate. I don't know if I need to just keep at it and wait for progress or try something else?? It's just very frustrating and somewhat worrisome for me. Thanks for any advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I would get a number chart from 0-100 (grouped by 10's... so you can count from 1-100, and then by 2's, 3's 5's and 10's using the vertical columns) Assuming he can recognize the numerals... allowing him to read the chart as he counts up and back may be better for the counting practice. Other simple visuals are great, too... especially if they are favorite toys. My oldest used his matchbox cars back in the day. FWIW, I wouldn't move into place value until he has the concept of numerical placement down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki06 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 Thank you--I appreciate the counsel!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Have you been doing calendar time? My ds has practically learned to count through that alone. We count up to the day, we count how many days until "X" happens, etc. I also made sun, cloud, rain and snow tiles on foam sheet, cut them into squares, then used them to make a simple bar graph that shows the weather that month. Then we count how many sunny days we've had, how many cloudy days, how many more rainy days than sunny etc. It's been huge in getting him over that "-teen" hump and he's just about nailed numbers 1-30. I don't know if math curriculum alone will help him out with that part, you may need to take a detour to help him master it. Maybe something like cusinaire would help, as it's pretty visual? The hundreds chart is a great idea, and I think holding off place value is also wise. hth and gl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki06 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 Yes, we do calendar time but don't really include any counting so that's definitely an idea--I've been wanting to change up that time, anyway. I hear a lot about those rods so I may look into that when I get the $. Thank you!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 100 chart and number lines are great to "see" the numbers. Number cards are great too, have him recognize each number and put the cards in order...start with 1-5 and add in a new # as he masters this. Practice counting as a pp said, use cars or little plastic animals, even Halloween candy...something fun and tangible. Use these when counting. Work on # counting first to 20, then 50, 100, and 200 but not advancing till he gets the counting to 20. Counting is important, he needs to grasp amounts and know what it means when you have a # of something. While you are working on counting keep math in your daily life. Use lots of math talk through out the day(ex:when you cut his sandwich in half say this..."I cut your sandwich into two pieces, each piece is a half of sandwich, two halves make a whole., count the carrots on his plate at dinner, line up his cars and ask which is first, 3rd...things like this) Once 1-20 are mastered begin adding/subtracting. When 1-50 is memorized then start with place value, by then he will have a better concept of numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki06 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 Great--I can do that! Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Keep at it. Place value is a development thing. Hopefully he will have an "Aha" moment soon and just get it. In the meantime keep him couting meaningful objects. Ask him to put 14 berries in the muffin etc... You don't have to buy base ten blocks, in fact it is better that he helps you make them. There are many different ways for you to do this with him. You can buy a jumbo box of straws and have him make bundles of ten. Then everytime you make a number, say 24, write in the ten's column 2 one's column 4. Get two bundles of ten and 4 individual straws. Then have him do exactly what you have done, that will build his confidence. You will eventually let him try some numbers on his own, but support him while he tries. Use manipulative constantly; it works for most kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki06 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 Thank you! I think I'm seeing that I'm trying to rush him through this because he "should" know it and I need to chill--for both him and me! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Rightstart A helped us with this much more than MUS. MUS is a bit abstract because it joins tens together into 1 rod. RS has separate beads that they can easily see and count separately. And the 5 blue then 5 yellow make it so easy for them to see all of the sums of ten in their heads. I was thrilled when we found RS! We sold our MUS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki06 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 RS was recommended to me but it's so hard because I can only see it online. I don't have $ for it now, anyway, but I will have to keep it in mind if things don't improve with MUS. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 The RS games are awesome too, except I am not the type to schedule them if I am not using the curriculum and being told when to play what. (Sad, but true.) So I would say just play them as you hit them in the curriculum and don't buy them separately. But my son begged to play them daily and loved RS. We moved to MM because he can do it alone almost entirely and that helps me a lot. I would not recommend MM to you. We have a special needs daughter and 3 other kids. I wouldn't use it with someone with any learning struggles I don't think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki06 Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 That's good to know about MM! I often look at other Math options, thinking there might be a better one out there and I know I've checked MM. It's overwhelming but keeping it simple might help me out until he gets the counting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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