Kathryn Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 About DS: He has an AMAZING memory--just not for math apparently :glare:. He remembers things from before he could speak. With FLL, he hears the poem or definition once and it's memorized. But, he's also diagnosed high-functioning autistic and has a terrible time remembering multi-step instructions, even ones that are the same EVERY DAY (get your pajamas on, use the toilet, brush your teeth, and get in bed). Does anyone have any ideas about how to help him memorize math facts? Right now, that would be addition and we're beginning subtraction next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) Sounds like my daughter. She's not autistic, but she can remember all the names of the crazy Greek gods, memorized the Greek alphabet in a day, but the math facts - killer. If I didn't have a younger daughter that was a math whiz, I seriously would question whether I was doing something wrong. So my fact-challenged dd is 9 now and she does know her facts, but it is still not instant recall. I'd love to get her at 3 seconds or less, but right now I'm happy she has made as much progress as she has, because at LEAST she is proficient enough that it no longer a serious obstacle to getting her regular math work done in a reasonable amount of time. So we used, and continue to use. - c-rods (with extra addition and subtraction worksheets to work) - XtraMath.org - Math Rider We move forward with math concepts (which she does get), and just keep reviewing the facts on the side. Practice, practice, practice. Edited December 15, 2011 by zenjenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aludlam Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 xtramath.org xtramath.org xtramath.org WONDERFUL!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hearts4homeschooling Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 My DD had trouble with this, as well. I found the book "Multiplication Facts in Seven Days", and it really worked. It uses the 9x9 chart and has them cross off the duplicates (6x9 is a duplicate of 9x6), and shows them that they really only have to memorize 38 problems, not 81. Then they learn a few of the 38 facts everyday for seven days. The light bulb went off, and she learned them very quickly. You can find the book on Amazon HERE. It is a very reasonable price. I have a blog post about this book HERE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Right Start Math games are the only thing that worked for my kids. Before that we tried drill worksheets, Calculadders (shudder), the hand held electronic flash card thingy (technical, I know)....Flashmaster is the name (sheesh)...which we used for over a year, and flashcards. None of that worked here. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 If you allow computer games, you might try Timez Attack. They are supposed to come out with an Addition and Subtraction version this month. We used their Multiplication and my dd liked it very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Sounds like my daughter. She's not autistic, but she can remember all the names of the crazy Greek gods, memorized the Greek alphabet in a day, but the math facts - killer. If I didn't have a younger daughter that was a math whiz, I seriously would question whether I was doing something wrong. So my fact-challenged dd is 9 now and she does know her facts, but it is still not instant recall. I'd love to get her at 3 seconds or less, but right now I'm happy she has made as much progress as she has, because at LEAST she is proficient enough that it no longer a serious obstacle to getting her regular math work done in a reasonable amount of time. So we used, and continue to use. - c-rods (with extra addition and subtraction worksheets to work) - XtraMath.org - Math Rider We move forward with math concepts (which she does get), and just keep reviewing the facts on the side. Practice, practice, practice. I bought Mythmatical Battles last week for my dd. If yours has an interest in Greek mythology, she might like it too. It is an entertaining alternative to drilling facts, and dd loves the game. I actually enjoy it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 For my son on the spectrum, he needs to say the entire equation if he has a chance of remembering it. Same with routines. It's more work up front, but we go through the routine of what he needs to do. I'll tell him he's going to go to him bedroom, and get changed. Then he'll repeat that back to me. Then I'll tell him he's going to go to his bedroom, get changed, and put his clothes in the laundry. He'll repeat that series after me. We'll continue on that way until he can repeat the entire series of steps that need doing (how many a child can chain together depends on the kid). It's a good bit of work to begin with, but once it's done, he remembers it for the next time, so it's worth it. So what's going on there is that he's learning to chain events... something that comes naturally to most kids to move on to the next thing without stopping doesn't come so easily to kids on the spectrum. The same sort of thing works in, say, getting into the car (get in, shut door, sit down, do up seatbelt). My ds would always forget to shut the door. I was forever reminding him, until we stopped, repeated it as a chain, practiced the chain, and now he gets it right. Likewise with going through math problems (learn algorhythm, complete steps, look at next problem, repeat), or else he'd do the problem and stare blankly without moving on to the next one until I reminded him he needed to do more. So that's chaining, and it works with multiplication fact memorization as well. He needs to speak it himself to make that chain. It can't be you asking what's 6x7 and him saying 42. He needs to repeat the entire equation, and with my son, printing it himself is hugely beneficial, rather than trying to just write answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Thank you! Is there any difference (that matters to me) in signing up with Xtra Math as a parent vs. teacher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloggermom Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I suggest - http://www.bigbrainz.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aludlam Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Thank you! Is there any difference (that matters to me) in signing up with Xtra Math as a parent vs. teacher? I signed up as a parent. I receive emails and updates at least once a week, but I check my kids progress daily. The "button" that I use to check their scores says "parent/teacher". fyi. It will take a couple of days to get a score, b/c it takes a while to get through the placement test. My dd6 had a score of "?" for the longest time, followed by a "0". We celebrated the change! My dd10 got a score much faster. hth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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