Life of Fred Elementary for special education?

[LNC]

My 14 1/2 yo son's iq is 48 with a much higher verbal iq than nonverbal. He is considered extra learning disabled in math than his iq. He has 0 number sense, and we have tried everything. He has been a special education class for middle school and is entering the intellectually disabled - mild program for high school. The only thing that makes everyone question that placement is math!

 

Do you think LOF elementary would be of use for a very verbal mentally disabled student? We basically just want him to develop number sense enough to understand how to use his calculator and MAYBE pass the special ed intro to math class.

[Dobela]

I recently received LOF and while I think it is an interesting supplement for elementary, it is no means comprehensive enough for a total program. Have you looked at Touch Math? When I taught special ed it was a favorite among most teachers.

[MommyK]

My 14 1/2 yo son's iq is 48 with a much higher verbal iq than nonverbal. He is considered extra learning disabled in math than his iq. He has 0 number sense, and we have tried everything. He has been a special education class for middle school and is entering the intellectually disabled - mild program for high school. The only thing that makes everyone question that placement is math!

 

Do you think LOF elementary would be of use for a very verbal mentally disabled student? We basically just want him to develop number sense enough to understand how to use his calculator and MAYBE pass the special ed intro to math class.

 

LoF is great, but it's very broad. How do you think he could handle that? Could he pull a lesson from a story?

[EKS]

I have not used the Life of Fred elementary level books. However, if they're anything like the Fractions and Decimals books, I wouldn't want to use them for a child who has difficulties with math. For the most part, the math isn't explicitly taught; the kid is supposed to discover the math on his own by doing the (limited) problem sets.

 

Have you tried MUS?

[lauranc]

Honestly, I don't think LOF would work in this case... I have also checked it out for my 13 yr old who has mild ID --and math is one of her biggest struggles. As someone else said, with LOF you've got to 'discover' the math in a way-- and it sounds like your son might be better off with something more explicitly taught.

 

It wouldn't work at all for my daughter.

 

Check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-People-Syndrome-Hands-On-Learners/dp/1890627429 It has some really good ideas and has been helpful.

 

We had some success with Right Start Math (level A and B). http://rightstartmath.com/

[LNC]

Honestly, I don't think LOF would work in this case... I have also checked it out for my 13 yr old who has mild ID --and math is one of her biggest struggles. As someone else said, with LOF you've got to 'discover' the math in a way-- and it sounds like your son might be better off with something more explicitly taught.

 

It wouldn't work at all for my daughter.

 

Check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-People-Syndrome-Hands-On-Learners/dp/1890627429 It has some really good ideas and has been helpful.

 

We had some success with Right Start Math (level A and B). http://rightstartmath.com/

 

I'm ordering the two books about Teaching math to people with Down Syndrome... Thanks for the suggestion, it looks so helpful.

[lauranc]

I'm ordering the two books about Teaching math to people with Down Syndrome... Thanks for the suggestion, it looks so helpful.

 

Oh good! I've only got the first one, but so far I've been really pleased with the activities.

[eoffg]

LNC, you wrote that you 'basically just want him to develop number sense enough to... .'

Though it might be helpful to understand what number sense actually is?

Number sense is actually an ability to recognize different sized quantities.

Which we later learn names and symbols for, which are called numbers.

But first we need to recognize quantities.

This recognition of quantities uses the Spacial thinking side of our Non Verbal thinking.

(Where Non Verbal thinking is a combination of Spacial and Visual thinking)

 

To understand how number sense is formed using spacial thinking?

Perhaps you could simply count some objects?

Starting with 2 objects, when you look at them, you will immediately recognize them as 2 objects.

Then if you look at 3 objects near each other, you will also instantly know that their are 3 objects.

Where you will also instantly recognize 4 objects.

 

Where you instantly recognize these different sized groups.

 

But 4 is the limit for this instant recognition, so that with 5 or 6 or more objects? You will have to add them together.

Where this instant recognition of groups of 2 or 3 or 4.

Is actually what our sense of number is.

Where our Spacial thinking is used to recognize them, and gives them a sense of quantity.

 

But when people have a Spacial thinking difficulty, these groups aren't spacially formed in the mind.

So that they don't concieve of groups as different sized quantities.

So that numbers aren't associated with a quantity?

To understand what this is like? Perhaps you could try counting some objects around you. But instead of using numbers, use letters of the Alphabet: A,B,C,D,E, etc.... ?

Where you will find that with Letters, their is no sense of D as a quantity?

But for people who have a 'sense of number', using letters instead of numbers to count?

Provides a good understanding of what it is like not to have a sense of number?

How they actually deal with numbers?

Perhaps you could do a simple addition?

E+C= ?

Then consider how you worked out the answer?

Then you could do: F-B=?

 

Though I could also ask you to try a simple multiplication, equal to 2x4=?

BxD=?

Then a simple division: E / B=?

 

Though spacial thinking is to numbers, what sound is to letters.

So that just as someone born Deaf can't associate sound with letters?

Or someone born Blind, can't associate a visual image with the sound of letters?

Someone with a spacial thinking difficulty, may have nothing to associate with numbers?

 

So that they need to be helped to develop a way of concieving of numbers, that makes sense to them.