Math for dyslexic dd

[4 Gifts]

We have a recent diagnosis of dyslexia.  The assessor recommended TouchMath.  After looking at it I could see my child responding well to it, but it only goes through second grade.  What do we do after that?   The multisensory approach will be important and I still like a spiral method (constant review is important, which is why I like the spiral method...not sure yet if it is the best with dyslexia).  Any suggestions?  After TouchMath we were recommended to use Making Math Meaningful but I am not finding a practical way to implement it.  TouchMath users, what have you transitioned to?

Thanks!

[Mandylubug]

We are having success with Rod and Staff. We use the visual aids. We add manipulatives, number lines, and any thing else I can scrounge around to figure out to help. We just go slow and steady. Mastery has worked best for us. The review is top notch. Rote memory just isn't our thing and that is ok. We use fact family and multiplication charts for reference and accommodation during our daily school work.

[Mandylubug]

I wanted to add that I homeschooled for 3 years before we had my girls diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. We had already found programs that worked fairly well thanks to this board and trial and error, so we are just tweaking at this point. I may have tried something different if I had to do it over again. Maybe. Maybe not.

[1shortmomto4]

My dyslexics did extremely well with retention using Math U See - it has the manipulatives if you need them but they don't over power the program.  I've also found that spiral programs were a disaster because their brains didn't have enough time to make the connections before moving on to the next bit of information.  I have wished many times over that I had started with MUS sooner but you live and learn. 

[Heathermomster]

How old is your child, and where is your child in terms of math achievement?  Not all kids with dyslexia struggle with math. 

 

 

[sixpence1978]

We have had good luck with CLE math for my dyslexic daughter.  Spiral programs worked better for her.  When we did a more mastery style math, she would easily forget things from the past.  The constant review helps things to stick long-term.

 

I actually do like Saxon for grade 1 and 2 math as well.  I know it isn't a top recommendation, but it was a good blend on hands-on, review, and written work for us.  We just used the idea of TouchMath with our regular math programs, not TouchMath by itself.

[Bright Light]

Dyslexic or not, Touch Math is not enough by itself to build number sense. I wouldn't start with it. Also, there are other dot methods. They seem to have some fun ways to get skip counting in the the brain, but I wouldn't separate skip counting from working with something like an abacus, Montessori type beads, number rods, Numicon blocks and a number line or ruler. If you think your daugher needs unique help in developing her number sense, I'd recommend:  

 

Randit Bird, Numicon Blocks and use of abacus and number rods (used by Randit Bird)

 

Other resources:

*Landmark School (http://www.landmarkschool.org/students/ems/courses/math) Some strategies have been helpful for my students in learning multiplication steps and time.

-Beat Dyscalculia

-Dianne Craft

-Edublox/Audibloxs

*Stamp Game and Golden Beads (Montessori) (Stamp Game helps to teach place value, as do the Golden Beads)

-a balance (weigh Numicons and Golden Beads for adding/subtraction and comparison)

-Explode the Dot (for upper grade way of reviewing place value and decimals and subtraction as adding the opposit)

*Let's Play Math (by a homeschool mom-more games to learn math and get away from workbooks and great website)

-Talking Math with Your Kids

-Abacus One (abacus with number names)

 

Many if not most of the resources above are good for any student.

 

Some "Touch Math" history and opinion. http://mathforum.org/t2t/discuss/message.taco?thread=17459&n=3

 

 

[Pen]

1) Math U See -- not spiral, but has lots of review pages and has page layout and typeface that is easy to read--and not much written explanation. If reading the word problems is a problem, you can read them aloud.

We used this.

 

2) Teaching Textbooks--the computer can read the problems aloud as I understand it. We did not use this.

 

 

[4 Gifts]

Thanks for the responses so far!!!!  My dd is 8 and has below level math scores on the variety of things tested...fluency, calculation, reasoning, etc.  We have been doing Saxon.  I do not feel it is a Saxon issue, but perhaps a working memory issue(?).  Understanding dyslexia is all still so new to me yet.

 

I read through the history on touchmath, bright light thank you for linking that.  The article confirms some of my fears regarding touchmath, yet I see my daughter struggle to remember and understand how to do things that she seemed to understand yesterday, basic addition and subtraction overwhelms her.  There is a disconnect somewhere that I hope we can work on. 

 

Does the Ronit Bird book provide a curriculum or a way to manipulate a curriculum to help in making the connections to understanding the concepts.  Do you use it in addition to a curriculum?

[FairProspects]

Did you get a dyscalculia diagnosis too? There are definitely some challenges for dyslexia in math - mostly with rote calculations, math fact fluency, procedural learning (like forgetting a step in a multi-step problem), subtracting in the wrong direction because of directional issues, etc. but these are distinct from the concept difficulty and number sense issues that characterize dyscalculia. From what I understand, they require different approaches. My dyslexic is generally strong in math with dyslexic challenges so we just use regular math programs with some modifications.

[4 Gifts]

We did not get a dyscalculia diagnosis. 

[1shortmomto4]

I understand the memory issues very well.  I gave up the count on how many happy Friday's we celebrated because my ds had finally understood and mastered a math skill and then on Monday it was as though it fell out of his head while he slept!  I used TT math for him at one point but there was no connections being made in retention but boy, when I switched to MUS and he had time to really just practice the skill each day and we could either move on ahead or stay in the chapter - that was key for him.  I've had no more lapses in memory from day to day or Friday to Monday.  Of course, I found the same issues with grammar retention until I used 2 years of FLL and now, entering 9th, he still remembers it all.  Small bites of learning with lots of practice without adding in other skills (which is why I think some dyslexics struggle with a spiral - we think the small bites of practicing of other problems is great but sometimes they need less switching of different types of problems to master).

[Heathermomster]

Thanks for the responses so far!!!!  My dd is 8 and has below level math scores on the variety of things tested...fluency, calculation, reasoning, etc.  We have been doing Saxon.  I do not feel it is a Saxon issue, but perhaps a working memory issue(?).  Understanding dyslexia is all still so new to me yet.

 

I read through the history on touchmath, bright light thank you for linking that.  The article confirms some of my fears regarding touchmath, yet I see my daughter struggle to remember and understand how to do things that she seemed to understand yesterday, basic addition and subtraction overwhelms her.  There is a disconnect somewhere that I hope we can work on. 

 

Does the Ronit Bird book provide a curriculum or a way to manipulate a curriculum to help in making the connections to understanding the concepts.  Do you use it in addition to a curriculum?

Ronit Bird activities teach and reinforce subitizing and numbers sense required to learn and perform basic math.  I stopped using math curriculum for a time and followed her methods to fill in gaps that enabled DS to learn his multiplication tables.  I now fall back on the knowledge gained in her books to teach both my children using a regular math curriculum.

 

My DS is diagnosed gifted with a maths/reading/handwriting disorder.  I have witnessed first hand the effectiveness of consistent, direct and explicit multi-sensory instruction with reading and prefer the same approach for math.  Normal teaching strategies with these kids fail too often due to fast pacing, an overemphasis on rote memorization, and no true conceptual emphasis.  RB's e-books will break the teaching down for you.  One list mom is currently using the 1st RB e-book with her DS.  Some of the math seems silly and simple, but the activities are neither silly or simple to a child that suffers a deficit in those areas.

 

Understanding a little about how the brain works can help tremendously.  The book How the Brain Learns Mathematics by David Sousa totally altered my attitude and approach to working with my kids.  The book is easy to read and filled with research that explains issues commonly seen while teaching.

 

OP, since your child has working memory deficits, that fact must be taken into account when teaching.  You may need to slow down to an uncomfortable rate with teaching.  Stick with teaching with one concept or math fact at a time.  My DS requires a modified mastery/spiral approach.  He works in short bites, over and over until he gets things.  If he gets stuck on a concept, we sit there and move sideways with extra practice.  Expect that your child will forget.  When that happens, gently review and then move forwards. 

 

I suggest you start with MUS Alpha coupled with a booklet like MCP Math Level A for extra practice problems.    

[OneStepAtATime]

What Heathermomster said.  :)

[4 Gifts]

Thank you so much!  I have much to learn!  I will check out MUS.