ByGrace3 Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Please do not quote as I will probably delete this... In a crazy turn of events my 15 yo nephew has come to live with us for an undetermined "awhile." The last time he was in school was 5th grade. There has been little no "schooling" since then from what I can tell. He sporadically worked on switched on schoolhouse 6th grade over the last few years....not really making any progress. He plays video games, appears to read a good bit (gaming novels mostly I think). His biggest concern is math. When I asked him what he remembers doing that was difficult he responded "you know, multiplying...dividing...fractions." Hopefully, very soon we will be trying to get a tutor to help...but in the mean time? Finding a tutor has not been easy so far...I have a High school senior who could help out, but I am looking for a professional. I am thinking about getting him evaluated at a place like Sylvan....would that be helpful? We are still working out legalities (our lawyer is looking into it) so I hesitate to take him somewhere and then call CPS. He has been "homeschooled" in the eyes of his family, but has not even be registered into the homeschool program with the school board. I don't know even where to begin with that... He was held back in K so he would have been in 9th grade this year. I am overwhelmed and need some help processing options. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Well, bless your heart for taking him in. :grouphug: What does he think about the whole thing? Is he willing to be remediated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Well, bless your heart for taking him in. :grouphug: What does he think about the whole thing? Is he willing to be remediated? He is very willing. He understands the need and wants help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Hugs. This is a lot to take on. 1. I would absolutely NOT take him to Sylvan. They would almost certainly not have the expertise and training to truly dig in and find out what is happening since his education has been so erratic and if he truly has any LDs they will probably be less than useless. Even trained specialists in LDs sometimes don't really understand LDs. 2. See if there is any way at all to get him evaluated by a neurospychologist. They would be more likely to be able to tweak out any LDs as well as any untapped strengths. Unfortunately, if they aren't homeschool friendly they will probably blame all of it on poor homeschooling. You need someone with a more open mind and that may be challenging to locate. Also, the wait time can be months or more. Honestly, though, if you CAN find someone that would be a tremendous help. 3. I would hesitate to hire a High School Senior since they almost certainly won't have any professional training and he may be embarrassed to admit he has so many gaps around a peer, KWIM? But maybe later, after he has gained some ground....? 4. To be proactive about the math, you might consider giving him the free placement tests from CLE. Start way back at Level 100 and move forward. See where the gaps are so you have a better idea of where to start working with him. And you might even consider putting him in the CLE math program to help fill in those gaps, at least for now. Khan Academy might help, too. 5. See how he reads out loud. Can he read and decode fluently? How is his spelling? He may need some targeted reading and spelling remediation even if he can read well silently. (Bright kids with learning challenges frequently learn how to glean enough information from decoding a few words in context to figure out what is happening in a story but are actually very poor readers which can cause tremendous issues with decoding content material such as Science texts and Math word problems). And if he is dyslexic (look up stealth dyslexia) then that targeted remediation may need to come in the form of something like Barton Reading and Spelling or Lindamood Bell or Wilson. 6. Does he do well listening to audio books? Watching documentaries? You might limit his computer video game time as something he can do after listening to audio books and watching educational programming and documentaries while you try to sort out what else to do. 7. Are there any homeschooling groups that you could get him involved in right away so he can start to make some friends? What about outside classes in areas he has an interest? Like maybe some sort of Drama club or Lego club or Engineering class or gaming club or something? 8. I highly recommend you read two books ASAP to help a bit with pulling it altogether: The Mislabeled Child by Brock and Fernette Eide Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner by Kathy Kuhl 9. And for High School level resources for a child that might be a bit behind in various areas you might look at the Power Basics materials by Walsh as well as AGS. (see this link for AGS and some of the Power Basics stuff: http://www.wiesereducational.com/- but you may be able to find the material cheaper elsewhere, this is just for information). 10. Hop on the Learning Challenges forum for more help. Huge hugs, and best wishes. You are an awesome person to take this on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Hugs. This is a lot to take on. 1. I would absolutely NOT take him to Sylvan. They would almost certainly not have the expertise and training to truly dig in and find out what is happening since his education has been so erratic and if he truly has any LDs they will probably be less than useless. Even trained specialists in LDs sometimes don't really understand LDs. 2. See if there is any way at all to get him evaluated by a neurospychologist. They would be more likely to be able to tweak out any LDs as well as any untapped strengths. Unfortunately, if they aren't homeschool friendly they will probably blame all of it on poor homeschooling. You need someone with a more open mind and that may be challenging to locate. Also, the wait time can be months or more. Honestly, though, if you CAN find someone that would be a tremendous help. 3. I would hesitate to hire a High School Senior since they almost certainly won't have any professional training and he may be embarrassed to admit he has so many gaps around a peer, KWIM? But maybe later, after he has gained some ground....? 4. To be proactive about the math, you might consider giving him the free placement tests from CLE. Start way back at Level 100 and move forward. See where the gaps are so you have a better idea of where to start working with him. And you might even consider putting him in the CLE math program to help fill in those gaps, at least for now. Khan Academy might help, too. 5. See how he reads out loud. Can he read and decode fluently? How is his spelling? He may need some targeted reading and spelling remediation even if he can read well silently. (Bright kids with learning challenges frequently learn how to glean enough information from decoding a few words in context to figure out what is happening in a story but are actually very poor readers which can cause tremendous issues with decoding content material such as Science texts and Math word problems). And if he is dyslexic (look up stealth dyslexia) then that targeted remediation may need to come in the form of something like Barton Reading and Spelling or Lindamood Bell or Wilson. 6. Does he do well listening to audio books? Watching documentaries? You might limit his computer video game time as something he can do after listening to audio books and watching educational programming and documentaries while you try to sort out what else to do. 7. Are there any homeschooling groups that you could get him involved in right away so he can start to make some friends? What about outside classes in areas he has an interest? Like maybe some sort of Drama club or Lego club or Engineering class or gaming club or something? 8. I highly recommend you read two books ASAP to help a bit with pulling it altogether: The Mislabeled Child by Brock and Fernette Eide Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner by Kathy Kuhl 9. And for High School level resources for a child that might be a bit behind in various areas you might look at the Power Basics materials by Walsh as well as AGS. (see this link for AGS and some of the Power Basics stuff: http://www.wiesereducational.com/- but you may be able to find the material cheaper elsewhere, this is just for information). 10. Hop on the Learning Challenges forum for more help. Huge hugs, and best wishes. You are an awesome person to take this on. Lots of good stuff here thank you. Honestly, bad homeschooling is the main thing at play here :( not saying there might not be some LD's -- there could be, but mostly no one did anything with him or required anything. Also, -- no health insurance. :( for the time being, expensive tests are out. We do plan on him getting counseling and basic psychological evals... And...I don't feel awesome. I feel overwhelmed and clueless! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I don't think Sylvan is the answer since the legalities are not worked out yet. Sorry no advice here. But he is so lucky to have you in his life. :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Understood. You might look to see if you have a Scottish Rite near you. They sometimes do really cheap or even free evals. Quality varies. Honestly, while the details get sorted out with the non-academic situation I would just give him the free placement tests from CLE (I have used MM which I notice you use with your other kids, but for a kid that is behind and struggling I would not recommend it. I love CLE. It is an easy program to implement, easy program to accelerate or slow down, and easy for a teenager to do with minimal input from you if you place him correctly. Each lesson just has a little bit of new stuff you could teach him. The rest will be review material he should be able to do mostly on his own once he gets used to the format. That might boost his confidence while solidifying weak skills.) And is there a placement test for AAR? Since you are already using that, you might run him through that to solidify gaps. And I would ramp up slowly and give him very clear guidelines for what you are expecting. A checklist each day so he isn't wondering what else is coming down the pike. Get him something physical to do outside the home, too. Maybe tennis lessons since one of your other children is taking Tennis? He is probably behind in content knowledge,which is going to affect his vocabulary/concept/grammar. See if he can listen to audio books or maybe, if you have the funds or already have one on hand, get him a Kindle Fire so he can listen to books in a very portable way. He can use headsets, too, if he wants to be near you all but doesn't want to disturb you. And get him watching documentaries if you can to also fill in gaps while you seek other avenues. I wish you and your family all the best in this endeavor. Best, best wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Why was he held back in Kinder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 GED math review books cover basic math without seeming babyish. Community colleges often offer remedial math courses for adults. You might try to get your hands on one of their texts designed for adult learners. He could also test through Khan Academy, then watch the appropriate video segments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Just thinking....I haven't been there done that. But I would focus more on moral support, hugs, being a good listener, letting him watch you teach your kids. I think Math and reading are important, but perhaps let him get adjusted for a bit. This could be overwhelming for him too. It can't be easy to realize your behind. Perhaps some educational dvds? Popular mechanics for kids? I like mythbuster too. Just to keep him busy and happy. You know....start off slow. Just math and audiobooks, then content subjects in a month or so? I'm sure you already do this, but feel him out, look for signs of what he wants to do, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 GED math review books cover basic math without seeming babyish. Community colleges often offer remedial math courses for adults. You might try to get your hands on one of their texts designed for adult learners. He could also test through Khan Academy, then watch the appropriate video segments. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Just thinking....I haven't been there done that. But I would focus more on moral support, hugs, being a good listener, letting him watch you teach your kids. I think Math and reading are important, but perhaps let him get adjusted for a bit. This could be overwhelming for him too. It can't be easy to realize your behind. Perhaps some educational dvds? Popular mechanics for kids? I like mythbuster too. Just to keep him busy and happy. You know....start off slow. Just math and audiobooks, then content subjects in a month or so? I'm sure you already do this, but feel him out, look for signs of what he wants to do, etc. Great ideas here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 GED math review books cover basic math without seeming babyish. Community colleges often offer remedial math courses for adults. You might try to get your hands on one of their texts designed for adult learners. He could also test through Khan Academy, then watch the appropriate video segments. Good idea. I would love the name of a text used to remediate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 For Math, since he appears to be really behind in this area, you might look at this since it is designed for older students who are struggling or lack background knowledge: http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Math-Skills-Student-Text/dp/0785429522 There are used ones on there for $12.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWillSoar Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 FWIW, I'm really liking CLE for my older son who just started homeschooling this year. He was an 8th grader in public school when I pulled him out. He is currently doing CLE at the 5th grade level. He struggled with math and the school just graduated him to the next level each year. I don't see why you can't just start off right where he's at according to the placement tests. CLE seems to be pretty gentle, and my son doesn't seem to mind it at all. So far I'm not having to teach a ton. He just does his workbook pages and asks questions if he needs to. I go over his work and then help him with corrections. I make sure that everything is corrected and then he moves on to the next lesson. So far it's been pretty easy on me. Maybe that will change once things get more advanced. It is hard to get past the thought that it is going to take him a long time to catch up (as far as taking higher level maths in high school--you just run out of time trying to catch up) but at least he will have a good grasp of math concepts and be able to be successful in a community college or trade school. I'm not sure if there is any way to speed that up. Perhaps if your nephew is really bright, he could whiz through a lot of it and work on math during summers as well. Good for you for stepping up for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas_mom Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 >>>>>>I would love the name of a text used to remediate...<<<<<<<<< How about Lial's Basic College Math? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Just thinking....I haven't been there done that. But I would focus more on moral support, hugs, being a good listener, letting him watch you teach your kids. A passing thought when I saw the suggestion to have him watch you teaching your kids -- if he could HELP you teach your kids, that could really solidify concepts for him. You'd have to be cautious with this, but it could be a fabulous way for him to learn. (I was in Sam Postlethwaite's biology classes at Purdue back when he was working out his idea that the best way to learn something is to teach it to someone else. You have to know material much more thoroughly to explain it to someone else.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I'd be more inclined to look at a program that was intended for remediating older students than a grade-based program. A grade-based program is just going to have too much repetition since it is designed for much younger kids. I would probably go with one of two options: A university Basic College Mathematics text. They are available incredibly cheaply on amazon. Lial, Martin-Gay, Bittinger, Larson are all good. I would also consider Life of Fred starting with fractions, since you mentioned he is a good reader. Someone I know ended up in a similar situation, except at 18 instead of 15. His placement tests put him at roughly 3rd grade, and this was a week before the CC placement test. He spent the week reading through LOF:Fractions and successfully placed into algebra 1 instead of pre-algebra or arithmetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Good idea. I would love the name of a text used to remediate... Lials BCM comes to mind, but I can't remember how far back it goes - it should review most things. I would assume a need to review procedures for long division and multi-digit multiplication, though you don't necessarily need anything special for that, if it comes back to him with a bit of review and practice. (eta, I would get this one used) What to use will also depend on how quickly he picks things up, which may be an unknown at this point? If he turns out to be a struggler, as opposed to just behind, and you need to spend more time on certain topics, there's the Key-to books and of course the MM topic books, depending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Why was he held back in Kinder? Summer birthday, behavior issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 If you have the money, I highly recommend Aleks.com for math remediation. It's $20 per month, less if you pay for a longer period. There is a free trial available. It will assess the student, and tells you what they know and don't know. Then you learn and practice unknown topics until the next assessment. If you have mastered additional topics, it fills in a segment on a pie chart. The drawback, according to my dd, is that it doesn't go into depth explaining the concepts. However, it can be very helpful for filling in gaps and catching up. When he is closer to where he needs to be, you can switch to a full-bodied curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybee Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 You didn't mention language arts. I would use Easy Grammar (not sure what level, but I don't think it would be necessary to go too far back). The Writing Skills series by Diana Hanbury King is very solid and streamlined. Look at the reviews and samples to see where you think you should place him. If spelling is a problem, I would use AAS and move him along as needed. Since you are already using that, all the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mohini Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 If he's into games he may like TT for math - starting back at gr. 3 or 4. There are samples on their site and it would be a good/ semi-fun way to review and remediate. Also fairly quick. He can plough through a bunch of lessons in one day if he knows the material. Also Times Attack and Prodigy math might help him get the facts down. I love CLE too and use it w/ my littles but have been helping my 19yr old step ds remediate w/ teaching textbooks and kahn academy both of which are great b/c they're independent and easy to use. He can do TT at 3AM eating potato chips - and that makes it so much more appealing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Another computer-based option for review and remediation might be the Kaplan SAT/ACT test prep that is currently on sale at the homeschool buyer's co-op for $50. Like Aleks, it assesses the student and then gives practice in problem areas. So, if he never learned punctuation very well, it will hone in on that. A potential advantage is that these tests both cover quite a bit of the basics in both math and English, but they are designed for juniors and seniors. If he gets a terribly low score, that's fine - he is years away from taking these tests for real. If he gets an approaching-decent score, it might do wonders for his confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 One more thing - check with your local library. Mine offers a ton of tutoring and testing help online, free to anyone with a library card. This includes computer-based prep for various standardized tests, live online tutors for every subject, and a writing lab that lets you submit papers for feedback from a live tutor. If your library doesn't have something similar, check surrounding systems. It might be worth paying for a card if that's an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 For math I would recommend Lial's Basic College Math - it will thoroughly review all elementary math, after which he can move on to pre-algebra or even algebra if he excels. For writing, I recommend Writing With Skill. Also take a look at Analytical Grammar. Both can be started in middle school but are solid enough to be used with an older student. I would take the time from now until this fall to start working on the above skills, as well as reading and spelling as necessary, and then think about starting content subjects like science and history at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Yes. He doesn't need to be remediated, really, on content subjects. He should be able to start off in regular 9th grade classes for science and history, if he can read and write. If he cannot write very well, I would continue with grade-level reading assignments and scaffold the output to what he is capable of. (But this is for the Fall). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Share Posted February 16, 2015 Can anyone tell me where I could find samples and/or TOC for Lials BCM? Would love to take a look inside... Thanks again for all of the ideas...keep them coming! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 If you have the money, I highly recommend Aleks.com for math remediation. It's $20 per month, less if you pay for a longer period. There is a free trial available. It will assess the student, and tells you what they know and don't know. Then you learn and practice unknown topics until the next assessment. If you have mastered additional topics, it fills in a segment on a pie chart. The drawback, according to my dd, is that it doesn't go into depth explaining the concepts. However, it can be very helpful for filling in gaps and catching up. When he is closer to where he needs to be, you can switch to a full-bodied curriculum. I was going to suggest Aleks too, at least as a tool to structure the instruction. They have a few courses on there that are specifically designed for kids who need to catch up. Right now, I'm working through the middle school RTI Tier 3 course with 2 very different tutoring clients, which is essentially a course designed to teach the 107 most important things a middle school aged kid needs to know to catch up before jumping back into middle school math instruction. I don't use Aleks much for instruction. That is to say, I'll use the Aleks program to tell me what to teach next, and to provide spiral review problems and periodic assessments, but for the actual instruction, I use other resources. However, both the kids I'm using it with have pretty significant receptive language issues. It might be that for a strong reader without a disability, the Aleks explanations are enough for them to use it for actual instruction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Apples & Pears Spelling is a great remedial program. He could do a level per day, approx 60 levels per book (4 books). It's designed to take a student from the beginning spelling stage to able to write an academic paper...that would be 1.5-2 years for a teenager. Agreeing with checking his read aloud abilities. If it lacks, try Dancing Bears, either Fast Track or Book C. Skip the stories. Just treat the exercises as a daily warm-up. Maybe give him the placement tests for MM and see what sections he needs before moving on. If it's really just lack of teaching, he will probably zip through quickly. Then I'd move to a pre-algebra that he can do independently (b/c you teach him how) just in case he is not able to do school with you through the end of his high school years. TT maybe? Then, even if he wasn't able to school with you, you could provide him with the basic high school math levels. Poor kid! Bless you for caring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Here is the table of contents for the 8th edition, but all the editions are very similar: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/product/Basic-College-Mathematics/9780321557124.page Furthermore, any "basic college mathematics" text by any author is going to be pretty similar. I would check your local library for one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birchbark Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I would look at Math Rescue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Several people have said it already, but I'm going to agree, LIal's Basic College Math. It will have chapters on Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Fractions, Decimals, a little Pre-Algebra and basic Geometry. Basically, it covers everything covered in elementary school math in one book. If he knows everything in a lesson, have him move on, when he is ready, take the chapter test and prove he's got it to move forward. Some chapters that might be after a quick skim, some might take some time. It is perfect for an older student wanting to remediate and move forward. From there he should be able to move directly into Algebra. I would NOT do WWS with him. I find most kids who have had no exposure to the classical writing style to be very confused by it. Instead, have him do some writing for you. Find out where he is. Is he a natural or is it a disaster? If it is a disaster, I would consider Jump In which is designed for middle school, and would be gentle. If, in reality, he writes pretty well, then I'd look at high school writing courses. Analytical Grammar would be a great addition. I also agree that there is no need for remediation in science or social studies. Pick a high school level curriculum and go for it. Looking at your sig, it looks like you use some Christian curriculum. I might suggest Apologia Physical Science, and something like Notgrass World History. They aren't the most exciting choices on the market, but they are straight forward, on level and probably within his reach. You should also add some literature, maybe Excellence in Literature Introduction to Literature is suggested for 8th/9th grade. You might need to slow down the pace in order for him to keep up with that and a writing program both. At some point, you are going to have to face the challenge of coming up with enough credits for him to graduate and move on to life or college with, but right now, I'd focus on shoring up math and Language that should already be done and starting him on a couple of credits of history and science to keep him from falling further behind. I totally get why you would feel overwhelmed, but don't lose site of the fact that he has a shot now. A motivated 15yo can move through the pre-highschool stuff fast if there are no LDs. Feel free to come over to the high school board for more ideas on what to do in each subject as you start to get a feel for where he is and where you are trying to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Speaking as a remedial teacher by trade (pre having children) I have a few tips. With a 15yo I'd look towards the end goal, and work backwards. Figure out where he needs to be to get where he wants to go. Realistically is this going to be a university student? A community college student? A trade school student? Or will he be entering the work force? Obviously you don't want to corner a kid into a future at 15, a lot can happen! But there is also being realistic. If he's going directly into a trade or the work force, math can really be life-skills focused- budgeting! balancing check books! making correct change! cooking! Use remedial programs, NOT programs meant for 3rd (or wherever he places) graders. This is not only less insulting because it doesn't say "3rd grade" on it, but it will be less insulting because it will be written to his maturity level and abilities, and skip the cartoons. They are also designed to be moved through quickly, while your average program is taking its time. Honestly, dealing with a kid that can and does read (even drivel!) and admits he needs remediation sounds like a dream. A motivated teen can do a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Lial's Basic College Math looks like a great option (and not embarrassing for an older student), but in the meanwhile, it looks like your kiddos use Math Mammoth? If I can assume you bought the pdfs for the whole series (?) you can use some of those tests as placements or such, to see what he might need to cover/remediate? Might give you guys a starting place without having to invest in a new program... As far as language arts goes, what about a workbook series like Writing Skills to get caught up on some grammar/writing. They are written to be friendly for older students. Not babyish at all, and Book A is accessible for skills as low as 2nd-4th grade. Add to that a lit program? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I think you've gotten great advice, but I wanted to chime in and say we had an extended family member find herself in a similar spot--landed on her aunt and uncle's door step unable to read at age 12 or so. Some evaluation turned up dyslexia as a complicating factor. The aunt helped her find some good resources in spite of trying to direct her towards making artisan straw brooms for a living (wish I were kidding--not to diss broom makers, but she wrote off a lot of possibilities because of what the girl's mom was like). FFW, she's doing well--she finished some college (I don't remember how much, but she did well). She wasn't homeschooled at all, so no advice; just a good ending to share. She's married to a college professor and has a child now. Very hard worker. I agree with filling in gaps with things that can be accelerated quickly. If that doesn't work, consider evaluations to see what might be interfering. Best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 We are in a similar situation with my niece. I used a free two month trail from ALEKS. This has been a great assessment tool as well as a way to fill in gaps in her knowledge. She started with prealgebra and has worked on it pretty much daily. It leads the students through skills but also gives them some flexibility in choosing what to do. It does not explain new concepts very well at all though. Instead you get examples but no info on the why behind it. Today she started on Saxon Alg. I thought she needed a spiral method because she forgets quickly without review. I have read here that Saxon is not a good choice for struggling math students, so we will see how it goes. She liked the videos for Saxon on the virtual himeschool group. I purchased the textbook used on amazon and it also has the dive cd. Not sure it will still work but I plan on trying . For LA we are using WWS. I am doing a condensed version of getting through WWS 1-3 in one year based on the schede used in the WTM academy catch up rhetoric class. This has turned out to be very good for her. The assignments are low stress and she can do them successfully, so it has boosted her confidence. Also, I found she struggled with summarizing anything, from movies to life events. I hope learning the basics of narrations is helping her in her broader life skills. She also participates in a monthly lit group and has free reading assignments. She only reads if given an assignment. We plan on starting grammar soon. BTW--you can see samples of all the WWS online. For science we are using Bozeman Science videos online along with some from ck-12. For History we have been focusing on us history and we loosely use a documentary on US Presidents as a guide. BTW--we still are not her legal guardians either and as such cannot get her on our insurance. I was able to get Medicaid for her. But, the Dr's office would not process payment to Medicaid until permission forms were signed by her current legal guardian. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Here's another math option: Learn Math Fast BTW, Lisa is a member here (Laughing Lioness). I bet she would be willing to answer any questions you have that aren't covered in her review. Best of luck. My bet is he is going to amaze you. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Apples & Pears Spelling is a great remedial program. He could do a level per day, approx 60 levels per book (4 books). It's designed to take a student from the beginning spelling stage to able to write an academic paper...that would be 1.5-2 years for a teenager. Agreeing with checking his read aloud abilities. If it lacks, try Dancing Bears, either Fast Track or Book C. Skip the stories. Just treat the exercises as a daily warm-up. I like these ideas for reading and spelling. They have great placement tests as well. Just start at the beginning and work through them to pick up any gaps. The bonus is that the programs are not grade leveled or "babyish" at all. Just solid reading and spelling programs. For math, even if you don't use it, I would give the CLE placement tests, starting with grade 1. I know they are graded but it would show you where he has any gaps and you could work on that. If he knows the basics of his math facts that will go a long ways towards helping him catch up quickly. Another option for math would be the Keys To series.....keys to fractions, Keys to measurement, Keys to .............. etc. Then he could start a highschool level program. I agree with being realistic as well without being limited. For some kids, advanced math isn't nearly as important as consumer math---time, money, budgeting, measurement..........all those things you use every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 No advice here, but you are a blessing to your nephew - he is lucky to have you to take him in. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 If his spelling needs work, Megawords is very good and not at all babyish or teacher-intensive. Someone already mentioned Learn Math Fast. That might work well because it's written to the student and he could take the book with him when/if he moves and continue teaching himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 Thanks for all the ideas! Any suggestions for assessment or evaluation tools? Not placement tests, but I had a friend suggest the DORA and ADAM tests or reading and math, anyone heard of those? Have other suggestions? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 You can give him an online SAT10 for $40, which will give an idea of where he stands in relation to peers for his age/grade. This may help get an idea of how far he is behind. It won't give amazingly specific information, but for $40, I would do it if I didn't think he would be discouraged if his results are poor. http://www.brewertesting.com/Stanford.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 You can give him an online SAT10 for $40, which will give an idea of where he stands in relation to peers for his age/grade. This may help get an idea of how far he is behind. It won't give amazingly specific information, but for $40, I would do it if I didn't think he would be discouraged if his results are poor. http://www.brewertesting.com/Stanford.html Thanks, but he is extremely behind. We know that. I would love something that was specific to help us know where to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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