Math for Son with Intellectual Disability

[coastalfam]

My 10yo son has Down syndrome. Awesome kid. Learning to read this year! Math is SO hard for him. Still working on counting and recognizing numbers past 20. He is learning to use a calculator to add. Currently I am using the book "Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome". It's okay. I will stick with it if I can't find something better. I would like a math system for him that is highly visual, extremely repetitive in ways that mix it up a bit so it doesn't get boring, and moves toward functional math skills quickly. Man, I wish MUS had such a program. I can't go with them because we need something that really just focuses on basics of getting by in life, otherwise that approach with manipulatives, the videos (my son LOVES Steve Demme), and lots of practice is great. Any ideas for me?

Edited July 11, 2016 by coastalfam

[Rosie_0801]

Take a look at CSMP. It teaches with pictures first. Even if the whole program won't work for him, the dot and string pictures should.

[Guest]

For my severely dyscalculic son with intellectual disability (IQ=60), we use Semple Math and have had success with it.

 

http://www.semplemath.com/

 

The website is not great, but if you want to understand their approach a little better, look at the website for Stevenson Reading. They used to be one company (Stevenson-Semple) but split several years ago. But their approach is the same: heavy on mnemonics and repetition.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

The website is not great, but if you want to understand their approach a little better, look at the website for Stevenson Reading. They used to be one company (Stevenson-Semple) but split several years ago. But their approach is the same: heavy on mnemonics and repetition.

Did you have any problems teaching what a mnemonic is? Mine can't grasp acronyms or mnemonics.

[mckive6]

My dd, 16, has Down syndrome also.  I've tried a lot of programs.  She, too, is very visual, and learns best through lots of repetition.  I like Numicon but I don't follow their teaching guides exclusively, primarily because they are hard to find, and expensive.  She is learning instant recall of the numbers by using their manipulatives. She has been asking for more online programs, so we used the free trial of CTC math.  It is taught in short videos with practice problems afterward. It is very well done, and great for visual kids. You have access to all grade levels and all lessons.  She wanted to do geometry, 10th grade, so she was able to do some of those lessons, and then we hit the geometry section for grade 3 and 4. She's very aware of grade level so it's been tricky. This program doesn't move towards functional math skills;however, it will teach basic skills. We don't want to give up on those yet.

 

The reason I will most likely use it in the fall is because it can be short and sweet (which she wants), she can do it independently( but I usually am nearby so I know how she does with the skill), and she likes it.  I will use other things also.  I have a few workbooks she really likes. I just learned of an app called Dollars and Cents by Attainment that we will use too. 

 

I hope that helps, and I'll be following in case someone else has some great ideas!

[Lecka]

Touchmath is popular locally. There are a lot of free printables for it.

 

We have ended up not using it with my son, but it is what we thought he would use.

 

Edit -- maybe it is more for autism, I don't know. There are dots and dots with circles associated with the numbers, and you count the dots.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Lecka