Using math mammoth with dyscalculia

[popmom]

DD was recently diagnosed with dyscalculia among other things. Many of you have read my other posts. The dyscalculia was a bit of a surprise to me. Psychologist recommended a lot of repetition and regular review. 

 

MM does not have much built in review, but out of the 3 math curricula we've tried, this is the one she likes the best. I actually thought maybe the mastery approach would be good for her. Now I'm second guessing that. We started out with Horizons, and it was just overwhelming. Tried TT next, but dd didn't like it, and it was hard to get her to cooperate and do the lessons. So we started math mammoth this year. She likes it much better, but there is very little review. How can I continue to utilize MM, but also add in some review? I'm looking for an easy way lol. Something that doesn't require me to think or plan much. I know that's lazy--I'll plan and think it out if I have to, but I'm looking for easy alternatives right now that don't require me to switch curriculum. 

 

BUT if you have suggestions for a wonderful curriculum that has worked for a dc with dyscalculia--please enlighten me. :)

 

Thanks, y'all!

 

ETA: I was looking at Math Minutes on Amazon today. Looking at getting a lower grade level--something that she would be successful with. Anybody use Math Minutes?

Edited April 19, 2017 by stephensgirls

[PeterPan]

You don't need to change it if it's working. Wouldn't work for my ds with SLD math, but doesn't mean it won't work for your dc. If it's working, it's working.

 

That's sorta odd to say she needs repetition. She might or might not. My ds learns very easily. It's just that it takes super small, teeny tiny, incremental steps to get concepts to connect and mean something to him. So I guess that looks like repetition, but it's not, not to me at least. Repetition is doing the same thing over and over. We're doing the same thing, just a teeny bit more complexly, over and over, until the whole concept gels in his mind and gets easy. Well I guess that's repetition. Fine, whatever, lol.

 

Ronit Bird works for my ds. I love it passionately and if RB were in the US (she's in the UK) I would owe her flowers for Thanksgiving and Valentine's and Easter a thousand times over.

 

But really, use whatever is clicking, kwim? If MM is working and you just need a breakout supplement to hone in on specific issues, you could get RB's Overcoming book, the printed book. 

 

Where is she at skill wise? What are you working on? Don't know what Math Minutes is. Is it for facts? We nailed those with RB's first ebook Dots. 

 

Teaching my ds is a trip, because not only does he need careful instruction to get things to connect, but then you have to do it AGAIN every time you bring in a new manipulative or situation! Like he can form 346 on the abacus, can say what 10 or 100 comes before/after on a number line, but he can't find that page in the book. Or we tried a new way of doing simple mental math, and suddenly he had lost all his math facts. They weren't gone. He just didn't know them with the new manipulative, sigh. 

 

But that's because he has autism and has trouble generalizing. So I'm always shaking things up, trying the concept with new manipulatives/situations/games. I don't want to be in one fixed curriculum, because if I am it won't generalize. But that's the autism complication, sigh.

Edited April 19, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[OneStepAtATime]

What gave them the stats to say "dyscalculia"?  I have found that there is a lot of misunderstanding and lack of information linked with that term.

 

I agree, use what works.  Having said that, is MM actually working or is it just that she is less resistant to MM than she was to Horizon or TT?  What are her deficits?  Does she need to shore up basic subitization skills?  Solidify understanding of basic functions?  If so, then yes I would go with Ronit Bird for a bit.  If she needs things broken up into smaller chunks with a ton of review so that things stick long term but you don't want to have to plan that out then you might look at CLE instead of MM.  Or you could do the MM targeted lessons in specific topics for the mastery but use CLE alongside it for the review.  Give the placement test, though, and be prepared to cut out some of that review.  There is a lot of it.  I found my kids were better off doing most but not all.  It bolstered their spirits to have some problems crossed off each day.  There is so much review built in that it wasn't a problem.

[popmom]

 

 

Where is she at skill wise? What are you working on? Don't know what Math Minutes is. Is it for facts? We nailed those with RB's first ebook Dots. 

 

Teaching my ds is a trip, because not only does he need careful instruction to get things to connect, but then you have to do it AGAIN every time you bring in a new manipulative or situation! Like he can form 346 on the abacus, can say what 10 or 100 comes before/after on a number line, but he can't find that page in the book. Or we tried a new way of doing simple mental math, and suddenly he had lost all his math facts. They weren't gone. He just didn't know them with the new manipulative, sigh. 

 

But that's because he has autism and has trouble generalizing. So I'm always shaking things up, trying the concept with new manipulatives/situations/games. I don't want to be in one fixed curriculum, because if I am it won't generalize. But that's the autism complication, sigh.

 

Skill wise? I'm not sure to be honest. We are slowly working through 4th grade math mammoth, but she is definitely behind. She's a 5th grader. Math Minutes is more than just basic facts. It covers a pretty broad scope of skills for each grade level--so that might include things like fraction, area, perimeter, division, lots of stuff.

 

I have wondered how much of her academic struggles can be attributed to autism. I am going to ask the psychologist about this. 

 

What gave them the stats to say "dyscalculia"?  I have found that there is a lot of misunderstanding and lack of information linked with that term.

 

I agree, use what works.  Having said that, is MM actually working or is it just that she is less resistant to MM than she was to Horizon or TT?  What are her deficits?  Does she need to shore up basic subitization skills?  Solidify understanding of basic functions?  If so, then yes I would go with Ronit Bird for a bit.  If she needs things broken up into smaller chunks with a ton of review so that things stick long term but you don't want to have to plan that out then you might look at CLE instead of MM.  Or you could do the MM targeted lessons in specific topics for the mastery but use CLE alongside it for the review.  Give the placement test, though, and be prepared to cut out some of that review.  There is a lot of it.  I found my kids were better off doing most but not all.  It bolstered their spirits to have some problems crossed off each day.  There is so much review built in that it wasn't a problem.

 

It's interesting that you ask that. She based this diagnosis solely on her achievement testing. I honestly don't have a lot of faith in that testing. I was in an observation booth and watched everything. The psychologist noted that dd counted on her fingers. She NEVER counts on her fingers when I'm doing math with her. She's better at mental math than I am, actually. I think she had a lot of anxiety on that portion of the test. The psychologist gave her scratch paper and pencil to work out problems, and she didn't use it at all. She tried to do everything in her head. 

 

Yes, we are behind in math. But she has no trouble comprehending math concepts as we are learning them. But it seems that much of what I have taught her over the years hasn't "stuck". As in--she can do the work in the workbook, but if she's put in a different environment, she can't remember how to do what she's learned. 

 

But in real life--her math skills are pretty solid. She just yesterday explained ratios to me. She uses ratios to adjust recipes for making slime all the time. So she's there's that. 

[popmom]

I will look into RB and CLE. Thanks for the suggestions. 

[popmom]

Honestly, I guess I feel like her problems with math are more related to having a slower processing speed than an actual math disability. The math portion of the achievement test wasn't timed, but I think it was one of those tests where the psychologist said, "work as quickly as you can without making mistakes" or something along those lines. So dd just shut down and didn't even try. She froze.

Edited April 19, 2017 by stephensgirls

[PeterPan]

I'm sorry, I've already forgotten. Does she have autism? I said that about my ds, but somehow I had forgotten it about your dd. Yes, what you're describing, if she has autism, is a generalization issue. Being able to do it in one situation but not another is a generalization issue, an autism issue.

[popmom]

  What are her deficits?  Does she need to shore up basic subitization skills?  Solidify understanding of basic functions?  

 

I forgot to answer this before--I hate to be so obtuse, but I don't even know what subitization means. And I have a degree in elementary ed. lol  I think she has basic understanding. I honestly think I have not given her enough opportunity for reinforcement. That's one reason I am interested in an easy way to review and reinforce previously learned concepts as we continue through MM. When I introduce a new math concept to her, she doesn't have trouble comprehending it.

[popmom]

I'm sorry, I've already forgotten. Does she have autism? I said that about my ds, but somehow I had forgotten it about your dd. Yes, what you're describing, if she has autism, is a generalization issue. Being able to do it in one situation but not another is a generalization issue, an autism issue.

 

Yes, her diagnosis was ASD requiring support (mild) The generalization issue does seem to describe my dd. Thanks.

Edited April 19, 2017 by stephensgirls

[Rosie_0801]

If she freezes up in a new environment, I wonder whether the missing link is a lack of diversity in her practice problems.

 

Diversity was SO important for my dd's mental flexibility and it is supported by education research. (I'm writing an essay on this general topic atm. *groan* lol )

[Heathermomster]

Repetition means more practice problems? If so, stick with MM and supplement with extra practice problems by downloading free problem sets off the Internet, purchasing a used textbook, or supplementing problem sets using a cheap workbook based curriculum. Solve those problems with her using a whiteboard or rewrite them in a notebook so that she is not overwhelmed.

 

Here's an explanation of subitizing:

http://teachmath.openschoolnetwork.ca/grade-1/number-sense/subitizing/

 

Kids that struggle with subitization rely on methods such as finger counting for addition and subtraction. Normed achievement testing and IQ testing are how dyscalculia gets diagnosed. Maths anxiety is often part of that mix. My DS can solve amazing math problems; however, he cannot recall procedure at a later time. He can break down the stock of a semiautomatic shotgun and put it back together again, yet he struggles with math procedure....If the tester gave the SLD of mathematics, work with it. As homeschooling parents, we tend to compensate for our children without realizing it.

[poppy]

I am using CTC math for a child with similar math issues . It is minimal distractions and background, simple explanations and gives lots of opportunity for review. So far it's been well received. (We started with math mammoth but it ended up going too fast).