Rebecca Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 I accidentally posted a similar question in the special needs section of the board. I have a six year old first grader who is showing signs of dyslexia and possible dyscalculia. She is a twin and my eighth child. I have found a rhythm of math that works for our family- that has included a start in Horizons Math. However, I am wondering if I should place this child in Math-U-See next year? I have never used Math-U-See... but I am wondering if it is a better choice for a child who struggles with memory? Does anyone have any experience to share? My other question is if I should just keep working with Horizons slowly and methodically... Thank you so much for any help. -Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) I accidentally posted a similar question in the special needs section of the board. I have a six year old first grader who is showing signs of dyslexia and possible dyscalculia. She is a twin and my eighth child. I have found a rhythm of math that works for our family- that has included a start in Horizons Math. However, I am wondering if I should place this child in Math-U-See next year? I have never used Math-U-See... but I am wondering if it is a better choice for a child who struggles with memory? Does anyone have any experience to share? My other question is if I should just keep working with Horizons slowly and methodically... Thank you so much for any help. -Rebecca MUS is a process math; that is, it is based on manipulatives. Horizons is a traditional math; that is, it is not based on manipulatives (even if it uses them sometimes). If you think your dc needs manipulatives, then MUS. People who are not kinesthetic really dislike having to use manipulatives. You could check out Mathematics Made Meaningful, which uses Cuisenaire rods. It starts very simply but goes through quite advanced math. It has no grade level. Eventually, you could go to Miquon Math (I like using MMM to introduce children to C-rods, before doing Miquon). MMM/Miquon would be less expensive than MUS, BTW. Edited March 5, 2018 by Ellie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) In addition to what Ellie said... sometimes kids with learning disabilities benefit from manipulatives. But sometimes they don't, at least, not any more than other students and not as a "magic bullet" cure. And you having a rhythm where you like Horizons and know how to teach it is a huge mark in its favor with any child, so you might want to try that first. However, the key thing is that you be open to changing things up for this child if needed, which you clearly are. Edited March 5, 2018 by Farrar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Thank you both for this great advice! *I am not kinesthetic at.all. ...so could really relate to what Ellie said.⤠-Rebecca 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Thank you both for this great advice! *I am not kinesthetic at.all. ...so could really relate to what Ellie said.⤠-Rebecca Back in the early 80s when I started hsing, process maths were The Thing. If you were not using some process math product there was sin in your life, lol. Possibly this is why I never found anything I really liked, because neither of my dc nor I are kinesthetic. However, I bought Mathematics Made Meaningful so that I could learn about it, because at that time I was in a position of doing curriculum counseling and I needed to know stuff like that. I *loved* MMM. It made sense to me. And it didn't have lots of moving parts, things that had to be included for this lesson but not for that one, and only *one kind of manipulative* (C-rods). So for a traditional math, I like Rod and Staff, but for process math, MMM, possibly followed by Miquon. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 (edited) I don't have this challenge, but I just wanted to throw out Ronit Bird math as another popular resource for kids with dyscalculia. Edited March 6, 2018 by calbear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenecho Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 (edited) My child struggles with memory, and MUS did not work well for him. The fact that they use remembering addition to teach subtraction was especially problematic. I am liking Addition Facts that Stick/Subtraction Facts that Stick. It has a child work with a flat 10 frame (not in two rows) to understand the process, and to visualize the math problems, and then follows up with games to help with memory (but they are still encouraged to look at the 10 frame and try to figure out the problem using it, even in the games, if they get stuck). This worked really well with my son, who tends to learn better visually. I thought MUS would work with him because of the great manipulatives, and those worked incredibly for learning place value...but for addition and subtraction, it just did not work well at all. Before trying the resource I suggested above, we also had some success with adding action when memorizing (there's some brain science behind this...when you exercise it helps trigger memory. It's why people sometimes pace when they're thinking about a problem). So we combined jumping on the bed with math drills, which got us through doubles and and some of the other addition problems, but it lost effect after a while. People here have suggested Right Start Math to use after this, and I've already started incorporating it a little in our lessons. It uses an abacus and other manipulatives. I like it so far but we're just starting so I don't have a lot of experience with it yet. Edited March 6, 2018 by goldenecho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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