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Beast Academy for dyslexic child?


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My rising 4th grader really wants to do BA for math next year. He's mathy and has done well with Miquon but is done with it now. I need something he can do largely independently.  I'm looking at the BA samples and thinking that I'm going to have to either read most of it to him (both the guides and the text in the practice books), or listen to him read them outloud to make sure he's reading accurately.  He's capable of reading it all but doesn't understand that with math you have to read really accurately or you're going to make a lot of mistakes.  Between the dyslexic leaving-out-or-misreading of small words and the ADHD occasional guessing, he wasn't reading the samples super accurately.  I'm looking for feedback from anyone who's used it with a dyslexic kid, or opinions on how well it's likely to work out for him.  If he's bored with math it'll be like pulling teeth to get him to focus on it, but something that takes half an hour of my time each day reading and explaining to him isn't practical either.

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Are you able to get BA books from your library or through interlibrary loan? I was able to borrow a textbook and workbook through interlibrary loan. I found out that while my non-dyslexic, but ADD, DS loves the textbooks, the workbooks were difficult even for me to understand what they were asking for in some cases. 

I've found singapore to be pretty self explanatory. The font is clear and clean (again, I don't have dyslexia or a dyslexic kid, so ymmv). For the most part, I'm able to teach the lesson in the textbook, and let DS do the workbook pages on his own. 

What about teaching textbooks? I'm looking into that one for next year, and like that the lecture portion, and the I believe even the questions, are read aloud. That may be helpful for you. 

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With what you describe I do not think it would work independently. The workbook directions are pretty hard to understand how to work a problem. You do need to read it very carefully. I am using it with one if my kids who can often do Signapore on her own but needs help with the directions in BA. 

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I've used it with two of my dyslexic "mathy" kids.   They both left out a lot of words, skipped words, guessed at words, etc. when reading it themselves.     (They both LOVED the program though.)    I found that I had to read it aloud to them in order for them to learn from the guide.  (Otherwise they were so focused on the reading that the math wasn't being fully absorbed.)  So it can become very teacher intensive.   Especially because you will probably have to help some with the workbook exercises too because they are tricky...fun tricky...but still tricky!  Even kids who are really good at math will probably find them challenging (in a fun-puzzle-type-of-way).      IF you have the time to devote, I think BA is a great program for dyslexics who love math...or any "out of the box" thinkers who love a great puzzle and aren't easily frustrated.   Just make sure you have the time to devote to math in your day.   

I personally could not find the time.    I have three kids with learning differences and only 24 hours in the day.  :)   And between needing to read aloud nearly EVERY "content" subject, plus two very intensive and separate OG tutoring sessions, plus extra help in composition, plus extra help in grammar......and on-and-on-and-on (I know I'm preaching to the choir here!), I wasn't able to devote the time BA would have required in order to do it right.   We switched back to Singapore, which they are able to do semi-independently.   I think Singapore is a really good compromise.   It is a very strong math program, just not as wordy as BA.  

We are actually finishing up the singapore primary math 5B this year.  (Sniff, Sniff.)  Next year I am probably going to use Singapore 6A/6B (not a full year program) with Beast Academy 5A/B/C/D again  -OR-- We are going to give AOPS pre-algebra a try.   I am expecting to have to be at elbow again for math.   But, as they get older, I am hoping that I can make math more a priority. 

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I would not give a dyslexic 4th grader with ADHD any math program to do on their own.  That said, I know that with my dyslexic/ADHD kid, the harder/more engaging the math, the better he was able to focus on it.  I wish they had BA back when he was that age, as I certainly would have given it a try.  

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