Ask an expert: How to teach algebra to children with LDs ?

Do they know the basics? It’s a little unusual to have sped kids in alg/trig, but I know sometimes the admins get correlation confused w/ cause/effect and think that because people who have taken higher level math classes do better later in life, that we should sign up everybody for higher level math classes. (It happened in Maryland. Let’s *all* take “algebra” in eighth grade.)
The most common problem w/ math is it’s taught too fast and too lightly. You’re notgoing to be able to figureout polynomials if you still don’t know how to add fractions with different denominators.

Sue, thank you so much for your answer. I’m teaching in Chicago public school. Nobody can’t graduate from high school here without passing algebra, geometry and advance algebra with trigonometry. All children, regardless their abilities or disabilities have to take these three math courses. I have kids diagnosed as mildly mentally retarded, learning disabled, physically disabled, sometimes autistic(high functioning), and with behavior disorder all in one group. Classes are small, 10-12 students, but everybody is at different level. Some students are familiar with basic stuff, little review enable them to move on to a little bit more complex problems. Others, can’t do even any operations on fractions on their own. If I explain one concept in many ways, most of them can do it this one thing. It looks like they mastered it. However, if next day I present new concept and try to check mastery of both concepts, majority of my students will be confusing these concepts. They all have to take standarized, state tests. It is very frustrating for them. Thanks one more time.
Margaret

I know exactly what you mean when you describe learning to do “just that one thing.” It’s a dance step - no connections made to the realities. It’s the stuff that makes math teachers who actually like math want to tear their hair out.
I use a lot of language, metaphors and analogies. For instance, with fractions I stress that the denominator (though usually I call it bottom number) isn’t really the number at all, it’s just there to tell you what the size of the pieces are. I spend some time on the idea (and wish I had time to design materials that would be color coded, with visuals) that you just can’t add stuff with different denominators — that if you have 3 quarters and 5 dimes, you sure don’t have 8 dollars or 8 cents… you have to make it all into “cents” to make any sense at all and you have to change top & bottom to do that.
But I also try to look at the big picture — the where rae the sutdents going to be in five years picture — and get some functional skills worked into it.
Borenson has some neat materials that make equations into a balance scale (which I had been doing too — great minds think alike ;)) — it’s a little easier to see that you “have to do the same thing to both sides of the equation” that way. His stuff is called “hands-on equations” and I think the website is www.borenson.com .
I’d also be commiserating with the students and agreeing with them about what a total farce this is.

My oldest child is eighth grade, and I decided not to teach him algebra until he got the basics down. I am fortunate that I home school him, so I can make the math agenda. I am using a curriculum called Math-U-See. It is a manipulative based course and a video comes along with it to help the teacher know how to use the manipulatives. They have great overlays for teaching fractions. I know that Math-U-See goes up to geometry and algebra 2. I think their website is www.mathusee.com . If not then try a GOOGLE search. I hope this helps.

Jan P.

Sounds interesting. I will check it out. Do you think this would work well in small group instruction- with 4-6 students?

Steve Demme, the author, actually teaches to a small group of children on his teaching videos. He interacts with them as he is teaching. His humor is contagious. I will say that the tapes are from a Christian viewpoint, but the videos are for the teacher only. There are workbooks that go with the program. I do let my child watch the video with me. We stop and start the video as we use the manipulatives along with Mr. Demme. However you can just learn what he does on the video and then go to your class and teach the students. His instructions have been fairly simple. The instructions for each lesson are fairly short. I think Lesson 1 had about 20-30 minutes of instruction. I think this was due to some review. All the remaining lessons have about 5-10 minutes of instructions. So it shouldn’t take much prep time before teaching a class.

There is a teacher’s manual which covers the concepts to be taught and practice problems. You decide how long you want to go over the material with the student(s). YOu can also by supplemental practice worksheets. The student workbooks have the actual assignments. I am taking my ds through the Advance Text fairly fast since he needs to take Algebra next year. I do about one lesson per week, but normally you would spend two weeks on one lesson. I do slow down if my ds isn’t getting it.

The manipulatives are the core to the program, so you need to be sure to get all that go with the course you are teaching.

I will have to say that the student worksheets are just plain type written sheets. They are not colorful with any type of “bunnies or cars” decorated on the pages. That is probably a good thing if you have highly destractable students.

I hope this has been helpful.
Jan P.