Has anyone done Audiblox? My two boys (first grade and third grade) are struggling with the auditory sequencing exercise. This is the one where you read the colors and positions of blocks and they assemble based on that. (e.g. I read red, white, blue, green, black on top of red, yellow behind white and they assemble).
Both got up to five blocks w/little difficulty. Older ds can do six blocks, but not consistently. After he did six the first time, we went to seven, per the Audiblox instructions. We were stuck there for some time and I decided to back up to work on six to mastery. Younger ds cannot do six at all. I’ve tried having them repeat the sequence back and this helps older ds somewhat (though each subsequent effort seems to get worse instead of better) but younger ds even has trouble repeating back accurately.
Help! I am out of ideas for how to get them past this.
Second question…both of my boys seem to lack number sense. They are both doing well in math so far (younger ds is 6, first grade, older ds is in third grade) but I see weaknesses that I believe will hinder them down the road. Older ds is worse w/the number sense and also weak on problem-solving. Younger ds seems to have a weak memory overall.
Any ideas for a basic, simple way to work on number sense?
Donna
Two questions: one about Audiblox, another about math
I work teaching number sense all the time. It is work, work, work. You develop number sense by making friends with numbers, knowing them intimately. You use manipulatives, you use pictures, you do every type of problem three different ways over. I use very old books (1950’s) that have multiple exercises using all these skills; it helps to have it on paper so you just work through it. Time, patience, and continual practice. No miracles but it *does* work. I now have a student in Grade 4 who at the beginning of the year did not know what multipliclation was, who now is doing long division (one digit into two or three, with two or three digit quotients) very successfully. Now we are starting the long, ong slog (at least two hundred pages) of becoming intimately familiar with fractions. There are no rayal roads to arithmetic, any more than there is a royal road to geometry.
Curriculum....
Nancy, re: math curriculum. I believe what they use at school is Scott Foresman. I have not been using anything in particular at home re: math skills but I will check out the ones you suggested.
I have heard good things about LMB overall, so perhaps I will lean towards that one. Thanks!
Victoria, I’m very new here, so you don’t know me from Adam, but I’ve read a lot of your posts. There was, in particular, one veeeery long post about teaching number sense from the very beginning. I think you suggested putting a number line in the kitchen and going over it regularly.
I just am not able to find that post now, but that is what I am thinking about.
Both of them can do math at their grade level and they do have some strengths in math, though not across the board. Older ds is good w/math facts. Younger ds is persistent and seems able to figure out his own strategies for problems. I just feel like they aren’t getting the connections between numbers that will help them make sense of the facts they memorize.
Thanks!
Donna
Two questions: one about Audiblox, another about math
Number sense: definitely get that number line up… another idea is a number chart that’s 10 x 10 - sort of like the multiplication chart we’re all used to but just counting 1 to 100 instead. You can color in the times tables and see all kinds of cool patterns.
Peggy Kaye has some cool books of Math Games that include insights into how we develop mathematical understanding so that you can tell when your kiddo just hasn’t learned something (and needs more practice) and when s/he is still processing things at a simpler level. (So, for instance, you start by being able to count things and at first you *have* to start from “1” - but later you can start at five or whenever and pick up from there.)
http://www.donnayoung.org (org not com) is a really cool site with all kinds of sheets and handouts that a homeschooling mom put up many moons ago (and has kept updating :-)).
For that memory stuff - instead of trying to remember all 7, have you suggested chunking it into 3 and 4 and reciting it like a phone number (or visualizing it like a phone number)?
[Modified by: Sue (Sue) on May 09, 2006 12:17 PM]
Two questions: one about Audiblox, another about math
Hi there. I have nothing against number lines and use them all the time with high school students. However I find that the number line does not seem to click with younger kids. I LOVE the ten by ten chart of numbers — make it like abacus beads and then have the abacus on the table to work with numbers in many ways.
I use the abacus and a baggie full of pennies; and home-copied ones squares, tens strips, and large hundreds squares copied on light cardboard. These seem to work with younger kids better than the abstraction of the number line.
Keep working on it, especially tens and ones and then hundreds and tens and ones.
Two questions: one about Audiblox, another about math
Hi there. I have nothing against number lines and use them all the time with high school students. However I find that the number line does not seem to click with younger kids. I LOVE the ten by ten chart of numbers — make it like abacus beads and then have the abacus on the table to work with numbers in many ways.
I use the abacus and a baggie full of pennies; and home-copied ones squares, tens strips, and large hundreds squares copied on light cardboard. These seem to work with younger kids better than the abstraction of the number line.
Keep working on it, especially tens and ones and then hundreds and tens and ones.
Two questions: one about Audiblox, another about math
re:Audiblox
Hi,
I am not an experienced user yet but I did have a wonderful conversation with the Audiblox rep. Why don’t you call them and ask them for advise. Worst case… they turn you down… best case… they help you solve the problem. Nothing to lose so call…
http://www.audiblox2000.com/usa/contact.htm
(If your in the US or Canada! Otherwise check out the other reps in your area of the world.)
Based on all the neurodevelopmental courses I have attended over the years and the information you have provided, your children are maintaining short term memory for that many bits of information. In other words, they have reached their maximum auditory processing level right now. I have not used Audioblox but have used similar techniques with my son, who is autistic (and being cured of it by the way). This is what I did to help him be able to auditorially process information in short term memory. I used digits instead of blocks. So I would say, for example, 2 5 8 3 and he would repeat those in the proper order. Then I would pick the same numbers 2 5 8 3 and add another like 6. This is called bridging. With Audiblox I would also bridge. So give them instructions at the max level that they can do it correctly then repeat the same instructions but add one more. Don’t expect them to get it right all the time but expect them to get it right just a tiny bit of the time. Slowly this will increase and when they have hit 90% correct then stop bridging and keep at that level until they are about 95% correct. Start bridging for the next level.
My Audiblox is in the mail. Can’t wait to get started.
For math we use Righstart - same as alabacus. Someone already posted the website. Righstart truly gives the student a sense of quantity. I love the program!
Good luck!
Joan
Hi, Joan....I like that idea (m)
about bridging. That is actually how the visual sequencing program works. I wonder why Audiblox didn’t make the auditory sequencing program the same. Also, the auditory sequencing combines the memorization of the sequence of blocks w/position which makes it harder. Perhaps we should work on sequencing first w/o the position…just keep them in a straight line. Older ds usually *does* have a good auditory memory for sequences, so I think having to remember position, too, is throwing him off.
My thought was to keep working at one level e.g. six blocks, even though the program says that as soon as they get it right, move on. I thought if we stayed w/it to mastery, the next level would then be attainable. But I think your idea would work better; I’ll just have to make up my own sequences of blocks.
BTW, I just saw your post on my original (“new here…”) post on the Parenting board. I have read that Doman book but other sources have so very strongly discredited it and I’ve never seen any research on it, so I don’t know what to make of it. We do have some creeping exercises in younger ds’ vision therapy program and I have both of them doing it. I put a lot of this in the “can’t hurt, might help” category, but I try to invest more time in the things I strongly believe will help.
Thanks again for your input!
Donna
BI Programs
Dear Donna,
I had a severely brain injured child and now he is only high functioning autistic (which is still a handfull!). I have not only read Glen Doman’s book but have also been to IAHP twice and met him personally. I switched to the FHC (Family Hope Center) and tackled a 1 year neurological program based on Glen Doman’s ideas. We got very good results from c&c plus an oxygen enchancement program (and a huge sensory program as well). Now I am with ICAN which is more cutting edge and took Glen’s ideas (which were cutting edge for the time) to a much higher level. I have also heard great things about Handle. So if you need info on programs that fix brains just let me know and we can exchange private emails. Despite all the critics I have personally seen children who were blind, death and immobile become mobile, undeaf and unblind. In other words, they can see, hear and move! However, most kids only reach a certain level although a few do become 100% normal. FHC offers a lot more IAHP (which is where Glen Doman still is).
Here is something I have learned. Every child is different. Every brain is different. So not one program fits all. If you have to deviate from Audiblox’s instruction to reach your goal, then by all means! I have done this over and over again and guess what, my kid is getting better! So try out your idea and give it time to settle. I would also try out a level for a while just to give the kid a sense of security and confidence. When it becomes easy then move on.
Another tip - quality is better than quantity. If somethings goes great that day then that is enough. If something is not working, no point “beating a dead horse” - quantity will not make up for quality.
Joan
Two questions: one about Audiblox, another about math
Joan, thanks for your insights. I would love to hear more about your experiences and other programs that you have looked into.
We are currently doing a sensory-motor program in addition to Audiblox. Ds also gets PT and OT at school, but they are of minimal help, if any.
Is there a way to private message on this forum or do I have to post my e-mail addy?
Donna
What math curriculum have you been using? Those that incorporate manipulatives can be helpful in establishing basic number sense. Math-U-See would be one of these. Website is http://www.mathusee.com.
RightStart Math has good concept development and incorporates an abacus to help with visualization of math. Website is http://www.alabacus.com
Lindamood Bell has a Cloud Nine Program that works on math visualization. I think it can be done just from a book (which you purchase through Gander publications), but I’m not sure. LMB website is http://www.lindamoodbell.com and there is a link to Gander somewhere on the website.
Visualization skills are considered very helpful to math comprehension, and manipulatives often help develop visualization skills in math.