1. I have two blogs for my Distance Classes, Multisensory Math I and Multisensory Math II, but this one will be generalized and much less frequent. I have both of the others on Google Blogspot.com Don't look for frequent posts because I am extremely busy working with schools and districts. That said, I will try to be more regular in my suggestions.
3. Always look for reputable sources for your instructional strategies. The IES and its What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guides are a good source of evidence-based instructional practices for mathematics.
4. You can also follow the recommendations of the Institute for Intensive Intervention. It has good instructional videos and a free screener that you can download and use diagonostially.
5. I find that many of our traditional multisenosry strategies such as gross motor activity, the use of rhythm for reinforcing memory, and simultaneous processing can also be found in research studies. They would be considered "research informed."
6.
We cannot neglect skills development in our special needs population. We can over accommodate our more fragile learners and foster a lack of confidence and the ability to reason mathematicslly. Most or many of our students, including our special needs population can be taught to reason mathematically if we are patient and structure their learning incrementally. Usting a structure of teaching from known to new with linkages to prior learning, we can even remediate unfinished learning as we build up to or including grade level concepts.
The first suggestion is to use hands on activities to teach math. You do not need to break the bank purchasing commercial manipulatives though there are some I like very much. You can do quite a bit for students with $14 worth of craft sticks and some ponytail elastics from the dollar store. Rubber bands are not as efficient for younger children but the 4mm ponytail elastics are useful and more easily used for bundling.
Begin by teaching students numeracy patterns. I like to build number quantities with dice because they are everywhere in our society. Use dice patterns to six and then work on combining two dice to make a patterns to nine and ten. Do not use more than three dice. The object is to recognize the quantity without counting. Link the patterns to numbers and number sentences. Throw two dice in a bowl and see if you can name the combined quantity. Then, apply those facts across place value. If 2+3=5, then 200 + 300 = 500.
Be careful of the numbers between 10 and 20 and all tens to one hundred. The language changes and for some students that is a problem. You must explicitly teach the numbers between 10 and 20 because they are Anglo-Saxon and "backwards" for language. The "teen" means ten. In most numbers above 10 we say the tens and then the ones. Think of 23 as two tens and three ones. BUT, those silly Anglo-Saxon numbers...well, they say the ones and then the ten. No wonder our little ones get confused. The names of those teen numbers actually come from Middle English. You can find the etimology online. Just remember to always use a place value mat with any manipulative and that once you build ten, you are also teaching place value.
3. Always look for reputable sources for your instructional strategies. The IES and its What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guides are a good source of evidence-based instructional practices for mathematics.
4. You can also follow the recommendations of the Institute for Intensive Intervention. It has good instructional videos and a free screener that you can download and use diagonostially.
5. I find that many of our traditional multisenosry strategies such as gross motor activity, the use of rhythm for reinforcing memory, and simultaneous processing can also be found in research studies. They would be considered "research informed."
6.
We cannot neglect skills development in our special needs population. We can over accommodate our more fragile learners and foster a lack of confidence and the ability to reason mathematicslly. Most or many of our students, including our special needs population can be taught to reason mathematically if we are patient and structure their learning incrementally. Usting a structure of teaching from known to new with linkages to prior learning, we can even remediate unfinished learning as we build up to or including grade level concepts.
The first suggestion is to use hands on activities to teach math. You do not need to break the bank purchasing commercial manipulatives though there are some I like very much. You can do quite a bit for students with $14 worth of craft sticks and some ponytail elastics from the dollar store. Rubber bands are not as efficient for younger children but the 4mm ponytail elastics are useful and more easily used for bundling.
Begin by teaching students numeracy patterns. I like to build number quantities with dice because they are everywhere in our society. Use dice patterns to six and then work on combining two dice to make a patterns to nine and ten. Do not use more than three dice. The object is to recognize the quantity without counting. Link the patterns to numbers and number sentences. Throw two dice in a bowl and see if you can name the combined quantity. Then, apply those facts across place value. If 2+3=5, then 200 + 300 = 500.
Be careful of the numbers between 10 and 20 and all tens to one hundred. The language changes and for some students that is a problem. You must explicitly teach the numbers between 10 and 20 because they are Anglo-Saxon and "backwards" for language. The "teen" means ten. In most numbers above 10 we say the tens and then the ones. Think of 23 as two tens and three ones. BUT, those silly Anglo-Saxon numbers...well, they say the ones and then the ten. No wonder our little ones get confused. The names of those teen numbers actually come from Middle English. You can find the etimology online. Just remember to always use a place value mat with any manipulative and that once you build ten, you are also teaching place value.