Demystifying Math Word Problems: Book Review
By Kathy Kuhl, a preview of Math Word Problems from Literature Word problems should be the most practical part of math. They should answer the perennial question, “What good is this?” Yet they are often the most hated math. Why? Students don’t know how to solve them. So Denise Gaskins has written an expanded and updated […]
Math teaching strategies that work: Marilyn Zecher’s Multisensory Math
by Kathy Kuhl As I teach parents how to teach math better, I’ve wished everyone could learn from the expert who taught me Multisensory math, Marilyn Zecher. And you can! Marilyn has offers recorded webinars and workshops teaching her Multisensory Math Approach. It’s easy to create a free account there and have a […]
Helping students who struggle with math, part 2
By Kathy Kuhl Does your child struggle with math? Last time I discussed how handwriting struggles or attitudes of fear, discouragement, or despair can keep your child or teen from learning math. (Visit that post.) Today let’s look at three other ways students struggle–and how to help! 3. Develop their Sense of Number […]
Helping students who struggle with math, part 1
By Kathy Kuhl Most adults know how it feels to struggle with math. But some children feel hopelessness about math every single day. They may struggle for many reasons: fine motor difficulty, poor sense of number, language-based learning disabilities, trouble remembering, fear, or discouragement. But new developments in neuroscience help us understand the difficulties. […]
Multisensory Math explained by Marilyn Zecher: Excellent video
By Kathy Kuhl If you’ve heard me speak on teaching math to kids with learning challenges, you know I recommend the multisensory math strategies developed by Marilyn Zecher of the Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Training Center. Some of my best ideas for teaching math lessons grew out of projects I created while taking her classes. […]
Homeschooling in Kindergarten with Special Needs
by Kathy Kuhl Can you homeschool a small child with severe disabilities for kindergarten? It’s not for everyone. However, sometimes it’s the best option, and I’ve met several families who’ve done it successfully. There are advantages. You have more flexibility to adapt the schedule than a schoolteacher does, working around therapies, doctors’ appointments, and […]
Help Writing Numbers & Other Math Freebies from Math Experts
By Kathy Kuhl In today’s post, I share math resources from experts in teaching math to kids with challenges. Most of these resources are free. Writing numbers is tough for some kids Does your child write numbers backwards? Or does his or her hand move the wrong direction, pushing the pencil up to draw a […]
Let’s Play Math: review of a book to make math fun
By Kathy Kuhl Review of Let’s Play Math: How Families Can Learn Math Together—and Enjoy It by Denise Gaskins. 290 pages. Tabletop Academy Press. What if we’ve been teaching mathematics the wrong way? Denise Gaskins’ new book, Let’s Play Math, is revolutionizing how I think about the subject. She is a veteran homeschool mom who […]
Your child can solve linear equations using beans
By Kathy Kuhl Today we’ll finish looking at bean algebra, a simple way to make algebra concrete. We’ll start using negative numbers with our bean algebra. (This 4-part series began here.) Often we rush our children into abstraction too soon when we teach math. But if our children practice at length with concrete objects, illustrate their discoveries, […]
More algebra with manipulatives
by Kathy Kuhl Last time, I began explaining bean algebra—a way to solve linear equations using beans. Manipulatives are simply objects you handle to help you understand a concept. The containers represent the variable x. I labeled mine with post-its. Last week, I showed you how to use beans to model equations like 14 =2x. Click here if […]