Has anyone used ALEXS Math?

[Janis in DE]

I received a free trial by email and I am wondering what people think of this program especially for pre-algebra and up. What is the cost? Is it worth it?

Janis in /de

[threetreasurs]

We are using the program for Pre-Algebra. So far the experience has been positive. The student has a range of topics to choose from and has to do so many problems of a certain type correctly before a topic is considered to be mastered. My daughter finds the pie chart motivating. After a test, which comes around every 2 or 3 weeks, the program reevaluates a students progress and topics can be added to the mastered list or taken off. Since the test is objective, my daughter doesn't seem to mind.

The explanations make sense to her - I have only occasionally had to go over a topic with her because she couldn't understand.

The main weakness to the program is word problems.

[Janis in DE]

I couldn't find a price on the website. What does this cost?

[JenneinAZ]

The cost is $20 a month.

Jenne in AZ
(dd9, ds7, ds3)

[susie in tx]

I've used a lower level, but found that the explanations were poor. When a student doesn't understand the material, the explanation is the same as it was in the beginning. We used our 30 day trial and then did not continue it. I would use it as a supplement to re-enforce what I was already doing. Or, I might use it with a very math savvy student.

[LoriM]

My younger dd has used ALEKS for about a year now, and has found it a useful tool to augment the study she's doing in a regular text book. We have not used ALEKS exclusively, except during regularly scheduled "holidays" when her coursework becomes light-demand. She spends 30 minutes on ALEKS daily.

She has worked primarily at the Algebra II and PreCalculus levels on ALEKS.

[Teresa in OR]

My oldest two children, who are strong in math, did very well with ALEKS -- both used it independently as a supplement. My third child, who isn't math-oriented, found it frustrating because she didn't feel the explanations were clear enough.

[Mamabegood]

We've used ALEKS this year for 5th grade and it's working out great for us. My daughter spends 30 minutes per day on it, and she's already almost finished meeting the standards for 5th grade. I believe they will automatically start the next level when you finish the current one. If your student is not self-motivated, this may not be the program for you. I tried it with my 3rd grader, using the free one-month trial, and it didn't work out at all because at this point she really needs Mom right there with her when she does her work. I'll probably try it again for her later on.

There are times when the explanations aren't enough for my dd, and then she and I work it out together--this happens a couple of times a week. I recommend you use the free trial, and see if it's a fit for your family.

[Valerie in MI]

We're just finishing up our free trial month and think we will continue with it. My 5th grader has finished Singapore 5B so we placed her in Aleks 6th and found with the pretest she has only about 1/3 of 6th to go:). We both like watching her progress on the pie chart. There has been a couple of times where she didn't get the explanation and I stepped in to explain it. One of those was bisecting an angle with a compass. I think that should be done by hand anyway rather than on a computer.