Learning Math Facts

[~Summer~]

My dd(9) has high functioning autism. We started Math U See Alpha this year and so far she has memorized her 0 and 1 facts. We are now stuck on her +2 facts. She is not able right now to think critically in her head so she has no strategy for figuring out the answer. She has build, wrote, and said the +2 facts several times and still cannot memorize them. What do I do? If she is struggling this hard on +2's how will I ever get her to memorize the more difficult facts? Does anyone have any advice. I was considering if another math program would be better for her.

[Stacy in NJ]

Use flashcards very gently. MUS suggests that if the child conceptually understands addition and can build the "fact", they will be able to generalize and then memorize. In my very limited experience, autistic kids have a very difficult time generalizing concepts and extending to memorization. After she builds the fact, sit down with her and write a flashcard on on index card. Start with only a few (3) cards and gently drill her. Add cards as she masters them. A little bit of pure memorization is a good thing.

HTH, Stacy

[~Summer~]

Thanks Stacy,

She had did good memorizing her +0, +1, and some 2's. Today I gave her another +2 drill sheet I printed from the MUS website and some of the facts she didn't have to build...maybe the repetition is starting to help. She is very good at memorizing because every week she memorizes her awanas verse, and she is good memorizing nouns and poems in FLL.

I am going to take your advice and do two or three flashcards at a time.

Thanks again!