Math - See the Beauty in Dyslexia

This page is dedicated to resources and information to help with math and/or dyscalculia (dys + calcule/ + ia --> dyscalculia).
This word comes from Greek <dys> "difficulty" and Greek <calculus> "reckoning, account" (originally "pebble used as reckoning counter"--see the history of this word on: etymonline.com).

Below are some of the resources/manipulatives we use when teaching & learning math concepts. Math is best hands-on, feel free to find items within your own home as well.
Suggestions: beads on a string or on a pipe cleaner; buttons, paper clips; food items; etc.
Below that are some really good websites to learn more about math, watch video tutorials, receive training, etc.

Resources/websites/training sites

Marilyn's Multisensory Math: Excellent Training offered for making math multi sensory. http://asdec.org/

Making Math Real -- exceptional training but few tutors or teachers have it as it is expensive and only offered as in-person training (& multiple levels) -- increasing the cost of adding travel & accommodations --BUT -- it truly is the best of the best (so I am told by every well-respected tutor and teacher I know that have been to this and other trainings). GREAT NEWS -- this summer, MMR will be offering limited editions of online training!! I'll be signing up as soon as registration is open!

Woodin Math : I spent some time learning his (Woodin's) numeracy concepts a couple of years ago and began incorporating them into my classroom work with very good success.

Khan Academy offers video tutorials in every math area from K through adult. It is a FREE service via a non-profit organization. If possible, please consider a donation to their organization to help this continue to grow.

Math for Middles: Multisensory math solutions. Excellent math tutor, Kara Scanlon works with this company.

Craft Sticks

Using plain or colored wooden popsicle sticks (1,210 sticks needed for this project):

Make a bundle of a thousand (1,000 sticks needed)

bind 10 sticks together with rubber band (= a ten)
bind 10 sets of tens together (= a hundred)
bind 10 sets of hundreds together with a giant rubber band or the 3/4" elastic (= a thousand)

Make 1 additional set of hundreds (100 sticks needed)

bind 10 sticks together with rubber band (= a ten)
bind 10 sets of tens together (= a hundred)
do this 1 time so you have 1 sets of hundreds

Make 10 sets of tens (100 sticks needed)

bind 10 sticks together with rubber band (= a ten)
do this 10 times so you have 10 sets of tens

You will need 10 additional sticks (= ones)

You'll need a some type of basic rubber band or hair tie (130 needed) that you can use to bundle tens and hundreds (approx width of a hundred is 3-4").
Colored rubber bands are fun but also expensive, here are 2 options, the basic bands come in assorted sizes of 400 bands; the colored bands are size 33 with 100 bands.
I use left over hair ties from my kids or basic rubber bands.

I have not used these yet, but they seem large enough to band the set of 1,000 or use the sewing elastic, just tie a knot, pin it together, use glue or velcro or use needle and thread.
Better yet -- just use string to bind the bundle together.

Learn More

Rekenrek (beads)

Rekenrek's are simple, 10 beads per line, 5 of two different colors. We use these to build numeracy skills of subitizing.

More about Rekenreks

Subitizing Info

Lakeshore Learning photo

Base 10 Blocks

There are a variety of Base-10 blocks on the market. Most have:

units (single blocks),
tens (a stick of 10 units),
hundreds (a flat square of 10 sticks/100 units)
thousand block (a cube of 10 flats/100 sticks/1,000 units)

Math-U-See and Mortensen Math blocks have:

units (single blocks)
two's through nine's which are 2 units connected; 3 units connected, etc up to 9 connected units.
tens
hundreds

One main difference between using craft sticks and base-10 blocks is the weight. When students build place value concepts with large bundles of craft sticks, they feel the weight and see the magnitude of each step of additional place values. Once this concept is learned, switching to base-10 blocks can be easier -- less noisy with foam but foam blocks are so lightweight that the wind blows them or they are easily knocked off. Plastic blocks tend to be noisier but weighted more so they stay put better.

Learn More