Posted on 08/04/2021
When it comes to math and language arts, it can be helpful to think beyond your child's age and grade level and to do a little bit of assessing to see where he or she is so you can fill any gaps that may exist. Especially in this year of unsettledness and educational transitions for many of our children and teachers and schools, there may be more gaps than there would be in a more "normal" year. But either way, it's important to plug those holes before the new school year starts, or frustration and failure can result.
One way to evaluate the kinds of gaps that may exist in your child's understanding of math is by taking placement tests from various curricula. Even if you have no plans for purchasing math books for summer learning, these assessments can be helpful. I'll link a few from some popular homeschool math publishers below, along with a summary of the methodology used.
Teaching Textbooks is an online program that even students not yet reading at grade level can do independently online. It offers immediate feedback in the way of grading. Teaching Textbooks uses a spiral approach, incorporating plenty of review of formerly introduced math concepts. While this program is not free, there is a free trial available.
Beast Academy offers interactive online learning opportunities as well as classes with live instructors. The very thorough placement tests give you an idea of specific gaps that may exist as well as precisely where your child should begin in their program.
Math Mammoth uses a mastery approach, focusing on a single concept for multiple lessons before moving onto another topic. It does include videos that you can view online but is not primarily an online program. You can purchase PDF files to print yourself or printed forms of these resources. The placement tests are designed to help discover gaps and measure general math skills.
Math U See is another mastery-based program and includes both instructional videos as well as instructional texts, student work books, and manipulatives. While its scope and sequence is quite different from most, it could be helpful if you need to target a single operation, such as multiplication. You can assess your child's level with their placement tests.
While Khan Academy does not offer placement tests at this time, once you assess your child's level, the detailed list of topics can help you determine which individual lessons your child should watch. These resources are free, so really, you have nothing to lose!
Another online math option is ST Math. While it does not include a placement test, it is responsive to your child's abilities - and it's currently free through June 2022! This conceptual math program may be especially attractive for visual, right-brained learners and helpful for those who have trouble with math fluency.
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