Teaching Math to People With Down Syndrome and Other Hands-On Learners: Basic Survival Skills (Topics in Down Syndrome) Book 1

by DeAnna Horstmeier

The author, an experienced educator, was inspired to write 'Teaching Math' to meet the needs of hands-on learners after observing the difficulty her adult son with Down Syndrome and his peers had in applying math skills to everyday life. 'Teaching Math' gives parents and teachers high-interest, hands-on strategies and ideas for teaching math to learners of all ages. Also by DeAnna Horstmeier :
Teaching Math Activities and Games CD-ROM
Try Reading Again: How to Motivate and Teach Older Beginners, Age 10 and Up

Genres: Education, Reference, Mathematics

399 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

Reviews

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I now live by this book whenever working with my hands on learners. Gives exact processes/steps for teaching skills and when and why to teach skills. It has made my life so much easier. Also great for coming up with IEP goals and objectives.

[Hanalei1208 Be · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could be used with older students too.

[Sam Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah! What an awesome book! I picked it up at the library after a student with Down syndrome and autism was added to my caseload and I had a very short amount of time to lesson plan. I love Horstmeier's attitude about Down Syndrome and disability generally; neither "disability as a tragedy" or "overcoming disability as an inspiration," she posits Down syndrome as another way of being in the world, and suggests a math curriculum focused on practical application as well as student interest. Her basic idea is that people with Down Syndrome are "Hands-On Learners" and so she relies a lot on the use of manipulatives and real world experience to teach abstract concepts such as fractions, addition, subtraction, skip counting, and rounding.

I think the most useful part of the book for me so far was the "Earn Pay" board game, a game similar to Monopoly that you can photocopy out of the book to play with your student. With the game is an assessment guide, to assess how well your students are able to count, skip count, use addition and subtraction, and understand the concept of making change. This is an awesome idea, as students with disabilities undergo a lot of testing environments and may become resistant to tests that feel like tests. After using the Earn Pay game and the other assessment games she presents, she directs you to chapters about teaching specific skills that your students need to develop, also through hands on lessons and games.

I came to this book feeling like I was going to do this student a real disservice- I work almost entirely with students with autism only, and have never worked in an academic context with a student with Down Syndrome. I'm feeling much more confident and ready for the next few weeks of school. I would highly recommend this book to teachers of students with Down Syndrome, but also teachers of students with autism, learning disabilities, and AD/HD. Maybe just teachers of students in general? Her unique perspective and practical suggestions will be great for anyone trying to make math feel more successful and less impossible to their students. There is also a second edition of the book for students who complete all the goals in the first book.

[Diana (Bever) Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED this book as a permanent reference for my math-allergic son. It has SO many ideas for games and manipulatives with templates! What a great resource for kids/parents/teachers/caregivers who struggle to learn/teach math. HIGHLY recommended.