Dear Parent,

Thank you for your question!

My first suggestion would be to go straight to Saxon's website and have him take their Middle Grades Math Placement Test. You can start with fourth grade and see how he places. The first step in this is to find the grade at which he can easily and successfully complete the problems.

Once you have found where he places in math, particularly those areas of weakness that need to be addressed, then you can use the reinforcement math books appropriate to his grade level. If you find that he is not yet ready for fourth grade math, then there are two books that I would recommend. You could use the third grade math book [Modern Curriculum Press Math C], as a start, depending on how he places in the test. The idea is to start with a level which he can complete with ease, so that he can experience success instead of frustration. Or, if you would like a little more structure, you could instead obtain Saxon Math 3. Saxon provides plenty of opportunity for practice, as well as that structure you are seeking. If a lesson per day is too much for him at this time, you can always have him complete one lesson every other day, using the other days as review for whatever concept is currently presented.

CHC's lesson plans also suggest the use of "Math Facts Now" which is available on CD. You can perhaps use this CD as reinforcement, in addition to MCP Math or Saxon Math. I would spend as much time as you can, helping him 'catch up', and discovering where he seems to need more explanation and/or practice. Because he repeatedly fails his tests, it seems that he is missing the basic foundation such as multiplication, addition and subtraction. These concepts are key because everything else is built on them.

You probably have a good idea of what concepts he is struggling with. The important part of teaching math is taking the abstract concepts and making them as concrete as possible. For instance, it is important for your son to use visual aids and manipulatives if you see he is struggling with a concept. If you can have him draw and write things out, explaining them out loud to himself or to you, it can help as he proceeds through the lessons.

God bless you and your family!

Laura Nicholson