It is Special Education and most of the students have learning disabilities. We are doing algebraic fractions with positive numbers. What can I do to help them learn and get them interested? I'd like to get them up and moving! The school is in an urban area and we have no access to computers.
A lot of this depends on the severity of the learning disability and or if their are developmental disabilities involved. It is a shame that their isn't access to computers. I am dyslexic and computers greatly helped my ability just to keep the numbers organized in front of me. Graph paper helped me do computations and keep the numbers lined up. Things you might want to do is putting numbers and algebra symbol on poster board and making each kind a number or a symbol. So let's say the equation is 3x=15 then make one kid 3, one kid x, one kid equals and one kid 15. Eventually you'll have to bring in some kid as a division sign, some other kids as three to divide both sides as three and then get the class to work out the answer. Other thoughts – make colors stand for things and try to give the kids colored pencils to do their work. Like multiplication will always be done in blue, variables will always be red, division in green. Any visual connections you can make to abstract thoughts are generally helpful. Also, if you can make directions use very simple, few, or no words great. Don't make their written word and language problems be more of an issue than they have to. Good luck! Let your kids know they can do it, and if they do fail don't be too hard on them or yourself – just go to plan b, c, well, you get the point.
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Please be patient with your students. I suffered a lot at school because – despite trying my very best – I was unable to grasp the basics in mathematics that most others could easily – times tables, etc. I was called lazy, and they made me feel pretty worthless. Class quizzes were a total nightmare for me. It wasn't until long after I had left school, I discovered I have what's called mild dyscalculia. I only wish I knew that this disorder existed way back then.
Please read this letter written by somebody else who has the same problem. You may find it helps you to understand the kind of help that some of your students might need. http://www.dyscalculia.org/teacher.html
This site may also help you to understand more about it: http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/printindex.php3?main=fa/number-blindness
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Personal experience.
A lot of this depends on the severity of the learning disability and or if their are developmental disabilities involved. It is a shame that their isn't access to computers. I am dyslexic and computers greatly helped my ability just to keep the numbers organized in front of me. Graph paper helped me do computations and keep the numbers lined up. Things you might want to do is putting numbers and algebra symbol on poster board and making each kind a number or a symbol. So let's say the equation is 3x=15 then make one kid 3, one kid x, one kid equals and one kid 15. Eventually you'll have to bring in some kid as a division sign, some other kids as three to divide both sides as three and then get the class to work out the answer. Other thoughts – make colors stand for things and try to give the kids colored pencils to do their work. Like multiplication will always be done in blue, variables will always be red, division in green. Any visual connections you can make to abstract thoughts are generally helpful. Also, if you can make directions use very simple, few, or no words great. Don't make their written word and language problems be more of an issue than they have to. Good luck! Let your kids know they can do it, and if they do fail don't be too hard on them or yourself – just go to plan b, c, well, you get the point.
References :