Math Skills Builder develops students’ emerging problem-solving skills using real-world math problems. The real-life scenarios in the curriculum help students learn when and why to use their math problem-solving skills. Math Skills Builder uses authentic story problems as the focus of all instruction so students learn to apply their new skills from the get-go.
Eight units of instruction with five lessons each, provide over 500 story problems that are theme-based (e.g., math in the grocery store). Problems were written by teachers to represent a variety of students’ interests, preferences, and community contexts. The eight units teach students to solve addition (sums to 10) and subtraction story problems (differences to 9) use three problem-solving strategies: Group, Change, and Compare.
The teacher-friendly lessons are scripted to suggest feedback responses for prompting, error correction, and praise, and each math story problem is presented using various media, including a workbook, software, and video simulations to ensure student success.
Students with mild disabilities will advance through the curriculum quickly and be ready for higher-level math concepts; students with moderate-to-severe disabilities may require multiple years of instruction. The curriculum begins with a review of early numeracy foundational skills, then advances to solving math story problems. It is designed to be taught in small groups for ease of instruction; lessons address adaptations required for students who are nonreaders and/or nonverbal. All materials students will need are included: Counting Cubes, graphic organizers, markers and pens and handy zipper pouches for keeping materials organized.
The software, licensed for one device plus a 1-year web subscription, provides additional practice for students and gathers data as students work; it also provides an opportunity for assessment of a unit to determine whether the student is ready to move to the next unit. Detailed data summaries are available for teacher viewing.
In this curriculum, problem-solving is taught in an explicit manner using principles of direct instruction, task analytic instruction, and self-monitoring strategies.
The Curriculum Plus includes: 2 Teacher's Guides, 1 Implementation Guide, 1 Assessment Manual, 1 Real-World Problem Solver book, software license for 1 device on any platform, 1-year subscription for web-based software, 1 poster, graphic organizers, counting cubes, pouch, markers, and Video Simulations DVD, a total of 10 consumable Student Workbooks, the entire page set of workbook pages as accessible GoWorksheets (iPad only), downloadable resources, and samples of communication overlays. The GoWorksheets can be used with the free GoWorksheet app or the full GoWorksheet Plus app available on the App Store.
| Subject | Math |
|---|---|
| Age Group | Elementary, Secondary |
| Author | Alicia Saunders, PhD; Jenny Root, PhD; Diane Browder, PhD |
| Format | Blended, Print, Software, Video |
| Copyright | 2017 |
