My thoughts on Teaching Textbooks

Lately on a small homeschool group I particpate in we’ve been talking about Teaching Textbooks which I started to use this year with my two oldest boys.  Also I shared my thoughts on using it with a child with significant reading disabilties on the Teaching Textbooks yahoogroup this weekend – but it never posted for some reason.  So here are some of my thoughts/responses on this product for anyone searching for information.

Teaching Textbooks are currently offering Math 4, Math 5, Math 6, Math 7, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry and Precalculus.  Pre-Algebra and above offer the lecture and practice problems on CD-Rom and then the student works on their own.  If they are stumped they can use the solutions CD to walk them through to the correct answer.  Math 4 – 7 are all on CD-Rom.  The student watches the lecture on the computer and then completes the practice problems and lessons too.  They are given hints if needed,  immediate feedback, and a second chance – and if they still get it wrong, they are walked through the process to get the correct answer.

Below are some of my replies to specific questions.

RE Sufficient review/dyslexia

I’m using TT with two of my sons.  We are using Pre-Algebra and TT5.  My son who is in TT5 is 12 yrs old, but reads at a 1st/2nd grade level.  However, he has no trouble with comprehending and math.  We were doing Saxon in the past, but that required I teach/read him the lessons and walk him through the practices as well as read him most of the problems.  So while he could do it – it was hard on both of us.  Then, this year I needed him to be more independent when we started Homeschooling his brothers also (14 and 8 yrs old) and adopted their baby sister.
So to answer your question – yes, I’ve found that there is sufficient review throughout the year.  In fact, my son loves that because even if he struggles to learn a new idea,  he knows there will review that will be easier for him.
As a almost non-reader, he’s doing very well with the program.  A few times they will ask him to find the words for a number (Two Hundred Thirty-two and 8 tenths) and he will tell me the answer and I will show him which words on the screen corresponds with what he says.  I’ve never helped him on those – if he said it wrong, I showed him the wrong one.  I felt bad the first couple of times I did that, but he seemed to really learn from it.  And, lately as his reading is improving, he seems to ask me less and less for help.
The other thing I love about TT for him is the immediate feedback whether his answers are right or wrong.
It has been nice to have a program that he can excel at – without my help.  It has really helped him realize he’s smarter than he thought!
I’m sold on TT – I just wish the upper grades were formatted the same way.

RE WHETHER WORKBOOKS ARE NECESSARY:

In the lower grades, the workbooks are not being used by us.  But in the older grades, only the lecture and practice are on the computer.  Then he goes to the table and uses the book and has to write out all his answers.  I then correct it – he tries to fix his mistakes.  If not, then he views the solution CD where they walk you through the problem.

I hope this helps someone!