My Kinder and I have been going through Level A since July, and he has really loved this program, we've not had many things that he just didn't get. Now that we are on Lesson 52, he is getting confused. It started with adding 1 to two digit numbers. Seems easy, but he just doesn't get that it's just naming the next number up. He gets some problems, then others he seems lost on. When we moved to adding 2 to two digit numbers, he really didn't get it. With the abacus he can, but the lesson calls for him to visualize the abacus, and he is having trouble.

Any tips or tricks, or something I am missing regarding this? Something that will help him get it? I've told him it's basically counting by twos, but that didn't seem to get through to him. How important is it that he gets this without using the abacus before moving on?

Jennifer,

Thank you for your message. Many times children have trouble visualizing the AL Abacus. This is not uncommon.

It will come with time, no need for major concern at this point. I would suggest asking your son to visualize other objects at different times during the day. This may help him when it comes to math time.

As you know, each child learns things differently and this concept will come to him, have no fear!

Keep us posted on his results as time goes on. Please let us know if there is anything else we can help with.

Make it a great day,

Cassie
Activities for Learning-RightStart™ Mathematics
Cassie@ALabacus.com
www.ALabacus.com

Our Mission: To help children understand, apply, and enjoy mathematics.

My son had this same problem! I stayed on the same lesson for a long time before I finally decided to move on. Then a few lessons later he was doing it fine. I played a lot of "what comes after". I found that he could count to 100 fine, but if I said, "what comes after 58" he struggled. So we would count to 100, then play "what comes after" and then continue with the other lessons. After a while it just worked fine. We are in level B now and he has been having some trouble with mentally adding two digit numbers. We've gone forward, gone back, reviewed, gone forward again, and he is finally getting it. His little brother catches on to everything the first time, but my oldest just has trouble with some things. I would say keep reviewing, but don't get stuck, and don't stress out or he will, too! (If he's anything like mine. That's been my biggest mistake.)

What angilee said! :) Play lots of games, and let him use the abacus for as long as he needs it. Keep encouraging him to visualize it, but there's no major need to stick to the precise schedule that the lesson book suggests, as to when to 'wean' off the abacus. Lots of kids need it longer than that, they'll only benefit from the additional practice with it.