I have twin boys who just turned five 2 weeks ago and will be entering Kindergarten this Fall. I stumbled upon your website while looking for available materials to teach them this summer.

One of the twins (Twin A) can do single digit addition with ease, has started to read, can spell a few words and is very enthusiastic in learning new things. Twin B can also do single digit addition although slowly, has not yet started reading and is a little behind based on an evaluation done on him. In short, one of them is advanced and the other is not.

I do not plan to homeschool my kids and my main goal right now is to teach them math using the abacus or base 10 concept.
From looking at your website, I wonder if the abacus and the Activities for the Abacus book would be enough to teach them this concept or do I need to get the level A/b workbooks?

Also, when they go back to Kindergarten this Fall, would the children get confused with the different teaching methods?

Thank you!

Hello Imelda,

Thank you for writing.

I think you have two basic choices:
One-
Activities for the ALabacus and the worksheets, plus the Math Card Games Kits. I think they would be too young for most of the book and the games, but with time you could use it over the whole course of their after-school elementary lessons. Usually these books are used as a tutoring program for older children.

Let me clarify, they could use it, but the whole book covers numeration, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and other topics. So you would spend your time, in the books for now, learning the numeration, and then the addition, I would not recommend that you move onto subtraction until the first two are mastered.

Choice Two-
Do Level A starter kit. I really think that this builds a better foundation for younger children as it is slowed down and structured for younger children. This will lay a good starting foundation of numbers and place value.

Either choice you choose, I would recommend that you not teach them at the same time, they are young enough that they should have their own time to be instructed at their own pace.

When you play the games you can do them all at the same time.

As far as them getting confused by two ways of learning, I can not tell you if they would get confused or not, only that I have not heard of many children getting confused. Usually, they better understand what is going on. But I would encourage you talk to the teacher and the teacher aid and let them know how you have been teaching math. Most teachers respond positively once they see this.

Please Email me if you have more questions, at carissa@ALabacus.com, I am more than happy to help you.

Thank you for giving your child a RightStart in Math,

Carissa
RightStart™ Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc.

For program questions: 888.272.3291
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