BrillKids Forum

Dear all,

Latest Build

The latest build of Little Math (v1.5.211) is now available. It fixes a few bugs and has some minor feature enhancements.

Everyone is encouraged to download it and upgrade to this new version. For those with 1.5.200 or after, no need to uninstall or anything, just upgrade.  For those with v1.1.111, please BACKUP your Data and Media Library folders (under My Documents\BrillKids) first before installing!

Here's a direct link to your A/c Mgmt / Software Systems page:

http://www.brillkids.com/user/#software-systems/software-download


Curriculum's out!

Yes, we've finally released the Little Math Semester 1 Curriculum!  :yes:

It's available for download for all of you with a Little Math 6 month, 12 month or Lifetime license from your Account Management\Software Systems page, at Step 3 (Download Content).

Simply DOWNLOAD it, and OPEN/RUN the file to have it auto-imported into your Little Math.  After importing, you will see 130 days' worth of lessons in the Course window.


Like with Little Reader, a lot of effort has been put into devising the curriculum, and it's important that you understand how it's structured.  You can access the information at any time from your Little Math Start Guide, or go here:
http://www.brillkids.com/teach-math/whats-in-it.php


For convenience, here's a copy/paste:


Understanding the Little Math Curriculum

The BrillKids Little Math curriculum provides you with everything you need for one-click learning – just sit down with your child and press play!

Please read the following overview carefully. It is designed to help you maximize your child's learning and fun with the Little Math curriculum.

WHAT ARE LESSONS IN QUANTITY?

The concept of quantity lessons is a new one for many parents. These highly important lessons, which use icons to illustrate real quantities, form the foundation of the math lessons to follow.

The reason for teaching quantity is that quantities represent the true meanings of numbers. The normal way of teaching children numbers is to teach them to associate two types of symbol. Children learn, for example, that the sound "eighty-eight" means the same as the written numeral "88." Both are symbols that stand for 88 of something. Children learn to associate the written and spoken symbols, but this does not teach them the true meaning of 88 (88 of something). Quantity lessons do.

Right-brain learning
Very young children can appreciate quantity in a way most adults cannot. For example, what appears to the adult as a screen full of stars (or triangles, or butterflies) will appear to the child, precisely, as 88 stars (or triangles, or butterflies). This is how we can teach quantities right up to 100.

The reason very young children can do this is because it is a function of the right hemisphere of the brain, and the right brain develops and matures before the left. Dominancy shifts gradually from right to left hemisphere during early childhood, and children gradually lose the ability to perceive quantity. In general, it is advisable to begin quantity lessons before the age of two and a half. (For more on this, go to Perceiving Quantity (Subitizing) in the Math section of BrillBaby.)
 
   

EQUATIONS

Having taught quantities up to 100, we can move on to using these quantities to teach equations. By using real quantities in equations, we can make addition, subtraction, multiplication and division instantly comprehensible, even to very young children. Appearing as they really are – as quantities – the numbers engage the child's logical thinking. This is very different to teaching equations with symbols (numerals), an approach that risks engaging the child's memory rather than his understanding.
 
NUMERALS

Of course, children need to learn numerals, too. Numerals are introduced once the foundation in quantity, and equations that use quantity, has been established. A week after your child begins learning numerals, equations will begin using numerals as well as quantities. Now, when a symbol (numeral) is shown, your child will readily associate it with the reality – the quantity.
     
SESSION FREQUENCY

We recommend that you give your child his math lessons twice per day. However, the curriculum is also suitable for use once per day, in case that is all a parent can manage. Session 2 is designed to reinforce Session 1, and is optional.

The curriculum is designed to be shown on weekdays, in case it is not convenient to teach on weekends. You can continue to teach on weekend days, should you wish. Weekends are also a good time to catch up on any lessons missed during the week.
 
REVIEW DAYS

Every Friday – of fifth day of the course – is a Review Day. Lesson materials are randomized, drawing from any of the numbers previously learned, and any of the equations learned over the previous four days.
 
ICON SELECTION

Using personalized icons makes learning math extra fun for your child. Before beginning the curriculum, it is a good idea to customize your Number Library with icons from the BrillKids Forum – simply select and download those that you think will most appeal to your child. You can also make your own personalized icons easily, by creating a new icon set and uploading the photo you want to use from your computer.

We suggest using random icon setting for Session 1, and your favorite (or random) icons for Session 2.
 
ICON PLACEMENT

Lessons involving quantity are shown with icons either in random formation or grid formation. The random placement setting is intended mainly for children under the age of two and a half, who have the ability to perceive quantity.

Grid placement setting is intended for children of all ages. Viewing icons on this setting, the older child will quickly learn to skip count (appraise quantities of items by viewing the items in blocks). This enables the older child to gain a good appreciation of quantity, too.

Since the ability to perceive quantity fades gradually, it is impossible to give the precise age at which a child will no longer benefit from seeing quantities on random placement setting. If your child is over two and half but under three, the chances are good that she will still be able to perceive quantity, particularly with the lower numbers – and it will certainly do no harm to try.

If your child is over three, you may wish to switch to grid placement setting for all your lessons. This is very easy to do – simply click Settings on the Display panel, and choose Grid under Icon Placement.



 
WHAT’S IN A SESSION

Little Math sessions are divided into the following types of preset:
   Quantity lesson
   Math lesson
   Multiples lesson
   Numeral lesson
   Quantity review
   Math review
   Multiples lesson (review)

The Little Math curriculum is designed so that each new topic builds on a previous set of learning. From understanding quantity, your child will progress to seeing quantities used in equations, and from there, to learning the correspondences between quantities and numerals. Math lessons will progress from two-step equations that introduce the low numbers one by one, right up to mixed, five-step equations using numbers up to 100.

Your child does not need to complete one type of learning before moving on to the next. Rather, different types of lessons will overlap. Different types of lesson may work to reinforce knowledge by introducing the same topic simultaneously. For example, skip counting in two’s is timed to coincide with the two times table (Day 106).

Same number – different ways
In the beginning, sessions comprise quantity lessons involving low numbers. These simple lessons provide an opportunity to teach children that the type and size of the items in a set have no bearing on quantity. In these early sessions, math lesson 3 is used to teach this concept (Days 1-29).

Magic number zero
The number zero is fascinating to many young children. To introduce this concept, numbers are presented in backwards sequence (Day 3 onwards).

Reviewing quantities
It is particularly important for children to grasp the concept of quantity as it relates to the lower numbers. Quantities for numbers 0 to 30 are therefore reviewed (Day 31 onwards).

Time for math!
Quantity lessons make up your child’s sessions for the first month and a half. Thereafter, math lessons are introduced, beginning with addition (Day 46 onwards).

Skip counting
This useful skill reinforces knowledge of multiplication tables, and helps older children to appraise quantities faster. Lessons appear two months into your child’s sessions (Day 56 onwards).

Next operation!
After seven weeks of addition, it’s time for subtraction (Day 81 onwards).

Learning numerals
Three months into the curriculum, and your child is ready to begin relating real quantities to the symbols we use to represent them. Children learn numerals extremely quickly, so much less time is spent on teaching numerals than quantities (Day 96 onwards).

Reviewing equations
A week into numeral lessons, we review our early math lessons – but add a preset using numerals instead of quantities (Day 101 onwards).

Time to times
Since subtraction is the opposite of addition, children require less time to grasp the second operation after having learned the first. With four and a half weeks of subtraction completed, we move on to multiplication (Day 103 onwards).

Reviewing skip counting
Your child has by now learned numerals up to 20. We will now review skip counting (with a difference). Skip counting in two’s will be taught alongside the two times table, skip counting in three’s alongside the three times table, and so on. Since your child has been learning numerals, an additional preset will use numerals instead of quantities (Day 106 onwards).


--------

For those curious, Semester 2 will carry on with division, and will have multi-step equations and mixed equations.  Numerals will also be used much more.

Woow! This sounds great! Thanks again for all the time and effort put into the curriculum.  :D

I downloaded it, but the courses tab is empty  :confused: Could you please let me know what I did wrong?  :huh:

Thanks!

double click to open/run it. This will get LM to import the file.

If that's not happening, we'll need a system report from you and as much detail as possible as to what is happening.

I didn't work. I even went ahead an uninstalled LM and installed again, but see attached the screen I get when in courses. I can't send you and error report because I don't get an error.  :confused:

hooorah, I FINALLy figured out how to access the Semester 1 Curriculum.  It took me forever, I thought I was completely missing something / not just understanding the instructions...what I did was probably listed above, but here are the 4 steps I used to access the curriculum -- hope this helps fill your "Courses" folder!

Go to:

1.  Account management
2.  Software Systems
3. Click on the red ball icon "3" (content)
4.  Scroll down to the "Download" icon

OMG! That is what it was. I can't believe I didn't think about that before. (I feel so dumb! :( ) Thank you so much genochye! Karma to you! :D

I downloaded file called LM_semester 1_ ver 1

Doublecklicked on it... and it opened IE page with this message... The XML page cannot be displayed
Cannot view XML input using style sheet. Please correct the error and then click the Refresh button, or try again later.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Switch from current encoding to specified encoding not supported. Error processing resource 'file:///C:/Documents and Setti...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>



I have this feeling, that if anything can possibly go wrong with any of the programs it will for sure happen to me.. :blush:  :ohmy:

Am I doing something wrong? Or is it one of the glitches that just got discovered? :)

Thank you so much for the curriculum!

OK, I guess we need to put up bigger sign boards next to the Software download page that you also need to download the curriculum on STEP 3, and maybe put a sign on the Course page too that directs you to that page if it's empty.

So thanks for mentioning it, Joha and Genochye! Joha, there are no stupid questions - it just means we haven't made it obvious enough for everyone, which is our aim.

Skylark, it seems as if your computer is not associating the LM Course file (a .lmtc file), which is why it is not launching LM to intercept and import it.  Are you sure you downloaded and installed v1.5 and you're not still using v1.1?  Please click Help menu and select "About Little Math" and it will tell you the version.  You should also see the new Course tab on the HOME and PLAYBACK screens.

In any case, first thing you should do is to install v1.5.211 (again if necessary).  If that doesn't help, go to the IMPORT/EXPORT screen and click IMPORT, and select the file to import.

"Are you sure you downloaded and installed v1.5 and you're not still using v1.1? "

I think that is the problem  :blush:  :)

Thank you for getting back to me, will download and install tomorrow!

Hi KL,

I'm now showing my child the SM 65-days dots programme, and if I teach her the curriculum, will it make things complicated for her?
Do you think I should do it separately or can do it together?

hi kl,
again great job :)
 i just upgrade new version of little math and i found bug in the tool
( may be i wrong but plese check it )
when i just go directly on 73th day lession and after playing it i tried with mouse button to make mark - un played ( i.e i tried to make to no green dot status ) but that facility didnt come and it shows- collapse all or expand all
 where as in english reader after playing lession we can mark and unmark after right click of mouse button so that it is only recorded when we show to our baby  in the form of green dot
plese reply
thank u
ashutosh

Hi Shuhui, hmm... really difficult to say.  Really depends on how far you're in and how receptive your child is, and even then, it's really a personal call.  If you want to try doing both, then maybe you could skip over stuff that's in the LM curriculum which has already been covered and which you think would bore your child.


I presume you are right-clicking on the folder?  Have you tried right-clicking on the lessons themselves? (click on the folder to expand the folder to see the lessons).

Hallo KL! Sounds really good! I can't wait to try the new curriculum, but, unfortunately, I can't!  :( I have PMed Lappy and Shuki, asking them to delere the secode activation code for my LM, as I have to install the new build on a new laptop, but I guess they are too busy now. I know it's Sunday, but we just can't wait to try new LM! Please, help!
regards, leana

Hi leana,

Please check your PMs!  :D

Cheers,
shuki

It worked! I was under impression I did that before, but apparently I did not :blush: , so when I downloaded it, and run it, it worked perfectly. Thank you!  :)

How do I backup my files and work on 1.1.111?

Thanks

Navigate to My Documents\BrillKids\Little Reader HOME\ .  You will see 2 folders - "Data" and "Media Library". Make a copy of them.  Or just make a copy of the entire Little Reader HOME folder.

is this download for free? i'm a new member. cld someone let me know. thanks.

Hi mrsz,

For more information on Little Math and its new curriculum, kindly see the link below:
http://www.brillkids.com/teach-math/index.php

Cheers,
Shuki :)

Wow, what great changes!  I have been using LR and LM on my own and have been ignoring the LR update flashing at the top of the screen until last week.  I finally updated both LR and LM and was amazed at all the new changes.  I love the semester course work you have lined up.  It makes it amazingly easy to do our lessons.  Now I don't even have to think about what I'm going to show my baby girl daily, I just click on that day and there it is!  Thank you so much!  I think I will be inclined to do LM everyday now too instead of as a second thought.
I do have a question though.  Someday when I get to the end of the first semester how do I find the following semester coursework?  The diary in my account area, are the suggestions on weekly words meant to be used in addition to the semester coursework?  Sorry,  I spent some time looking around but it BrillKids has become so amazingly big I am feeling a little overwhelmed.  What a wonderful site you have created!  Thank you!

o.k., now I am thouroughly confused....................................I just spent time downloading the four english coursework for semester 1, parts 1-4.  Now, when I go to play the coursework in LR it says "word flash lesson not currently available".  How was I able to play the coursework for the last few days and now I can't after downloading the other parts of semester 1??  I really love the coursework and want to continue, can anyone help??

Hi Koala Girl!

Are you talking about LR? (Not LM - just making sure as the thread is for LM :biggrin: ) Can you kindly try to re-download all the semester content and re-import them into your LR?   When downloading the file, choose to SAVE first, and complete the download process before double clicking on them to import.

Do let me know if this fixes your problem. :) I suspect that there was a discrepancy made during the download and the importing of your content.

Let me know! Cheers,
Lappy :happy:

Hi Lappy,

Thanks for your help.  Yes, I did get carried away and posted here about LR since my previous post was here, sorry. :huh:   I tried your suggestion and was not able to resolve the issue.  I went back and re-downloaded LR as a whole and was able to get it to work again.  (knock on wood)  I'm not touching anything anymore, I think all is well now.  Thank you for your help!!  :nowink:

Oh dear, I'm sorry you encountered the error, but I am very happy that you got it up and running again. :) Sometimes the installation does hiccup (seeing as the file is massive - there's just so much more media content in the new LR) so if it gets interrupted even just a little bit, you get some errors.

But luckily, these errors are easily fixed by downloading and reinstalling, so hopefully everything will be just as fine.

Let me know if you need any other help! :happy:

hi how come the version that's on my LM is v.1.5.212? and not 211? purchased both LR and LM before the price increase i already reinstalled both LR & LM, downloaded the LR curriculum( Lifetime Plan) successfully but the LM Curriculum couldn't be found on my Account Mgt.-Software Download/Lic Key..
Did I miss something? Do I have to purchase the LM Curriculum? I thought it will automatically be upgraded to Lifetime Plan if it was bought before the price increase just like the LR.. Please enlighten me on this, thank you...

The versions get upgraded constantly.  When we wrote this post, it was at version 211. When you downloaded yours, it was 212.  Tomorrow may be 213. :)

If you managed to download 212, that means the Curriculum content should also be there.  You will find it in Step 3 (the step after the license key).  It's the same page you will find the LR curriculum content, except below it.  If you don't see it, please take a screenshot of that page:
http://forum.brillkids.com/forum-how-tos-and-faqs/how-to-do-a-screenshot/

Thanks for the reply KL. On Step 3 only the LR Curriculum Content is shown, there is no LM Curriculum Content. Here is the screenshot of the page.

Not sure how that happened, but we've placed it in your account now. Please let me know if you still don't see it.

Downloaded it already. Thanks KL..  :)

i need some help please. i choose the 14 trials for LM, i did everything that  is required but i don't see any where i can download the software. as i will be using the flex plan as of august 15. thanks alot.

i download the software and it is tell me that my time as expired. i just download it so i don't understand

thats ok now. i cancel.

Did you try Little Reader a long time ago when we had free trials then? If so, then that record is still in your computer.

In any case, we can give you a special license key to activate the trial period. Let me know if you still want that.

yes i did, i would love that thank you.

Hello KL, and Team

I just tried to download the math curriculum, I am having a little trouble and would appreciate some help.

I went to option 3 (red dot) and saw the choices to download the reader curriculum and math curriculum, I downloaded the first part of reader with no problem and was able to appreciate the files (thanks a lot - very good job)  then I went to the math download section and when I clicked I did not get the same window ( open, save run i believe  is 3 options - i typically open the file right there)  I got a small window with 2 choices save or find, I saved it hoping that I could go to LM and open it from there but the file is not recognizable by LM  - when I go to the directory where I saved it - I do not see anything there, I review the folder outside LM and the life is there...   How can I download the math curriculum?  why Am I not being able to open it as I dod with the Reader curriculum.

Thanks a lot your reply is much appreciate.

Gloria

We logged into your account and tried it and everything seems fine.

Did you make sure you installed the latest LM (v1.5.xxx) first?  If you're still using the old LM (v1.1.xxx), it will not recognize that file.

Yes, that was it !   I unintalled it from my laptop and installed again and it is working now.

I have to do the same in my home pc I guess right  - the changes do not update automatically on both licences right?

THanks for your help as usual - you were very helpful

Gloria

Yep, you'll need to upgrade the software on all computers.

You're welcome! :)

Hi KL,

I would like to upgrade/ download the lastest Little Math but how can I figure out what version my Little Math is? I bought it at the expo in HK and the CD has been mailed to me the following week.

Also, I have downloaded some new categories (i.e. instrument), how can I add that into the daily lesson of my Little Reader?

Many thanks!

Hi, Rymama,

Just click on the Help menu (NOT the big HELP button) and at the bottom you'll see "About BrillKids Little Math". That will show you the version.  In any case, the current available version in your account is definitely an upgraded version from what you got at the expo.  Nothing major though, just minor fixes here and there.

To import new Categories/Playlists into LR, simply open/run the file after downloading it, which will bring up LR to auto-import it into your library.

:)

Hi KL,

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply  :yes:

Yes you are right, the "musical instrument is already in the playlist of my LR. But I would like to know how can I combine it with my daily lesson. Like how can I add one or two musical instrument (each day) into the word flash, multi-sensory and picture flash with the origianl content (i.e. common animal, kids' things, etc.)?

Many thanks again!

You can't change the Course curriculum, unfortunately.  You should just play back those categories separately from playing back the course.

Hello,

Feeling very frustrated :-(  I can only find the first ten days' wroth of preset lessons in my "Courses" tab.  Where do i find all the others?

Thanks

If you have purchased the software, they will be under your account management page. You can find that near the top right of this page. Just look under the software tab.

Hi,

The version of my little math is 1.6.353, so shall I down and upgrade the software still :ph34r: ?

Regards,

No, the original post was very old.  Your 1.6 build is fine. :)

how does this work? and how much is the program?

Hi, evilkitten, please see this page for more info on Little Math:
http://www.brillkids.com/teach-math/index.php

Hallo, I have installation from September 2009. Currently I am in day 60, Semester 1, with my 9 months old.
Is this the final version of curriculum? Here 6 days are devoted only to addition with 6, becomes very boring.

Hi Frukc,

Have you re-downloaded your Little Math content files recently (say, in the last 2-3 months)? We did update the content files around this time, so if you haven't downloaded (again), please do. You may refer to this page for detailed instructions on importing your Little Math content: http://support.brillkids.com/index.php/article/little-math-importing-your-lesson-content (http://support.brillkids.com/index.php/article/little-math-importing-your-lesson-content)

Some suggestions to make your LM lessons more engaging for your baby:
 - Try using different icon sets featuring her favorite things, characters, etc. You may download some here: http://forum.brillkids.com/downloads/?cat=221 (http://forum.brillkids.com/downloads/?cat=221)
 - Change the background, font colors, or even the sound sets (perhaps you can record your voice too)
 - Take a break and come back later -- maybe your baby will react differently the next time she sees her lesson!

I hope these help! :yes:

Thanks. I have LM 1.5.235. The program says "invalid file" about the new curriculum. Do I need to reinstall that all?

Hi Frukc,

Yes, you need to upgrade to the latest version of Little Math (v 1.6.370) -- this would have the necessary fixes to any problems from the earlier versions, and is required for the updated curriculum content files.

You can get the installer for the latest version of LM from your Account page. For instructions, please see this page: http://support.brillkids.com/index.php/article/little-math-install-and-setup-from-account (http://support.brillkids.com/index.php/article/little-math-install-and-setup-from-account)

Thanks! I successfully upgraded the program and Semester 2. But how to get rid of the previous Semester 1 and to replace it with the new content? I installed it, closed the program (several times)  but it is still here.

Another problem, I can not find the things I used earlier. I would like to have: voice off, auto forward off, subtitles on. If I mark these settings, they work for one preset only, and not for all other presets. (except the "voice off" - it works for all.)
Can you please help me?
:)

Hi Frukc,

Regarding your earlier post, "how to get rid of the previous Semester 1 and to replace it with the new content?" all you need to do is download the Semester 1 content file from your Account and import it -- this will automatically replace the version that you currently have in your Little Math.


Yes, this version of LM would look very different from the one you were using.  :)
To change the settings for everything, what you need is the Override function. Any settings you have set in the Override Settings window will be applied to all your presets, so this way you don't have to do your preferred settings for each of your presets.

 - Open LM and go to the Playback screen
 - In the Play Panel (bottom part of the window), find and click on the Override button to turn it ON (the light should turn green)
 - Click on the cog wheel button beside the Override button to open the Override Settings window
 - In the Override Settings window, toggle the "Common" tab and change your preferred Subtitles and Auto Forward settings.
 - Click on the Save button when you're done

...and then you're done!

Thanks, I changed the Settings successfully! :)

But I am still with the old Semester 1.
I double click on LM_Sem_1_v2b.lmpk, "importing" window appears.
"Import operation was successful".

Then I go to "home" and my old Semester 1 is here (with green buttons until Day 61).
I did it several times, and closed and opened the program several times. 
What else should I do?

Oh, that's because LM will keep your playback records -- so you would have imported the updated content files, but your playback history (from when you've played those presets last time) would be preserved.

If you'd like to remove the green marks (or mark previously played items as "unplayed"), just select those presets, right-click and select "Mark Unplayed."

Thanks! Now I understand! The new Semester 1 is very similar to the old one, so I did not see the difference!

But don't you think that the curriculum is going a bit too slow?

G.Doman says (book "How to teach your baby math", page 117): you do not have to repeat the same equation over and over again. Each day your equations will be new and different from the day before. Please avoid doing predictable patterns of equations in one session. For example, 1+2=3, 1+3=4, 1+5=6 etc.

This is exactly what LM is doing. Two consecutive days (4 sessions, 8 lessons) are devoted to addition with 7. So, equation "7+1=8" is repeated at least 8 times per 2 days. On 4 sessions of 8, equations are ranged in "predictable patterns".

Is there a particular reason for that?

Nevertheless, the new version works very well and looks nice! I think, I will show just every second session and use another presets. So, no problems with me anymore! :)

Not really.  It's a balance between repetition and variety, and it's a fine line.  What works best for one child could also be different for another.

If you think it's going slowly, you can randomize the order (in fact, we do that already in the curriculum, so it's not a predictable pattern).

This sounds fantastic, thanks for the update, I will definitely use this!