Dear all,
Latest BuildThe 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-downloadCurriculum's out!Yes, we've finally released the Little Math Semester 1 Curriculum!
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.phpFor convenience, here's a copy/paste:
Understanding the Little Math CurriculumThe 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 learningVery 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.)
EQUATIONSHaving 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.
NUMERALSOf 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 FREQUENCYWe 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 DAYSEvery 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 SELECTIONUsing 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 PLACEMENTLessons 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 SESSIONLittle 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 waysIn 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 zeroThe number zero is fascinating to many young children. To introduce this concept, numbers are presented in backwards sequence (Day 3 onwards).
Reviewing quantitiesIt 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 countingThis 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 numeralsThree 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 equationsA week into numeral lessons, we review our early math lessons – but add a preset using numerals instead of quantities (Day 101 onwards).
Time to timesSince 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 countingYour 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).
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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.
