Amy

We recently had the opportunity to try out a new math program, the Adaptive Placement Tests with Lesson Plans from APlusTutorSoft. 

This was our first foray into doing any core subject online, and we really like it!

Math is not my kids’ favorite subject.  My Big Helper dreads it.  As a very visual and creative person, she dislikes the repetition necessary to learn most processes, and since she thinks things through slowly, math can take a very long time.  I knew that she was working within her grade level, but extra practice would be beneficial.

On the other hand, My Little Man picks up new mathematical concepts almost instinctively.  He can estimate answers and get very close, even when learning new skills.  Somehow he just ‘gets’ it – but that also means that it’s tough to know when he really has something down, like simple math facts, or when he’s just able to get close most of the time.  I also knew that his math book was not as challenging for him as I’d hoped, and I wanted him to work with something tougher, either in his grade level or in a higher level.

Would the Adaptive Placement Tests with Lesson Plans from APlusTutorSoft work for them both?

YES.

This program works for them both – in some really cool ways.

At first, your student takes a test.  Everything in this program is 10-12 questions, so it’s reasonably short.  The tests are timed, with plenty of time given for each question – and the questions are all either multiple choice or type-in-your-own-answer.  What makes these test effective is that there is a test for very specific skills:  number sense, addition, subtraction, geometry, etc.

When your student finishes, s/he submits the test, and a score is given with immediate feedback.  Your student will know right away if s/he has passed the test and can move on or if s/he needs to work more on this skill.  A pie graph is also available to show this pictorially, and both of my kids try hard to get the whole graph to be ‘green’ for ‘all correct.’  They LOVE that feature.

If your student has not passed the test, then a lesson plan is generated with video lessons and practice worksheets – again with no more than 12 problems.  That’s the feature that My Big Helper likes the most – she knows exactly how many problems she’s done and how may more there are – and it’s never more than 12. 

You can choose the lessons and worksheets you want your child to do, and then s/he can retake the test.  (Generating extra worksheets is also an option if you need more practice.)  When your student has passed the test, s/he can move on to the next area.

This is the only part of the process I have an issue with.  After my kids took the tests, we chose to go back and review how they did on it.  Usually they had only one or two specific skills that needed extra work – but the lesson plan was not geared specifically for that.   There is always lesson-videos and worksheets for every skill on the test, no matter how much or little the student has missed.  I would prefer for the results to be more specific.

There is an up side to that, though: My Little Man absolutely loves doing math on the computer, and he remembers which skills he enjoyed on the test and always asks to do extra worksheets after he’s completed his daily assignment.  If the lesson plans were more specific, this would not be so easily accomplished, so even in this, my least favorite aspect of the program, there are benefits.

And because it’s on the computer, My Little Man is always eager to do math now.  He loves sitting down in my chair and logging into the program to see if he can get his pie chart completely green.

So we’re now big fans of the Adaptive Placement Test with Lesson Plans from APlusTutorSoft.  Math time is now rigorous, enjoyable, and tear-free.

Works for me.

Want to try out APlusTutorSoft for free?  Check out this freebie!

Download FREE “Time” Software ($21.95) Value – Use Coupon Code: Time4Aplus. This Time Teaching Software (valued at $21.95) introduces your students to Time. It teaches them about days, weeks, months and year, seconds, minutes and hours, telling time using analog and digital clocks, duration of time, converting units of time, and about finding and adding elapsed time.

You can also watch this video to see this program in action – OR enter to win usage of the Adaptive Test with Lesson Plan from APlusTutorSoft for up to 10 students!  Use the widget below to enter.  Good luck!