Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Need grade equivalent resources

Homeschooling has been fun so far for DS7. I'm having difficulties finding just where to start him. All of the second grade curriculum has been too easy. We are starting 3rd grade, but it also seems to easy.

I really need resources to figure out where to place him. So far math is a joke and so is spelling. There's nothing this boy can't spell. It's scary! One day kidding around I had him spell his favorite words. Bovine Spongiform Encephalaphy.(mad cow disease) He did!

Please! Does anyone have any resources for finding the right placement.

I will be getting all of his test results next week. Including, his GL tests, but after reading some other threads on GL testing, I'm not sure if I should go by that.

When I was in your shoes, I googled "math placement test" and "reading placement test" for help piecing together where we needed to start. There are loads of free things on the Internet--some more useful, some less--that can at least give you a sense of what's too easy or too hard.

Curricula like Singapore Math offer their own free placement tests which might be worth a look, though they tend to present things their own way, and this might not translate very easily to other curricula.

What math and spelling curriculum/books are you using? If you are happy with the manner in which they present the concepts, you may want to stay with that publisher and see if the publisher has placement tests like the Singapore ones Kriston mentioned.

Do you have a local homeschool used book store where you could go spend some time with him looking over various levels of books and seeing what seems to fit?

If you aren't married to one specific publisher/book series, how about working on etymology instead of straight spelling? He could learn the origins of words and how to spell word roots and put them together to form words.

For math, maybe just make a big leap and go up a few grade levels and see how he does. You can always have some back-up workbooks available to fill in the gaps in things like fractions, etc. Edward Zaccaro's math books are fun and even his Primary Grade Challenge Math one includes up to fairly advanced 4th grade concepts. Those may be a good supplement.

For Spelling, I just wouldn't worry. Your DS like mine, simply doesn't need to learn to spell - and IMO that's just fine. I think the Math is trickier. My guy amazes me with his Arithmetic ability, and in some ways just doesn't fit into any typical Math curriculum. I'm learning though, that if I allow him to whiz on too far (school is allowing him to skip from 1st to 3rd and he's top in the class at that), he'll miss out on certain terminology and parts of the Math curriculum that he's going to need later. So I'm trying to be cautious, and find meanwhile that for the most part he creates his own level/challenging appropriate Math problems .... usually in the back of the car!

I own a homeschool bookstore; if you were my customer, here's what I'd tell you:

Spelling: Unless spelling instruction is required in your state, I would consider it optional. A lot of kids can spell on grade level or higher without any outside help. If you child needs assistance in learning to spell, then find a program you like. There's a lot out there to choose from.

Math: Don't stress about which math program is best-- they all pretty much teach the same thing, and most kids can succeed with all of them. Just find one that appeals to you and your child. Some have constant reviewing and others don't. Some are straight forward and black and white while others are colorful to the point of being visually distracting. Anyway, find one that appeals to you. Start near grade level and work through the book quickly by ignoring the lessons and just completing the chapter exams or the end-of-chapter reviews. Do this until you reach your child's instructional level.

What part of the world are you? I like to keep my business local and with people I know.

Math we are still working out. He has most of the large components down, but I want to make sure he knows all the verbiage and smaller components. Spelling, I found a site I could assess him. He has 5th grade spelling abilities.

http://www.mindwareonline.com/MWESTORE/Home/HomePage.aspx

Developing Math Talent.
Assouline, S. & Lupkowski-Shoplik, A.
ISBN: 1882664922

The mindware math books have been great for my DS. They are for adding to a learning program with more logic and different thinking than you find in most courses. They have some sample pages to print out to try.

You may also want to check out Developing Math Talent for a list of topics not usually in regular Math programs.

Many here are using EPGY for Math. You may want to look at the threads on this. There is a group rate. If I remember correctly it's $135 a year. I'm not sure if there is a placement test.

I've heard Alex has tests for placement.

I've also saw Grade level Testing books at our library.

Somewhere I saw a list of suggested Math Programs for Gifted Math Students. It may be in either Developing Math Talent or A Nation Decieved. If I find this I'll get back to you.