Hi ColinsMum, just a quick reply for the moment--he can explain his problem-solving, it's just writing it down. Until we have accomodations in place that would allow an oral response, or something along those lines, asking him to write a story about a bird, cat, dog and fish that he's drawn is pretty much pointless, ykwim? Pages from the Venn Perplexors books would be a more humane alternative, I think.
I'm guessing that he could complete thru 4th grade ALEKS easily this summer, but it's not something I would push. Just thinking about offering the opportunity.
Mo
Just be careful, because the accommodations you may think you're going to get aren't always the accommodations you end up with in the end. For example, in many states, dictating answers to a scribe for standardized testing requires a student to spell every single word in an answer and state every punctuation mark. Talk about a tedious process!!! Once that accommodation is described to parents, they often end up refusing. So, while not expecting perfection, I would still work with your son on building his skills independently when it comes to written explanations of his math reasoning.
One thing you can do to help him "practice" is to have him explain his process to you orally while you "take notes" for him -- not in complete sentences, but just copy down key words or phrases that he said. Then, have him take your notes and turn it into an actual written answer. It adds an important step to the process of pulling an answer from his brain and translating it into well-written sentences on a piece of paper. Over time, you can teach him to take his OWN "notes" on a scrap piece of paper before he shifts his brain into "composing sentences" mode. Yes, it takes "longer," but extended time for testing is basically the first accommodation agreed upon, so it won't be a big deal.
I think ALEKS would be okay if your goal is to enrich him over the summer, but I don't think it will result in his school giving him subject acceleration (just a hunch based on what you've described -- they seem to be pushing compacting instead, and his current teacher seems reluctant to recommend that for future years).
