joy2BAMom wrote:This is my first time posting but have enjoyed reading this board for a year now. My name is Sherrie and I am in Oklahoma. I have 3 dc...an 8yo ds, a 5 yo dd and a almost 2yo dd. Last year was my first year w/ MFW. We did Adventures. This year we will be doing K and ECC. We are very excited about getting started. I have decided that this year we are going to go with all of MFW's recommendations and so we need to switch to Singapore.
The MFW site says that if your child does not know all of their math facts to start them in 1A. DS does NOT know all of his math facts. However, he knows everything on the 1A test. I have no pride issues about where I start him. It doesn't matter to me if he starts in 1A. I just don't want to waste money on a program that he does not need.
When your son took the placement test was he using manipulatives (or his fingers are ok too) to get the right answers or as you watched, did he know the material?
and how did he do on placement test for 1B (if 1B test is too long for him to finish or too hard that he just doesn't get it, then you don't want to jump ahead to the 2A placement test ---just think of 1B as the highest level that you would start him because you haven't covered that material. But just to assure you, none of the workbooks are as long as the placement test. The 1B placement test just shows how much is covered in that level and to what degree.
And given his age, he'll either start at 1B or 1A most likely.
Given his age, try to let him take the placement test for 1A to see how he does the problems. He may be ready for 1B program and just needs more drill work on his facts. They do need to add some kind of fact drill either way.
in 1A, they are taught Number Bonds for the math facts. That's those boxes on 1A placement test for question 4 and even in terms of how it is covered in question 5 (not only do you know the addition facts, but what about the same numbers but in a subtraction problem and can you fill in the numbers, not just the answer??? In other words, do they know how to set up the simple equation with the same 3 numerals in different places up through all ways that can make 20) So that is introduced in 1A and you keep working on drills of facts. It is not expected that they master all of those facts prior to moving on. But if they haven't learned many of them and are spending a lot of time counting to get the right answer on the placement test, starting at 1A is a better way to go especially if you have a 7 y.o child. (but you have an 8 y.o who has had some math before)
Another thing in 1A that is introduced (but covered later too) is a foundation for the concept behind subtraction with regrouping. It is taught even with Teens minus single digit so that it is easier to see that with pictures and blocks and things, while you are still learning your drills.
If you read through all of that and he takes the placement test and 1A seems like it's right --- he might be able to zip through the book quicker than it is written. That's ok too. But he might be ready for 1B and just needs extra drill on the facts up to 20.
-crystal
Using MFW since 2004. 
) so I would suggest calling the MFW office to make sure I am telling you correctly.