Why Adaptive Learning Is Essential For A Kindergarten Math Curriculum

Math is an essential subject for a successful academic career, but its basic concepts are best introduced early. At age four or five, young children can get a head start on a successful education through a well-designed and adaptive mathematics curriculum. Adaptive learning games are powerful tools that allow parents to help children learn and practice essential math concepts, regardless of a child's individual strengths and learning style.

Different Types Of Learners

One of the most important ideas in modern education is that students don't learn in the same way. Regardless of the field of study, there are certain types of learners who will grasp concepts more easily than others.

The way that a child learns is not related to his or her intelligence. In fact, many children who struggle with basic concepts tend to excel after those troublesome lessons have been mastered. The trouble with a traditional classroom environment is that students aren't always given time to master difficult concepts. The classroom moves at a steady pace, and if a child is forced to move on to a new lesson too early, the child will inevitable have trouble, as the concepts behind the lesson haven't been mastered.

In mathematics, lesson plans are often dependent on mastery of older concepts. For instance, it's impossible to learn addition or subtraction if basic counting skills haven't been mastered. Likewise, multiplication, division and other math skills can't be learned without addition or subtraction. When a child doesn't understand an early concept, academic difficulties tend to grow over time until the concept is revisited and mastered.

Using Adaptive Math Games With Kindergarten-Age Children

Adaptive learning programs avoid this snowball effect by ensuring that lessons are mastered before new concepts are introduced. They're designed for each individual child, not for a classroom.

Math education systems for young children include computer math games. The best of these games use an adaptive system to introduce new lessons. When a child has trouble with a certain lesson, that lesson will be expanded and taught differently until the concepts are mastered. No new concepts are taught until the first concepts that been fully mastered.

Computer math games are especially popular, as they're easily integrated into a curriculum from kindergarten through third grade. The math games help to fill in the weak spots in a child's math curriculum and reinforce concepts that might be giving children trouble.

Tracking Progress and Teaching New Concepts

Another advantage of computer adaptive learning programs is that they provide reports for parents and educators. These reports allow for further specialization of a child's education and rapid overall progression. Reports can point out weak areas by showing plateaus in a child's learning, and when these plateaus have been noted, parents can work with teachers for the fastest possible results.

Of course, adaptive computer programs don't always work in the same way, but in general they greatly complement a standard math curriculum by taking an individualized approach. Children don't learn in the same way and traditional education systems don't always recognize and correct weaknesses, so children absolutely need adaptive education programs throughout their academic careers. For mathematics, adaptive educational programs can make a major difference when used regularly from an early age.

Jim Wheelin writes about many different educational topics for parents and kids, such as the importance of adaptive learning for K-3 students. Jim is always keeping an eye out for the latest in math technology, games and other educational resources, reason why he visits sites like http://www.dreambox.com/adaptive-learning on a regular basis.