Educators and parents naturally want to help a child who is struggling with a challenging lesson, but this could negatively impact a student's learning path in DreamBox Math. Keep reading to learn more about how to support students as they explore new or challenging concepts in DreamBox Math.
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How Helping Students Complete Lessons Could Impact Understanding
Our Intelligent Adaptive Learning™ technology reacts to how a student answers each question. If a student's level is accurately assessed, lessons should be just challenging enough but possible to complete independently. As DreamBox Math learns, it may present a series of questions that are too difficult for the student. This is when it is essential that a student works through a lesson using the in-lesson help and, if needed, coaching from an educator or family member.
Encouraging Students to Play Independently
As students play DreamBox Math lessons, encourage students to:
- Be okay with mistakes. As long as students complete lessons, DreamBox Math will be able to assess their comprehension and adapt.
- Work independently. Helping a student through a lesson can move them beyond their current abilities in DreamBox Math and lead to frustration when working without help.
- Use the lesson tool tutorial before starting a lesson.
- Only use virtual manipulatives. DreamBox Math lessons are designed for students to think through problems without the use of pencil and paper.
- Use the help/hint button when needed.
- Use headphones with the volume on.
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Educators: Click here* to open printable classroom posters in English and Spanish that outline strategies students can use when they need help. *Make sure you sign into your educator dashboard first. |
Coaching Struggling Students
The best ways to help your student are to encourage them to try their best, coach them if they are working inefficiently, and continue to provide valuable one-on-one lessons outsisde of DreamBox Math.
When a student becomes frustrated, we recommend:
- Ask clarifying questions: Have they tried the help button? The help button is designed to explain to a student how to interact with the manipulative.
- If students in the K-2nd grade learning environment are struggling with a lesson manipulative, encourage them to explore the manipulative tutorial in the students' My House section. After the student has a better understanding the manipulative, encourage them to return to the lesson.
- Encourage students to just try what they are thinking, to start making some educated guesses vs trying to find the correct answer. This way the student will be presented with help and tips inside the lesson, as they test ideas.
As the student shows the program what they are thinking, our scaffolding should start to help lead them towards the desired outcome of the lesson. If the student is struggling to a point where we identify it as not productive, we will show the student how to do it, and eventually gracefully exit the lesson.
What Should I Do If a Student Cannot Complete Lessons Independently?
If a student is unable to work through the tasks in a DreamBox Math lesson without the intervention of a teacher or family member, their placement may need to be adjusted. Read the article below to learn more about how a studen'ts placement can be adjusted, and then reach out to our Customer Support Team.
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