Does you little one like math and language arts? Or is it like pulling teeth to get them to do their schoolwork? Would they do their work if they thought it was play? Well, let me introduce you to IXL.com an online site with math and language arts practice for kids. You can get an online math membership or an online language arts membership or a membership that includes both. We were given a year membership to both Math and Language Arts for up to three children as part of the Crew Review Team.
Membership is $9.95 per month per subject with options of adding the other subject or additional students for more. If you want both subjects for a month it is $15.95. A yearly membership is $79 for one subject. If you wish to do both subjects for a yearly membership it is $129. Each additional child is $20 per year if you do the yearly membership or $2 a month for the monthly plan. Obviously, the yearly both subject is the best deal; however, if you child is not in grades 2-4 you will not be able to use the language arts section until they expand.
Their online math section has something for grades preK all the way up to 12th grade. This includes pre algebra and algebra. They are also working on a section of calculus coming soon. I like that the math sections are listed out by grade and then by topic. For instance, the second grade math contains 218 skills that should be mastered. You can then click on whatever skill you wish for your child to work on and they can work until mastery.
There are more than 2500 math and language art skills combined at this time. In a years time your child will not be able to learn and complete them all, but they can at least get their one grade done! With your membership, whether monthly or yearly, you do have access to all levels! So if your child does master one level you do not have to purchase a new year subscription to get the next level, you simply move them on up. I love that! I have some kids that excel and move through things quickly while I have others that are slower and take more time to learn. I love the flexibility of the program.
Here is my take on this program: It is perfect for homeschooling because your child can move at their own pace. I think it is better for older children or children who are motivated to do things on their own so that you are not constantly asking them if they have done their lesson for the day. We are not a large computer family. Until recently my kids did not do a lot of computer school so they are still learning. That means they are slow to answer some questions just because they don't know where all the keys are. But, they are good with this program because it does not penalize them or immediately mark them as wrong just because they took their time on a question. The end results are what matter. I am near to help them if they need it or they are free to do it on their own. I have found at the end of lesson time that they have done an extra lesson or two somedays during their time just because they got done and wanted to go on. It was fun. It was not thought of as "doing school" so much as it was having fun and playing games. That is the ultimate homeschool experience. We're having fun, we're not just learning!
Language arts is a much smaller section right now with only materials for grades 2-4. They are working on more for this section and are set to expand it soon. We didn't do as much with the language arts as we did the math because it only has grades 2-4 currently and I only have two kids in these grades. My two are in second grade so they are just at the beginning of the coursework available. There are 82 second grade language art skills. We did not use them in order. . . . . in fact we jumped into homophones first because it was what we were talking about and I wanted to re-enforce what we were learning and then move on from there. Some of the lessons we had already covered this year so they were very easy for my kids and they just blasted through them. Others were concepts we had not talked about and they took a bit more doing to get those down. I think the way these are taught is great because even weeks after mastering a subject my child still could remember what they had learned. It's more than just memorizing to get on to the next skill, it's learning. It's learning so they will still remember it for years and years to come.
We like what we have seen so far of this program. I have not gone past the second grade though. Soon we might get to pass into third grade math and I can talk about that, but I didn't really go looking as my kids aren't ready for that yet.
I would like to mention they do have an app for iPad users for grades K-6 in math. We don't have an iPad, iPod or anything that technologically advanced. We're still learning how to use the computer around here! But if you do I think it's a great resource to help take school with you where ever you go. You can do school while waiting at the doctor's office even! Big mommy grins at that! It's so much easier to keep your child occupied in new places if you have something familiar to do, so why not school! For me the why not is more in the I don't want to have to lug around that many books and pencils, but then again if it's all on the iPad you don't have much to carry. No excuse for being late on that days math work!
Like what you're seeing and want to find out more? Jump on over to the Main Crew Blog and see what other reviewers had to say!
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