EMPower Plus coming soon - Webinar Nov. 12th

Submitted by Connie Rivera on Mon, 11/02/2015 - 20:58
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On November 12th from 4pm - 5pm, McGraw Hill will host a webinar in advance of the release of the new EMPower Plus materials that the staff at TERC has written. I've gotten a close look at these 3 books, scheduled to be released before the end of this calendar year. These adult numeracy texts are like nothing else out there. The authors truly understand adult education and understand the Shift we need to make so our students UNDERSTAND the deep concepts of mathematics. I plan on tuning in to see what will be shared during the webinar, and I can't wait to get my hands on a printed copy of the books when they are available. Register for the webinar at: info.mheducation.com/2015.EMPowerPlus.Launch.WebinarRegistration.Confirmation.html?aliId=171482859

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Connie - Thank you for posting this exciting news!!  I did try to register for the webinar but it took me to a site saying I was already registered.  Is there another link that will allow me to register?

Thanks, Brooke

I have the full set of the Empower series and use them quite a bit.  I am just wondering if anyone has done a comparison on the Empower and Empower Plus books, because I would like to know if it would be helpful for me to update my set or not.  Any thoughts are appreciated.  Thanks!

Hi,

I wanted to make a few points about the new editions of the three EMPower number books. Some long-time users of EMPower have reviewed the new material and are pretty excited about the changes. Some of the pilot testers have been keen to get the new versions since they tried the new material in 2012-2013. So we at TERC are pretty confident that the updated versions are significant. 

Everyday Number Sense has many new student pages called Math Inspections that get students to look at math properties. Students look for patterns in sets of equations and begin to generalize. Insights from this type of examination contribute to procedural fluency, to understanding connections among operations, and lay the groundwork for algebra. There are two completely new lessons that add to the section on negative numbers.

Using Benchmarks now introduces the benchmark fractions of 1/2, 1/4, and 3/4, but goes on to eighths and to operations with these benchmark fractions. There are several new lessons in this book. Students don't just operate with the fractions, again they examine sets of equations, look for commonalities, express rules or methods for operating with fractions. This is intended to support conceptual understanding so that half-remembered rules that yield non-sensical answers aren't the go-to solution pathways students choose. 

Split It Up now has many more student pages on patterns with tens and tenths, so students get a place value workout as they are also thinking about how the four basic operations affect decimal numbers. 

In addition to these substantive changes, two experts who have been researching language forms that undermine or increase ESOL students' understanding made recommendations for simplifying the language in the books. This should mean that students can focus on mathematical thinking without getting bogged down in confusing language.

We'll be curious to hear if these changes do make a difference for you and your students.  I think you haven't had much response because not too many people own the new books yet, but perhaps one of the reviewers will weigh in soon. Meanwhile, I hope these details help.

 

 

 

 

I think that the updates are worth investing in, but I don't currently have a previous version to look back to.  Just as before, it is obvious that these were created with the adult learner in mind.  Overall, there is a close look look understanding why procedures work carried from the number sense and connection to visual models that begins in Everyday Number Sense and carries through to Using Benchmarks and Split It Up.  The not-common-enough idea that "What works for whole numbers works for fractions and decimals." can be seen throughout the titles.

The new organization of the treatment of fractions flows more naturally from 1/2 to 1/4 & 3/4 to 1/8 in Using Benchmarks.  Tenths is moved out and handled more in depth under the Split It Up title.  There is attention given there to discovering why our decimal tricks work.  Overall I would say that there is more practice in these updates and that the concepts are handled more thoroughly.  

 I couldn't wait to share these and have included some pieces in my trainings.  I'm finding, however, that all the pieces are not in place yet to seamlessly order these titles since they are so new to the market.  So, a very helpful rep. got me an order form and I put it a state PD site; perhaps you'll find it helpful as well.