Helping Your Child With Spelling
Children who fall behind classmates in spelling, who forget words easily, or who mix up letters when writing, are children who need special, loving, considerate attention regularly at home to help them overcome their unique learning problems. Forcing an activity on them or making it over-demanding only serves to intensify the child's negative feelings about it. Here are some suggestions other parents have successfully used to help their children in these areas.
Develop auditory and vocal skills. Good spellers are usually good readers and good speakers and vice versa. Using the school or local library helps your child develop some of these skills. Restrict the amount of TV he watches. Your child cannot talk back to a television set. Children need to use the language they will be writing. Give your child the opportunity to talk with you.
Experience stories. Let your child write about the things he likes. He can illustrate the stones himself or cut pictures from magazines to illustrate them. Let him write the words without assistance unless he asks for help. Misspelled words can then be used in little games you play with your child. A one-line "story" may be all that he can handle. If so, fine.
Write letters. Corresponding with a friend or relative-or a simple statement at the bottom of a letter you write to someone your child knows-offers him opportunities to spell.
Trace words. This activity helps many children. Have your child sit next to you (or, if young, sit on your lap). Sit so that you can guide his writing hand. Make sure that only his index and middle fingers are extended, and that his eyes are closed. If your child is using manuscript, use that form. Take his hand and print (or write) the word that is confusing to him.
Finger paints are messy, but ever so helpful. Use oilcloth and a large table. Have your child roll up his sleeves and wear an old apron. Let him use both hands to write letters and words, It is a marvelous activity. Just gating the feel of large movements may be sufficient without introducing formal spelling to the activity.
All kids love codes, so why not encourage your child to decode messages diet you leave for him? Let him make up his own codes for you. You make up one but make sure he has a way to decode it.
If your child is working on a class spelling list and can only remember half of the words, speak to his teacher. Teachers are more than delighted to hear how their students respond to homework. Perhaps the list can be reduced so that your child has fewer words and can learn these more efficiently and comfortably.
Don't tackle an entire spelling bar in one sitting. Take one-third for example, each evening, to work on with your child. Break the practice into small units. Try fifteen minutes of review when he gets home; fifteen minutes before supper; fifteen minutes after supper. Shorter periods given frequently are more effective than one massive review-which is also exhausting and frustrating.
Sometimes words on a spelling list can be "clustered" into similarities. For example, you might try attempting all of the five-letter words one day, all the words beginning with consonants the next day, all the words beginning with blends the next day. This kind of grouping will help your child to perceive similarities and differences in the words, and, hence, develop his recall.
An old trick that really works is to have your child practice. Write each of his words, and then draw with a black crayon around each word. Then he can lightly color the shape of the word. This is known as "studying the shape" (or configuration). Just make sure your child uses straight, not curved, lines when he outlines the word.
Before your child starts to silently study his list for that day, let him pronounce each word. Children must know how to properly pronounce a word before they attempt to spell it, If their pronunciation is not correct, they will indeed spell it as they would pronounce it in their own way. (Also make sure they know what the word means and can use it or understand it when they hear it.)
To start studying, a child should look at the word, pronounce it, spell it orally as he looks at it, cover it with his hand, and then attempt to spell it or, as he traces it on your kitchen table, letter by letter.
After your child has studied, let's say five words, in the manner described, spell the words to him, in random order, and have him name the word you spelled.
Invest in a set of plastic magnetic letters that are available at many discount, toy, and variety stores. Let your child spell the word by successively placing the magnetic letters on the magnetic board. You can show him the word, then remove it Have him name each letter as he locates it and places it on the board. This is good for developing the correct order for letters within the words.
Word lists. These can be made using paper available in the house. Print or write the words being studied. Post one copy of the list on die refrigerator, another on the door to your child's room, and another in the bathroom. Maybe another can go over the TV set. Use a different color crayon for each word-or use a different color for parts of each word regularly confusing your child. For example, if he continues to write "come" as "cum," use black for the "c" and I'm" but red for the "o" and "e".
Put movement into learning words. Have your child clap for each letter or take a step for each letter as he spells the word orally. This will help " lock in" the correct sequence of letters, as well as develop full recall for the word.
Let your child play teacher. Let him teach you the words he is learning to spell. Spell them orally to him. Let him correct you. Then have him dictate to you and you write them. Have him score your paper. Make a game of it. He'll know you really know how to spell them, so veil him it's a game.
Commercial dice with letters rather than numbers. Take turns with your child in tossing them and building words. List the words as they are made. The list can be saved and added to each time you play. That way be can develop a "reference fist" to use over and over spin to reinforce his recall.
Listening skills do help spelling. "What letter does 'chart, end with?" What letter does 'piano' begin with?" Play these games just for a few moments before supper, or after breakfast to develop your child's ability to hear sounds in words.
Rhyming words is another game that can build spelling skills. "Can you think of a word that rhymes with fill?" As your child says hill, Bill, till, and so on, write them down. He'll soon notice, himself, that they have identical endings.
Remembering. This is a game to develop visual memory. Write one word on a piece of paper. Leave space underneath it. Tell your child to look at it as long as he wants, that is, until he can remember the letters, then have him fold the paper so that he cannot see the word. He is then to try to write the word from memory. Let him check it himself, and if he has misspelled, try again.
Practice in spelling can come in a variety of ways. For example, you might ask him to help you make a grocery list by looking at the advertisement for a local supermarket You could check the items you want to purchase, and you could ask him to make a list to help you out.
Find the wrong word. Write a short sentence for your child. Tell him that there is one word spelled incorrectly. Ask him to see if he can find it. To begin, make it a rather obviously misspelled word. Leave a letter out, or add an extra letter to a word. Ask him to first read the sentence, then to circle the misspelled word. Then make sure you erase it and write it correctly.
Helping your child at home with spelling requires patience and a non-school-like setting. Don't try to be a teacher. Be a parent who teaches. Your child wants to please you-he wants your honest, sincere praise. Keep the activities short-and fun, and do them regularly, with variety.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Science All Around Us
Historically, the United States has lagged behind many other nations in the instruction of science. With the increased use of technology in many people’s daily lives, this has been changing. Parents are in a position to encourage their children’s interest in many different areas of science. Let your curiosity and that of your children lead you to the area that has the greatest interest to you. Getting children to be curious about the natural world around them at an early age can lead them to science-related hobbies and jobs as they grow up.
Animals (including people)
Watch a spider in its web; observe the movements of the animals around you: dogs, cats, squirrels, rabbits, birds; observe birds in their nests and their habitats; watch a caterpillar spin its cocoon and wait until it transforms into a butterfly; look for animal tracks; observe the way ducks animals care for their young; visit the vet with your pet; observe the changes as a cut heals; ask to see x-rays at the doctor’s or dentist’s office; ask about the equipment that your doctor or dentist uses; observe the genetic similarities between generations in your family or friends.
Plants
Plant packaged seeds and observe them grow; plant seeds from fruit and vegetables that you eat; plant an acorn; learn the names of various types of trees and flowers; save waste food as compost; watch flowers bud and blossom; help care for trees and flowers in your environment; plant a tree and record its progress.
Weather
Look at the weather report on television or in the newspaper; pick a place and find its weather on the Internet; look at a map that has climate or weather zones; observe the sky at different times during the day; keep a thermometer inside and outside your house; fly a kite; ask people about the weather where they are when you send them email or speak to them on the phone; keep a graph or diary of weather conditions; talk about the weather with people who come from different climate zones; investigate the life of people who live in a different weather zone than you; collect rain in a container; gaze at a rainbow; count the time that takes place after lightning flashes and thunder crashes.
Chemical and physical properties
Experiment with what will sink or float in a large bucket of water; collect items in nature and sort them; see how long it takes for an ice cube to melt; draw on steamy bathroom mirrors or car windows; reflect light off mirrors; shine light through a crystal; balance objects on a seesaw; squirt food coloring into water; make bubbles; create your own musical instruments; sort spices by the different types of tastes; help with measuring and mixing with recipes; put glow-in-the-dark stickers on your child’s ceiling or wall.
Earth and space
Dig a hole in your yard or at the beach; name the different materials used to build houses and other buildings; read maps; make model cars, boats, and airplanes; go rock-hunting to see how many different ones you can find; notice the way the sun and moon move across the sky; watch a sunrise or sunset; keep track of the progress of space program satellites, launches, and missions; make a graph of the way the shape of the moon changes throughout the month; put rocks in a tumbler and see how they change; look at the stars when you are away from an area that has bright city lights.
Energy
Observe how your electric meter changes when you turn things on and off; recycle glass, metal, and paper around the house; visit a recycling site and a dump; play around with magnets on the refrigerator; learn how to use electrical tools in the kitchen, bathroom, and workshop; take apart old tools that have stopped working; find out how things work; figure out the mileage for the family’s car; figure out the differences in time for a trip you take on foot, by bike, in a car, or on a bus or train; see how far a ball will roll.
Animals (including people)
Watch a spider in its web; observe the movements of the animals around you: dogs, cats, squirrels, rabbits, birds; observe birds in their nests and their habitats; watch a caterpillar spin its cocoon and wait until it transforms into a butterfly; look for animal tracks; observe the way ducks animals care for their young; visit the vet with your pet; observe the changes as a cut heals; ask to see x-rays at the doctor’s or dentist’s office; ask about the equipment that your doctor or dentist uses; observe the genetic similarities between generations in your family or friends.
Plants
Plant packaged seeds and observe them grow; plant seeds from fruit and vegetables that you eat; plant an acorn; learn the names of various types of trees and flowers; save waste food as compost; watch flowers bud and blossom; help care for trees and flowers in your environment; plant a tree and record its progress.
Weather
Look at the weather report on television or in the newspaper; pick a place and find its weather on the Internet; look at a map that has climate or weather zones; observe the sky at different times during the day; keep a thermometer inside and outside your house; fly a kite; ask people about the weather where they are when you send them email or speak to them on the phone; keep a graph or diary of weather conditions; talk about the weather with people who come from different climate zones; investigate the life of people who live in a different weather zone than you; collect rain in a container; gaze at a rainbow; count the time that takes place after lightning flashes and thunder crashes.
Chemical and physical properties
Experiment with what will sink or float in a large bucket of water; collect items in nature and sort them; see how long it takes for an ice cube to melt; draw on steamy bathroom mirrors or car windows; reflect light off mirrors; shine light through a crystal; balance objects on a seesaw; squirt food coloring into water; make bubbles; create your own musical instruments; sort spices by the different types of tastes; help with measuring and mixing with recipes; put glow-in-the-dark stickers on your child’s ceiling or wall.
Earth and space
Dig a hole in your yard or at the beach; name the different materials used to build houses and other buildings; read maps; make model cars, boats, and airplanes; go rock-hunting to see how many different ones you can find; notice the way the sun and moon move across the sky; watch a sunrise or sunset; keep track of the progress of space program satellites, launches, and missions; make a graph of the way the shape of the moon changes throughout the month; put rocks in a tumbler and see how they change; look at the stars when you are away from an area that has bright city lights.
Energy
Observe how your electric meter changes when you turn things on and off; recycle glass, metal, and paper around the house; visit a recycling site and a dump; play around with magnets on the refrigerator; learn how to use electrical tools in the kitchen, bathroom, and workshop; take apart old tools that have stopped working; find out how things work; figure out the mileage for the family’s car; figure out the differences in time for a trip you take on foot, by bike, in a car, or on a bus or train; see how far a ball will roll.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Helping The Problem Reader
There is growing evidence that it might be more appropriate to refer to the amount of time a learner takes to complete a reading task rather than using qualitative labels, such as good, best, or poor reader (Smith, 1990). If we accept the premise that all individuals are capable of learning to read but some need to stretch their learning time, then we can search for adjustments. Slow readers could read shorter passages. In this way, they could finish a story and experience the success of sharing it with a parent or friend.
Let's examine some other conditions that will help improve comprehension for those learners sometimes labeled reading disabled. Besides reading more slowly, the person with reading difficulties can be asked to find specific kinds of information in a story, or can be paired with a more capable reader who will help in summarizing the essential points of the reading or in identifying the main ideas of a story.
One of the reasons that these learners read more slowly is that they seem less able to identify the organization of a passage of text (Wong and Wilson, 1984). Since efficient comprehension relies on the reader's ability to see the pattern or the direction that the writer is taking, parents and teachers can help these readers by spending more time on building background for the reading selection, both in the general sense of concept building and in the specific sense of creating a mental scheme for the text organization. Many times, drawing a simple diagram can help these readers greatly.
Direct intervention of parent or teacher or tutor in the comprehension process increases reading comprehension in slower readers (Bos, 1982). These readers often need help with vocabulary and need reminders to summarize as they proceed. They also need to ask themselves questions about what they are reading. The parent can prompt thinking or can provide an insight into the language that may otherwise elude the reader.
One effective strategy for slower readers is to generate visual images of what is being read (Carnine and Kinder, 1985). For the reader to generate images, he or she must first be able to recognize the word. Assuming the reader knows how to recognize words, he or she needs concepts to visualize the flow of action represented on the page. The same kind of concept building techniques that work for average readers also work for slower readers. The slower reader, however, gains more from concrete experiences and images than from abstract discussions. It is not enough for the parent to simply tell the slower reader to use visual images--the parent has to describe the images that occur in his or her own mind as he or she reads a particular passage, thus giving the child a concrete sense of what visual imagery means. Pictures, physical action, demonstrations, practice using words in interviews or in an exchange of views among peers are only a few of the ways that parents, tutors, or teachers can make the key vocabulary take root in the reader's mind.
Let's examine some other conditions that will help improve comprehension for those learners sometimes labeled reading disabled. Besides reading more slowly, the person with reading difficulties can be asked to find specific kinds of information in a story, or can be paired with a more capable reader who will help in summarizing the essential points of the reading or in identifying the main ideas of a story.
One of the reasons that these learners read more slowly is that they seem less able to identify the organization of a passage of text (Wong and Wilson, 1984). Since efficient comprehension relies on the reader's ability to see the pattern or the direction that the writer is taking, parents and teachers can help these readers by spending more time on building background for the reading selection, both in the general sense of concept building and in the specific sense of creating a mental scheme for the text organization. Many times, drawing a simple diagram can help these readers greatly.
Direct intervention of parent or teacher or tutor in the comprehension process increases reading comprehension in slower readers (Bos, 1982). These readers often need help with vocabulary and need reminders to summarize as they proceed. They also need to ask themselves questions about what they are reading. The parent can prompt thinking or can provide an insight into the language that may otherwise elude the reader.
One effective strategy for slower readers is to generate visual images of what is being read (Carnine and Kinder, 1985). For the reader to generate images, he or she must first be able to recognize the word. Assuming the reader knows how to recognize words, he or she needs concepts to visualize the flow of action represented on the page. The same kind of concept building techniques that work for average readers also work for slower readers. The slower reader, however, gains more from concrete experiences and images than from abstract discussions. It is not enough for the parent to simply tell the slower reader to use visual images--the parent has to describe the images that occur in his or her own mind as he or she reads a particular passage, thus giving the child a concrete sense of what visual imagery means. Pictures, physical action, demonstrations, practice using words in interviews or in an exchange of views among peers are only a few of the ways that parents, tutors, or teachers can make the key vocabulary take root in the reader's mind.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Geography Study
Helping Your Child with Geography
There are certain kinds of information that youngsters need in order to function adequately as competent members of society. One of those areas is geography. Recent studies, even of college students, show that a surprising number of high school and college students have a remarkably poor understanding of geography-even a reasonable understanding of where major cities and countries are located in relation to one another.
Where to begin? Start early with a basic investment of at least four maps that can be hung in your child's room: a map of the world, the USA, your own state, and one of your local region. Check with your local library if you have any difficulty locating the maps you need.
If you are willing to go even one step further, invest in relief maps. These are particularly helpful when youngsters hear, for example, information such as "The Mississippi River basin drains two/thirds of the United States." By noting the location of the Rocky Mountains on the western third of the continent and the contours of the eastern slopes of the United States, the child can readily see why this fact is true. On such maps it is also obvious why populations are concentrated more in some areas of the country than others and why parts of the country lend themselves more to farming and ranching than industrialization, as well as the importance of ports and river ways, and so on.
Once the maps are mounted, identify the four major points of the compass-north, east, south, and west Make large, clear labels for these and put them on the maps. (A note-the top of a map is always north.)
Basic facts about the local area should be taught. Your child should know adjoining or nearby cities and that they are "to the east of' or "north of" his city of residence. With the massive highway connections in this country, youngsters can "fix" some locations by their proximity to major thoroughfares.
Virtually a day doesn't pan that some event of consequence isn't reported from some place on the globe. These countries and cities can be marked with little flags.
With many families separated because of jobs and other factors, a map can be used to show San Francisco where Aunt Susan fives, or Tallahassee where Uncle Jim fives, or Washington, DC, where Grandma lives, or Boston where Cousin Ed works. An effort should be made to give the child a sense of key spots that can serve as "anchors"-for example, "Connecticut? That's the state next to Massachusetts where Cousin Ed works."
Next to the bathroom, the kitchen is the most commonly used room in the house. Don't overlook placing a large map on one wall. As news of consequence about problems in specific parts of the world turmoil, earthquakes, floods, monsoons, famine, oil-arise, their locations can be flagged for everyone's benefit.
Every home should have an Atlas of fairly recent date-one that, like a dictionary, isn't stored on a shelf collecting dust but is used for frequent reference. An atlas makes a noteworthy birthday or holiday gift. In addition to the locations of countries and cities, a tremendous amount of other important information is given-products, resources, populations, languages spoken, and so on.
If your child really gets turned on to maps, introduce the concept of "scale. " Every map has a scale that shows how many inches equal a mile. The smaller the map, the more miles will be squeezed into an inch. Get out a ruler when figuring distance and ask your child to determine the approximate number of miles from one place to another. This activity can take on added meaning if the family is planning a trip, and the number of miles involved is important. (If you really want to get your child involved and interested, tell him how many miles to the gallon your car uses in highway travel. See if he can figure out the number of gallons of gas that will be needed for the trip. He can then multiply that figure by the price of a gallon of gas to estimate the cost of the trip.)
Make good use of your local area map. What are spots of interest to your child-places he knows or likes to go, such as the football field, the city hall, the city park, the zoo, the sports arena, the civic center? Mark these with "flags" to relate them to "Flag #1" (your home).
If time permits (and often it doesn't in busy households in the morning families prepare for school and work) the morning news shows on the major television stations show a considerable number of news, political and weather drawings and maps. Just from repetition alone, a certain amount of geographical information will "stick" aside from the other valuable and timely information.
There are puzzles of maps of the United States and the world that add yet another dimension to becoming familiar with our country and world. These range from very simple to complex and should be selected based on the child's current ran & of knowledge-too easy would be insulting; too difficult would be frustrating. If a puzzle of a map at the proper level cannot be found, it is possible to make one at home by mounting a map on a stiff piece of cardboard and cutting it into puzzle pieces. (This is something a brother or sister might make to give the child as an inexpensive birthday or holiday gift.) In some commercial maps of the United States and the world, the actual shape of the state or country forms the pieces. This is an excellent way for the child to learn the size and shape of his own state and country and how they relate in size to other states and other countries.
Just memorizing states and their capitals doesn't teach geography. Such information has to be linked into other facts-facts that have special meaning for the child. For example, knowing and locating the home cities of the major football and baseball teams or places of general interest, such as Philadelphia (home of the Liberty Bell), Boston (the Boston Tea Party), New York (Statue of Liberty), Hollywood (where motion pictures are made), et cetera.
Before taking a family outing or trip, lay out the route on a map. "Let's take U.S. Highway 101 south from San Francisco to San Jose. Then we'll take Highway 17 to Santa Cruz and be at the beach." Let your child be the "map keeper" with the responsibility of watching road signs as the trip is made.
One thing all youngsters should do, either as a government class project or with the family, is to visit their own state capital and arrange to visit legislative sessions-and to contact in advance their local state representatives. This is one sure way that they will team and remember the name of their state capital and its location relative to other cities. But a trip to the state capital should involve a bit of advance study. Along the way, whether it is by car, train, or bus--or even airplane--certain key spots (rivers, historical locations, and cities) will have to be passed. Knowing these in advance will "lock in" additional geographical information.
On a family outing, keep a record of mileage and time so that your child understands the distance involved. If you are taking a trip that might involve more than an hour, record the starting and ending mileage.
A great source of geographical information that is bright, colorful, and well designed is any local Chamber of Commerce. A phone call or letter requesting printed materials will unfailingly bring a response. Another source is your local travel agency whose representatives will be glad to share their information brochures. Almost every major airline has a fine magazine tucked into the pocket in front of the seat. These publications are a treasure of geographical information, including maps that show air routes. If a family member or a friend is scheduled to make an air trip, ask that person to bring back one of these magazines.
Another valuable resource is an automobile club. If you or a family member or a friend is a member, check out their ample supply of maps, both local and otherwise. Such clubs will also provide "strip maps" with routes plotted which are models of clarity and will interest and fascinate the child.
While knowledge of the locations of various places around the globe is almost second nature to most adults it can occasionally be perplexing and confusing to children. Stimulating talk about the news and why, for example, an early frost in Brazil will raise the price of coffee, or how difficulties in the Middle East can affect the price of oil, or why a strike in the automobile industry in Michigan may affect the cost of can will, little by little, help youngsters get a better grasp and sense of geography.
There are certain kinds of information that youngsters need in order to function adequately as competent members of society. One of those areas is geography. Recent studies, even of college students, show that a surprising number of high school and college students have a remarkably poor understanding of geography-even a reasonable understanding of where major cities and countries are located in relation to one another.
Where to begin? Start early with a basic investment of at least four maps that can be hung in your child's room: a map of the world, the USA, your own state, and one of your local region. Check with your local library if you have any difficulty locating the maps you need.
If you are willing to go even one step further, invest in relief maps. These are particularly helpful when youngsters hear, for example, information such as "The Mississippi River basin drains two/thirds of the United States." By noting the location of the Rocky Mountains on the western third of the continent and the contours of the eastern slopes of the United States, the child can readily see why this fact is true. On such maps it is also obvious why populations are concentrated more in some areas of the country than others and why parts of the country lend themselves more to farming and ranching than industrialization, as well as the importance of ports and river ways, and so on.
Once the maps are mounted, identify the four major points of the compass-north, east, south, and west Make large, clear labels for these and put them on the maps. (A note-the top of a map is always north.)
Basic facts about the local area should be taught. Your child should know adjoining or nearby cities and that they are "to the east of' or "north of" his city of residence. With the massive highway connections in this country, youngsters can "fix" some locations by their proximity to major thoroughfares.
Virtually a day doesn't pan that some event of consequence isn't reported from some place on the globe. These countries and cities can be marked with little flags.
With many families separated because of jobs and other factors, a map can be used to show San Francisco where Aunt Susan fives, or Tallahassee where Uncle Jim fives, or Washington, DC, where Grandma lives, or Boston where Cousin Ed works. An effort should be made to give the child a sense of key spots that can serve as "anchors"-for example, "Connecticut? That's the state next to Massachusetts where Cousin Ed works."
Next to the bathroom, the kitchen is the most commonly used room in the house. Don't overlook placing a large map on one wall. As news of consequence about problems in specific parts of the world turmoil, earthquakes, floods, monsoons, famine, oil-arise, their locations can be flagged for everyone's benefit.
Every home should have an Atlas of fairly recent date-one that, like a dictionary, isn't stored on a shelf collecting dust but is used for frequent reference. An atlas makes a noteworthy birthday or holiday gift. In addition to the locations of countries and cities, a tremendous amount of other important information is given-products, resources, populations, languages spoken, and so on.
If your child really gets turned on to maps, introduce the concept of "scale. " Every map has a scale that shows how many inches equal a mile. The smaller the map, the more miles will be squeezed into an inch. Get out a ruler when figuring distance and ask your child to determine the approximate number of miles from one place to another. This activity can take on added meaning if the family is planning a trip, and the number of miles involved is important. (If you really want to get your child involved and interested, tell him how many miles to the gallon your car uses in highway travel. See if he can figure out the number of gallons of gas that will be needed for the trip. He can then multiply that figure by the price of a gallon of gas to estimate the cost of the trip.)
Make good use of your local area map. What are spots of interest to your child-places he knows or likes to go, such as the football field, the city hall, the city park, the zoo, the sports arena, the civic center? Mark these with "flags" to relate them to "Flag #1" (your home).
If time permits (and often it doesn't in busy households in the morning families prepare for school and work) the morning news shows on the major television stations show a considerable number of news, political and weather drawings and maps. Just from repetition alone, a certain amount of geographical information will "stick" aside from the other valuable and timely information.
There are puzzles of maps of the United States and the world that add yet another dimension to becoming familiar with our country and world. These range from very simple to complex and should be selected based on the child's current ran & of knowledge-too easy would be insulting; too difficult would be frustrating. If a puzzle of a map at the proper level cannot be found, it is possible to make one at home by mounting a map on a stiff piece of cardboard and cutting it into puzzle pieces. (This is something a brother or sister might make to give the child as an inexpensive birthday or holiday gift.) In some commercial maps of the United States and the world, the actual shape of the state or country forms the pieces. This is an excellent way for the child to learn the size and shape of his own state and country and how they relate in size to other states and other countries.
Just memorizing states and their capitals doesn't teach geography. Such information has to be linked into other facts-facts that have special meaning for the child. For example, knowing and locating the home cities of the major football and baseball teams or places of general interest, such as Philadelphia (home of the Liberty Bell), Boston (the Boston Tea Party), New York (Statue of Liberty), Hollywood (where motion pictures are made), et cetera.
Before taking a family outing or trip, lay out the route on a map. "Let's take U.S. Highway 101 south from San Francisco to San Jose. Then we'll take Highway 17 to Santa Cruz and be at the beach." Let your child be the "map keeper" with the responsibility of watching road signs as the trip is made.
One thing all youngsters should do, either as a government class project or with the family, is to visit their own state capital and arrange to visit legislative sessions-and to contact in advance their local state representatives. This is one sure way that they will team and remember the name of their state capital and its location relative to other cities. But a trip to the state capital should involve a bit of advance study. Along the way, whether it is by car, train, or bus--or even airplane--certain key spots (rivers, historical locations, and cities) will have to be passed. Knowing these in advance will "lock in" additional geographical information.
On a family outing, keep a record of mileage and time so that your child understands the distance involved. If you are taking a trip that might involve more than an hour, record the starting and ending mileage.
A great source of geographical information that is bright, colorful, and well designed is any local Chamber of Commerce. A phone call or letter requesting printed materials will unfailingly bring a response. Another source is your local travel agency whose representatives will be glad to share their information brochures. Almost every major airline has a fine magazine tucked into the pocket in front of the seat. These publications are a treasure of geographical information, including maps that show air routes. If a family member or a friend is scheduled to make an air trip, ask that person to bring back one of these magazines.
Another valuable resource is an automobile club. If you or a family member or a friend is a member, check out their ample supply of maps, both local and otherwise. Such clubs will also provide "strip maps" with routes plotted which are models of clarity and will interest and fascinate the child.
While knowledge of the locations of various places around the globe is almost second nature to most adults it can occasionally be perplexing and confusing to children. Stimulating talk about the news and why, for example, an early frost in Brazil will raise the price of coffee, or how difficulties in the Middle East can affect the price of oil, or why a strike in the automobile industry in Michigan may affect the cost of can will, little by little, help youngsters get a better grasp and sense of geography.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Math Improvement
Helping Your Child With Arithmetic And Math
Children in trouble with arithmetic cannot seem to remember math problems even though they review them over and over again. They may seem to remember facts when reviewed on flash cards, but when presented with arithmetic problems, they must revert to finger counting or other aids to assist them.
Here are some suggestions other parents have successfully used to help their children:
Make sure your child can correctly write numerals. Even when children can count sequentially, they may have difficulties evidenced by reversing of numerals. Taking their hand in yours and tracing large numerals helps very much. Use a large, flat surface. Let your child get the "feet" of the shape. Try doing it with your child's eyes closed. Say the numeral as you trace it with him.
If numeral reversals continue, help your child with the understanding Of "left" and "right" on his own body. Play games like "Loobie-Loo" that require moving one side of the body or the other. The awareness of left and right also affects letter reversals as well.
Before and after games, with numbers, are helpful for math understanding. First, know how far your child can sequentially count. Then ask, "What number comes after ... ?" and "What number comes just before. . . ?" This skill is critical for understanding both addition and subtraction.
Use numbers in a practical way around the house. "Susie, bring three forks to the table please;" or "Billy, will you give your dad five nails?" This gives children the opportunity to count in a realistic setting and to see, over and over again, that numerals in a problem at school represent real quantities. Use this activity in as many ways as you can.
Board games, which involve tossing of dice or spinning that result in a number of moves across a board, are excellent ways to develop sequential math understanding. These games are particularly helpful if there are backward moves as "penalties" in the game. You can even let your child make his own game by using a large sheet of construction paper. Dominoes are a good math activity because, besides being a game, the matching of numbers (in the simple form of the game) is required. Children see the dots, can orally name them, and then can make the correct match.
Keeping score on games played at home. There are any number of activities that children can do at home winch require tallying. Mom and Dad might play a game, and the child can record points by using the style of clustering four straight (upright) lines with the fifth running diagonally. Then, he can figure the totals by counting by fives.
Give your child loads of opportunities to estimate space. This can be a family game if the conditions for involving other children are satisfactory. "How long do you suppose that table is?" Then it can be measured with a ruler or yardstick. The exact number of inches or feet is not critical. The question can be phrased so that the number of lengths is the critical factor. For example, "How many times would this ruler go across that table? You guess and I'll guess. Then we'll measure it. " You can practice estimating the distance across a room or up a wall, for example, in handprints, footsteps, paces, etc.
Measuring wall. Every home should have one wall that is used for keeping track of growth. Measure your child frequently and date each entry directly on the wall. Let him see how much he has grown as you measure him every month or every three months.
The same thing can be done with plants. There are many bulb plants that grow quickly in a pot or jar. Put a ruler beside the container and let your child record the amount of growth each day. He can, keep a chart, with your help, to determine the daily growth.
Teaching children to tell time would be far simpler if training clocks had only an hour hand. If you happen to have a clock that Dad can take apart, remove the minute hand. Use a clock face with Arabic numerals. By using this dock, initially, and having it designated as "Johnny's clock," your child can see that it is "almost eleven," or "halfway between nine and ten; or, -a little after seven." When your child begins to understand words like "almost," "after," "in between," and how to use them, he will be ready to move to the two-hand clock.
Counting backwards is a game that children like because it ends with "Blast-off!" The skill of backwards counting is one that eventually develops the ability to understand subtracting by ones. It is also a visualization skill. Try starting from just "8" or "16" as practice. Count aloud with your child.
Counting and clustering real objects. Use beads or paper clips or buttons or poker chips-anything your child can grasp and that is not too law or too tiny. Let him arrange them into patterns or designs. Try clustering them into groups of two or three. Ask him for a specific number or trade items with turn.
Concentration. This game can be played in a number of ways. Generally, a specific number of playing cards are placed, face down, on the table. Your child turns a card over, one at a time, attempting to match two cards. The game calls for remembering where specific cards are placed, as he systematically searches for pairs. If he does not match a pair, cards are kept face down. Pairs are removed from the table. The game can be played with two people-or more.
"Fish" can also be played with playing cards. The object is to ask your opponent if he has a card you need to make a pair. Each player starts with four cards. Players take turns asking their opponent for a matching card. If the opponent does not have the "match," the asking player draws from the card stack. The game however, can be played as a multiplication game. Whatever pair is gotten, the child doubles or triples the face value of the cards.
Maintaining a daily calendar teaches, in an almost incidental way, adding by seven and multiplying by seven. Children can make their own calendars, with assistance, and then keep track of the passage of tune by crossing out each day after it has passed.
There are many ways of using division around the house if opportunities are used when they are available. In fact, creating them helps even more. Let your child assist you in separating things into even clusters. For example, after baking cookies, let your child assist you in solving the problem of how many should go into each place. As an incidental factor, mention, "That's right, twenty-one cookies and seven plates means each person gets three cookies-because 7 times 3 is 2 1. "
Mathematical, sequential reasoning enters into all kinds of daily uses. Determining halves, quarters, thirds, et cetera, when separating things is done daily in many households; for example, "Let's split this apple. You take half and I'll take the other half." Asking children to follow the directions involved in simple cooking activities gives them the opportunity to measure, mix, and follow a sequence to a natural conclusion.
Here's a game that is fun and can be regularly played. Write a number over each letter of the alphabet. Let your child use a "master card" so that he can refer to it. That is, A has a 1 over it, B has 2, C has 3, etc. Then write a message like "Dad + Jimmy = _________." The problem is solved by changing each letter to a number, adding them, and then getting the total. You can also use division by writing "Dad divided by C = - ." (Likewise, you can use subtraction and multiplication as well.)
Counting with another activity is extremely helpful. Teachers call this the "one-to-one correspondence." For example, as a child moves his piece in a board game, have him count aloud each time he moves the piece. Have him count aloud as he takes each step when he walks across the room. Have him clap his hands as he counts or clap for each step as he hops across the yard.
The arithmetic children use in school, that is, number problems on a page, are really a formalization of all kinds of experiences dealing with measurements, time, and space. Children who are performing poorly in math at school do not need drilling at home of specific problems. If they are to develop the foundations for competency in math, they need multiple experiences that allow them to reason with numbers in their activities of daily living. These activities will allow them, in turn, to develop the generalizations necessary for handling the formal arithmetic they encounter at school. Enjoyable, fun experiences will go further toward helping your child than a repetition of the frustration he regularly faces when confronted with formal math.
Children in trouble with arithmetic cannot seem to remember math problems even though they review them over and over again. They may seem to remember facts when reviewed on flash cards, but when presented with arithmetic problems, they must revert to finger counting or other aids to assist them.
Here are some suggestions other parents have successfully used to help their children:
Make sure your child can correctly write numerals. Even when children can count sequentially, they may have difficulties evidenced by reversing of numerals. Taking their hand in yours and tracing large numerals helps very much. Use a large, flat surface. Let your child get the "feet" of the shape. Try doing it with your child's eyes closed. Say the numeral as you trace it with him.
If numeral reversals continue, help your child with the understanding Of "left" and "right" on his own body. Play games like "Loobie-Loo" that require moving one side of the body or the other. The awareness of left and right also affects letter reversals as well.
Before and after games, with numbers, are helpful for math understanding. First, know how far your child can sequentially count. Then ask, "What number comes after ... ?" and "What number comes just before. . . ?" This skill is critical for understanding both addition and subtraction.
Use numbers in a practical way around the house. "Susie, bring three forks to the table please;" or "Billy, will you give your dad five nails?" This gives children the opportunity to count in a realistic setting and to see, over and over again, that numerals in a problem at school represent real quantities. Use this activity in as many ways as you can.
Board games, which involve tossing of dice or spinning that result in a number of moves across a board, are excellent ways to develop sequential math understanding. These games are particularly helpful if there are backward moves as "penalties" in the game. You can even let your child make his own game by using a large sheet of construction paper. Dominoes are a good math activity because, besides being a game, the matching of numbers (in the simple form of the game) is required. Children see the dots, can orally name them, and then can make the correct match.
Keeping score on games played at home. There are any number of activities that children can do at home winch require tallying. Mom and Dad might play a game, and the child can record points by using the style of clustering four straight (upright) lines with the fifth running diagonally. Then, he can figure the totals by counting by fives.
Give your child loads of opportunities to estimate space. This can be a family game if the conditions for involving other children are satisfactory. "How long do you suppose that table is?" Then it can be measured with a ruler or yardstick. The exact number of inches or feet is not critical. The question can be phrased so that the number of lengths is the critical factor. For example, "How many times would this ruler go across that table? You guess and I'll guess. Then we'll measure it. " You can practice estimating the distance across a room or up a wall, for example, in handprints, footsteps, paces, etc.
Measuring wall. Every home should have one wall that is used for keeping track of growth. Measure your child frequently and date each entry directly on the wall. Let him see how much he has grown as you measure him every month or every three months.
The same thing can be done with plants. There are many bulb plants that grow quickly in a pot or jar. Put a ruler beside the container and let your child record the amount of growth each day. He can, keep a chart, with your help, to determine the daily growth.
Teaching children to tell time would be far simpler if training clocks had only an hour hand. If you happen to have a clock that Dad can take apart, remove the minute hand. Use a clock face with Arabic numerals. By using this dock, initially, and having it designated as "Johnny's clock," your child can see that it is "almost eleven," or "halfway between nine and ten; or, -a little after seven." When your child begins to understand words like "almost," "after," "in between," and how to use them, he will be ready to move to the two-hand clock.
Counting backwards is a game that children like because it ends with "Blast-off!" The skill of backwards counting is one that eventually develops the ability to understand subtracting by ones. It is also a visualization skill. Try starting from just "8" or "16" as practice. Count aloud with your child.
Counting and clustering real objects. Use beads or paper clips or buttons or poker chips-anything your child can grasp and that is not too law or too tiny. Let him arrange them into patterns or designs. Try clustering them into groups of two or three. Ask him for a specific number or trade items with turn.
Concentration. This game can be played in a number of ways. Generally, a specific number of playing cards are placed, face down, on the table. Your child turns a card over, one at a time, attempting to match two cards. The game calls for remembering where specific cards are placed, as he systematically searches for pairs. If he does not match a pair, cards are kept face down. Pairs are removed from the table. The game can be played with two people-or more.
"Fish" can also be played with playing cards. The object is to ask your opponent if he has a card you need to make a pair. Each player starts with four cards. Players take turns asking their opponent for a matching card. If the opponent does not have the "match," the asking player draws from the card stack. The game however, can be played as a multiplication game. Whatever pair is gotten, the child doubles or triples the face value of the cards.
Maintaining a daily calendar teaches, in an almost incidental way, adding by seven and multiplying by seven. Children can make their own calendars, with assistance, and then keep track of the passage of tune by crossing out each day after it has passed.
There are many ways of using division around the house if opportunities are used when they are available. In fact, creating them helps even more. Let your child assist you in separating things into even clusters. For example, after baking cookies, let your child assist you in solving the problem of how many should go into each place. As an incidental factor, mention, "That's right, twenty-one cookies and seven plates means each person gets three cookies-because 7 times 3 is 2 1. "
Mathematical, sequential reasoning enters into all kinds of daily uses. Determining halves, quarters, thirds, et cetera, when separating things is done daily in many households; for example, "Let's split this apple. You take half and I'll take the other half." Asking children to follow the directions involved in simple cooking activities gives them the opportunity to measure, mix, and follow a sequence to a natural conclusion.
Here's a game that is fun and can be regularly played. Write a number over each letter of the alphabet. Let your child use a "master card" so that he can refer to it. That is, A has a 1 over it, B has 2, C has 3, etc. Then write a message like "Dad + Jimmy = _________." The problem is solved by changing each letter to a number, adding them, and then getting the total. You can also use division by writing "Dad divided by C = - ." (Likewise, you can use subtraction and multiplication as well.)
Counting with another activity is extremely helpful. Teachers call this the "one-to-one correspondence." For example, as a child moves his piece in a board game, have him count aloud each time he moves the piece. Have him count aloud as he takes each step when he walks across the room. Have him clap his hands as he counts or clap for each step as he hops across the yard.
The arithmetic children use in school, that is, number problems on a page, are really a formalization of all kinds of experiences dealing with measurements, time, and space. Children who are performing poorly in math at school do not need drilling at home of specific problems. If they are to develop the foundations for competency in math, they need multiple experiences that allow them to reason with numbers in their activities of daily living. These activities will allow them, in turn, to develop the generalizations necessary for handling the formal arithmetic they encounter at school. Enjoyable, fun experiences will go further toward helping your child than a repetition of the frustration he regularly faces when confronted with formal math.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Diagnosis of Attention Hyperactivity Deficit Disorder
n the most current assessment guidelines published by the American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders IV (DSM4), the disorder is known as ADHD and has several types including: (1) predominantly inattentive; (2) predominantly impulsive or (3) combined. Individuals with this condition usually have many (but not all) of the following symptoms:
Inattention:
* often fails to finish what he starts
* doesn’t seem to listen
* easily distracted
* has difficulty concentration or paying attention
* doesn’t stick with a play activity
Impulsivity:
* often acts without thinking & later feels sorry
* shifts excessively from one activity to another
* has difficulty organizing work
* needs a lot of supervision
* speaks out loud in class
* doesn’t wait to take turns in games or groups
Hyperactivity:
* runs about or climbs on things excessively
* can’t sit still and is fidgety
* has difficulty staying in his seat and bothers classmates
* excessive activity during sleep
* always on the "go" and acts as if "driven"
Emotional Instability:
* angry outbursts
* social loner
* blames others for problems
* fights with others quickly
* very sensitive to criticism
The diagnosis is made by "ruling out" other medical or psychiatric causes for the symptoms and by then determining that the patient meets the DSM4 criteria for ADHD. Psychological testing can be useful to rule out learning disabilities and Continuous Performance Tests (Connor’s CPT, TOVA, IVA, Gordon Diagnostic) may help confirm the diagnosis and be helpful with titration of medication. At this time the use of imaging such as PET or SPECT is recommended for research purposes. Several professional organizations recommend against the use of these techniques due to unwarranted exposure to radiation and lack of sufficient data to enable accurate diagnosis.
This diagnosis may coexist with anxiety, depression, Tourette’s, bipolar disorder, conduct and learning disabilities.
True ADHD patients usually start showing symptoms by the time they start school. Some very impulsive children are diagnosed as early as 2 or 3 years old. Another group appears to develop more severe symptoms around the fourth grade. These children may have always had ADHD but were able to compensate for the condition. As school requires more work and more organization skills, these children may reach a point where they become unable to compensate and exhibit "full blown" ADHD symptoms. Some children may remain undiagnosed until they are in their teens. More recently adults have been diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder. These individuals had the disorder as children but were not properly identified during their childhood
Inattention:
* often fails to finish what he starts
* doesn’t seem to listen
* easily distracted
* has difficulty concentration or paying attention
* doesn’t stick with a play activity
Impulsivity:
* often acts without thinking & later feels sorry
* shifts excessively from one activity to another
* has difficulty organizing work
* needs a lot of supervision
* speaks out loud in class
* doesn’t wait to take turns in games or groups
Hyperactivity:
* runs about or climbs on things excessively
* can’t sit still and is fidgety
* has difficulty staying in his seat and bothers classmates
* excessive activity during sleep
* always on the "go" and acts as if "driven"
Emotional Instability:
* angry outbursts
* social loner
* blames others for problems
* fights with others quickly
* very sensitive to criticism
The diagnosis is made by "ruling out" other medical or psychiatric causes for the symptoms and by then determining that the patient meets the DSM4 criteria for ADHD. Psychological testing can be useful to rule out learning disabilities and Continuous Performance Tests (Connor’s CPT, TOVA, IVA, Gordon Diagnostic) may help confirm the diagnosis and be helpful with titration of medication. At this time the use of imaging such as PET or SPECT is recommended for research purposes. Several professional organizations recommend against the use of these techniques due to unwarranted exposure to radiation and lack of sufficient data to enable accurate diagnosis.
This diagnosis may coexist with anxiety, depression, Tourette’s, bipolar disorder, conduct and learning disabilities.
True ADHD patients usually start showing symptoms by the time they start school. Some very impulsive children are diagnosed as early as 2 or 3 years old. Another group appears to develop more severe symptoms around the fourth grade. These children may have always had ADHD but were able to compensate for the condition. As school requires more work and more organization skills, these children may reach a point where they become unable to compensate and exhibit "full blown" ADHD symptoms. Some children may remain undiagnosed until they are in their teens. More recently adults have been diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder. These individuals had the disorder as children but were not properly identified during their childhood
About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD sometimes known as Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD is a condition that becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention. It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have meet criteria for diagnosis, or approximately 2 million children in the United States. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD.
he condition was first described by Dr. Heinrich Hoffman in 1845. A physician who wrote books on medicine and psychiatry, Dr. Hoffman was also a poet who became interested in writing for children when he couldn't find suitable materials to read to his 3-year-old son. The result was a book of poems, complete with illustrations, about children and their characteristics. "The Story of Fidgety Philip" was an accurate description of a little boy who had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Yet it was not until 1902 that Sir George F. Still published a series of lectures to the Royal College of Physicians in England in which he described a group of impulsive children with significant behavioral problems, caused by a genetic dysfunction and not by poor child rearing—children who today would be easily recognized as having ADHD. Since then, several thousand scientific papers on the disorder have been published, providing information on its nature, course, causes, impairments, and treatments.
A child with ADHD faces a difficult but not insurmountable task ahead. In order to achieve his or her full potential, he or she should receive help, guidance, and understanding from parents, guidance counselors, and the public education system. This document offers information on the condition and its management, including research on medications and behavioral interventions, as well as helpful resources on educational options.
Improves focus and behavior FAST!
FREE TRIAL
he condition was first described by Dr. Heinrich Hoffman in 1845. A physician who wrote books on medicine and psychiatry, Dr. Hoffman was also a poet who became interested in writing for children when he couldn't find suitable materials to read to his 3-year-old son. The result was a book of poems, complete with illustrations, about children and their characteristics. "The Story of Fidgety Philip" was an accurate description of a little boy who had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Yet it was not until 1902 that Sir George F. Still published a series of lectures to the Royal College of Physicians in England in which he described a group of impulsive children with significant behavioral problems, caused by a genetic dysfunction and not by poor child rearing—children who today would be easily recognized as having ADHD. Since then, several thousand scientific papers on the disorder have been published, providing information on its nature, course, causes, impairments, and treatments.
A child with ADHD faces a difficult but not insurmountable task ahead. In order to achieve his or her full potential, he or she should receive help, guidance, and understanding from parents, guidance counselors, and the public education system. This document offers information on the condition and its management, including research on medications and behavioral interventions, as well as helpful resources on educational options.
Improves focus and behavior FAST!
FREE TRIAL
ClickN' READ Phonics - Learning Tool
This is an online reading program that works well for beginning readers as well as struggling readers. The instruction is provided directly by the computer in 20 minute lessons. The lessons gradually increase in difficulty but the learner must master each lesson before going on to the next. The lessons are fun, entertaining and interactive. Helpful to beginners as well as children in special education. Based on thorough educational research and field testing. Appropriate for all ages.
Learn More About ClickN' READ Phonics --> http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-2197392-10435250
The Importance of The Creative Arts
The role of parents and teachers is to expose children to a variety of materials so that they can create art. Once the variety is offered, children will then have a choice as to whether they want to use the materials or not. But without the exposure, there is no choice.
Budding artists have a creative spirit that cannot be expressed unless there is an exposure to art. If you start early, there is a greater opportunity for this spirit to be identified and, therefore, grow with the child.
Art is a delightful way through which you can record the development of your child’s growth. Just as you will notice that writing and reading improves with age, so does artwork.
Creating art is a fine way for children to make choices and solve problems. Every step involves making a decision: what color to use, how to make a line, what size to make something. With every choice the object becomes more and more their own.
Everyone has an imagination. Art takes it a step further. Through art, children create something that, until that point, was only imagined. Thus, they create visual manifestations of abstract ideas.
Children who may be having difficulties in other parts of the school curriculum may find an expressive outlet through art. It’s a way to uncover talent that may not be seen otherwise.
Art is a means of communicating ideas, feelings, and solutions in a way other than verbally or written.
Summer is a great time to introduce your child to the creative arts. Visit Parent Mart (our online store in association with amazon.com) for our recommendations for art and music items for boys and girls from toddler to teens.
Budding artists have a creative spirit that cannot be expressed unless there is an exposure to art. If you start early, there is a greater opportunity for this spirit to be identified and, therefore, grow with the child.
Art is a delightful way through which you can record the development of your child’s growth. Just as you will notice that writing and reading improves with age, so does artwork.
Creating art is a fine way for children to make choices and solve problems. Every step involves making a decision: what color to use, how to make a line, what size to make something. With every choice the object becomes more and more their own.
Everyone has an imagination. Art takes it a step further. Through art, children create something that, until that point, was only imagined. Thus, they create visual manifestations of abstract ideas.
Children who may be having difficulties in other parts of the school curriculum may find an expressive outlet through art. It’s a way to uncover talent that may not be seen otherwise.
Art is a means of communicating ideas, feelings, and solutions in a way other than verbally or written.
Summer is a great time to introduce your child to the creative arts. Visit Parent Mart (our online store in association with amazon.com) for our recommendations for art and music items for boys and girls from toddler to teens.
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