How to Correct a Pencil / Pen grip and why it is so important

A few weeks ago, my cousin Trish was visiting from Dublin. Trish is a Montessori teacher and as you can imagine, it didn’t take long for the conversation to turn to learning. We were amazed to find that we have both noticed that many children dislike writing and how there seems to be a decline in handwriting skills and an increase in really bad pencil grips!

Handwriting Requires:

-Fine motor skills: Dexterity, Precision, Coordination, Grasping

-Visual motor/Oculomotor skills: Eye teaming, Convergence, Scanning

-Behavioural skills: Attention, Focus, Creativity

Writing can be both a representation of necessary skill mastery (i.e. a proper grasp = able to button a shirt, tie shoes, or open containers to prepare a meal).

OR, it can be a window into underlying delays in skill development (i.e. poor handwriting can reveal visual motor integration issues, vision issues, behavioural/emotional issues, etc.).

Humans are not born with the natural inclination to hold writing tools with a proper grip. The proper pencil grasp actually has a name: the tripod grip.  Though the tripod grip is preferred, the quadropod grip is also a common and accepted grip.

The tripod grip utilizes three fingers to secure a writing utensil: the thumb and forefinger directing, with the utensil resting on the middle finger. The quadropod grip uses four fingers working together to stabilize the writing tool.

The tripod grip is the ideal grip for proper letter and number formation and writing, and this grip is a skill that must be modelled, taught, and corrected.   When there are too many fingers involved, or if the stance is improper, writing will not be as easy as it can be.  And writing is a difficult skill even without the grip!

But how do you teach kids how to properly hold a writing utensil?

Before you even place the tool in the child’s hand, determine whether the child is right-handed or left-handed (or a ciotóg as we say in Irish).

When you are ready to introduce the tripod grip, it’s pretty simple:
– Place a writing tool in your child’s hand;
– Move the fingers to the proper position, encouraging the child to keep their little finger and ring finger on the palm so that the fingers can do their jobs (a little pom-pom is great to use here);
– Show the child how to manipulate the tool by moving their fingers more than their wrist.

And after your child does a little bit of doodling, colouring, and painting, the tripod grip will become as easy as breathing.  It’s just imperative for parents to play an integral role in instructing early on, with demonstrating, correcting, and modelling. I cannot stress this enough – children seem to be arriving to Montessori, playschool and big school with really poor tripod grips and if not corrected early it can become a problem later on.

Ideally, we want children to be comfortable writing and to teach them proper grip as a starting point.  As they get older this will mean that they are more relaxed when writing with a lot less neck, shoulder and wrist discomfort when writing essays or in exams.  They won’t be digging into the paper because the grip will be secure and they will writing with better flow.

Cursive writing will also become easier and as cursive writing aids the flow of thoughts, having the correct handwriting grip is vital.

Trish went back to Dublin and on my recommendation started to use the pom-pom with her Montessori students – the results were astounding – here’s the text she sent me:

“OMG what a difference the humble pom-pom makes! The pencil holding and letter formation with the children who were struggling has improved by 100%!  Thank you…thank you.”

Have you noticed how your child holds their pen & pencil? For more information contact me at elaine@hummingbirdlearning.com

Fidgety Kid? 7 Awesome Ways to Help them Fidget

Áine is a jack in the box.  She is on the go from morning to night.  Even in her sleep she squirms in the bed, kicking off the covers and sometimes ending up on the floor!   Her need to move can often result in her getting into trouble at school.  She isn’t being disruptive on purpose; she is simply a fidgety kid that needs sensory input in order to focus.

The trick is to find ways that allows the child to fidget, without disrupting the entire class or annoying the hell out of the teacher. When children come to us at Hummingbird Learning Centre, their parents stay for the session as well. Thinking that it must annoy me, parents will often interject when their child fidgets; telling the child to put things down or to sit still.  The truth is; I’m never bothered by it, in fact I will often give a child something to fidget with.  You see, it’s not the child fidgeting that is the issue. It is way the observer reacts to the fidgeting that is the  real issue.

Believe me there was a time when it would have driven me crazy, but now I realise that it is simply fulfilling a physical need and not a sign of disinterest.  I know that fidgeting actually helps many children to focus so I made a conscious decision to change my reaction to it.  I cannot control how any child fidgets, but I can control how I react to those actions.  By choosing to see a fidget as a positive it no longer bothers me.  When it no longer bothers me, the kids can only use it to help themselves get focused rather than attempt to distract me with it. So here are some totally awesome fidgets to use in school:

1. Air filled rubber toy: These are always the favourite fidget at Hummingbird Learning Centre. God love the poor fidgets – they are squeezed and squashed and dangled & plucked at.  The kids just love them and it’s amazing how they automatically reach for them when they need to get themselves focused.  They are especially great to work out any frustrations.
2. Pipe Cleaners: Pipe cleaners remind me of my grandpa and Christmas presents. I love the feel of them. Nowadays they are mainly used for crafts and come in lots of different colours and sizes.  Not only do they feel great but they can be quietly bent into all kinds of shapes and are silent too – perfect!
3. Worry stone: You can buy these in health food shops or indeed lots of craft shops have them too. Why not find a little pebble when out for a walk or in the garden? It makes it more personal.  Take care to ensure that it is a little light pebble to avoid injury if it was thrown.
4. Marla / Plasticine / blu tack: Who doesn’t love pulling apart or rolling marla? (Marla is the Irish word for plasticine, play dough or silly putty).  I also suggest blu tack – it has a little more resistance which also makes it a great option for kids with dyspraxia.  The kids can stretch and squeeze while quietly sitting at their desk.
5. Velcro: Placing some sticky backed Velcro onto a ruler or even under the desk will give the child something to touch.  Use both the hook side & the soft side – the contrast will make it a better fidget.
6. Sensory bracelets: These are specialist bracelets which are excellent for children who need oral sensory tools as they are chewable.  Wearing the fidget is a great way of ensuring it’s always at hand.
7. Nail file: Now before you think I’m giving a child a lethal weapon, I mean the emery board or spongy nail file. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours.  They can be easily kept in a pencil case and offer great sensory support.

Fidgeting is a real issue. It is a not bad behaviour, rather a strong indicator that children are not getting enough movement throughout the day. Ideally they would be playing outside a lot more but that can be difficult in the modern world. So in order to counteract that, allow those kids, who need to fidget to focus, fidget.

 

Elaine Sparling is the CEO of the award winning Hummingbird Learning Centre®.Based in Adare, Co Limerick and Tralee, Co Kerry, she works with clients on a one to one basis and can be contacted on 087-2996054 or through their website www.hummingbirdlearning.com. They have also launched the online version of their popular workshop The Secrets to Successful Spelling™ which is available through their website and Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

Appropriate Reading for Kids

We always like to take books with us on our holidays.  I love nothing better than sitting in the sunshine reading my book.  It’s one of my favourite ways to unwind on holiday – assuming there is sunshine!

I’m also a great fan of libraries. Everything about them appeals to me: the rows of books, the orderliness, the calmness, the potential hidden between the covers.  We used to go to the library every Friday when we were children & I brought my kids there too.

So armed with his library card, I sent my son into the library the morning before we were going on our holidays.  His mission was to find a book for his dad, who likes to read biographies. As he is a keen cyclist, my son thought that dad would like a book about Lance Armstrong & chose the book by the Irish whistleblower, Emma O’Reilly (always good to have an Irish perspective).  However, the librarian wouldn’t allow him to take it out because it was an adult book!

When I queried it, (I assumed it might have been because of drug taking in the book), I was told that my 13yr old couldn’t take out books from the adult section.  Now I’m absolutely fine with that rule if he was taking out 50 Shades of Grey, but a sports biography? Don’t we want to encourage reading?

Most of the children I work with dislike reading when they first come to us. In school, books are banded according to various criteria and matched to perceptions of pupils’ ability. This means that some pupils never get access to the books that they would most like to read and share with others, as they are always constrained by the level they have reached. Some pupils never progress through all the levels and they end up reading what they call ‘baby’ books, which only serve to undermine their confidence further.

The Dyslexia Association of Ireland (DAI) held its 7th European Conference in the Newman Building, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4, on April 25th 2015. The conference brought together experts from Ireland, the UK and Europe to share current research on dyslexia, with a focus on Innovation in Assessment and Teaching.

One of the Keynote speakers, Jonathan Solity in his presentation “Are Synthetic Phonics Programmes and the Phonics Screen Major Causes of Dyslexia?” stated “There is no sound evidence base on which books can be banded or levelled. Schools need to move away from thinking about matching books to pupils’ ability, be clear about the skills that pupils have mastered, and the extent to which they will be able to read any books that they share with more experienced readers.”

In other words, allow the children read books that interest them.  Encourage them to expand their vocabulary. Buy a really good thesaurus dictionary, keep it beside them and help them to find out the meanings themselves.  Use the internet to get the meaning of new words.

Focus on the purpose of reading, which not to read to at a predetermined level, but to share ideas and knowledge.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month.

Elaine Sparling is the creator of the Hummingbird Learning Method® and is launching the online version of their popular workshop The Secrets to Successful Spelling™ on October 31, 2015. Based in Adare, Co Limerick and Tralee Co Kerry, she works with clients on a one to one basis and can be contacted on 087-2996054 or through their website www.hummingbirdlearning.com

#DyslexiaAwarenessMonth #DyslexiaAwarenessWeek

This month is International Dyslexia Awareness Month & here in Ireland, this week is Dyslexia Awareness Week.

Whenever someone tells me that they are dyslexic, I always say ‘Hi Dyslexic, I’m Elaine’.  Usually they’ll look at me quizzically and say ‘no – I have dyslexia’, to which I reply with ‘great, show it to me’. With their patience beginning to grow thin, they will explain that they have it in their head but I’m curious, so I want to know where in their head they have it. ‘In my brain’ they practically shout at me but I’m tenacious, I want to know specifically where they have it and how do they know that they have it and when do they know that they have it.

Interestingly, they are usually only aware of it when reading, writing or spelling.  The rest of the time they are completely unaware that they are doing dyslexia.  That is it – you are not dyslexic! Dyslexia is something that you do!

Dyslexia is a pattern that you run and because it is something that you do naturally, you are really unaware of it. You are unaware of all the wonderful abilities dyslexia brings to you because it’s just a part of you.  People who do dyslexia can be incredible problem solvers and innovators. They are fantastic with machinery and engineering.  They are amazing crafts people, golfers, builders and snooker players because they can see angles and potential in lumps of rock and clay.

This very ability though, is not a great strategy to run when reading, writing & spelling.  The ability to move & manipulate images in your head, means that you can also do this with words & letters.  Words & letters however, must remain visable, be still and keep their shape in order for us to read, write and spell.  So a person who does dyslexia needs a different strategy to be able to do this with ease.

In school, the curriculum is taught with a massive emphasis on phonics – even though English is not a particularly phonetic language.  It works reasonably well for most children but for others it doesn’t. They need a completely different strategy, one that compliments their natural abilities, rather than shoehorning them into a size that doesn’t fit.  Yes if you push hard enough, they can squeeze into phonics, but they will be hobbling along for the rest of their lives.

A visual strategy, such as the Hummingbird Learning Method® where they learn to control their images, works like magic for people who do dyslexia and indeed for anyone who struggles with spelling.  The beauty of a visual strategy is that it works for every language as it doesn’t depend on sounds, so the student’s Irish, French, Spanish, Japanese, or any other language also improves.

So remember – Dyslexia is a wonderful gift to have, it is just not the best strategy to run when reading, writing or spelling.  Dyslexia is simply something you do – it’s not who you are.

If you , or someone you know is struggling with Dyslexia, please let them know about us.  We are in Adare & Tralee.  If they are too far to travel (people come to us from all over), let them know about our online course, The Secrets to Successful Spelling™.  It will shortly be available.  Just email me at elaine@hummingbirdlearning.com & I will put them on my notification list so that they will be among the first to know when it is launched & can avail of the special launch price.

Have a great week,

Elaine

Homework – A Thorny Issue

“Homework is one of the thorniest issues at primary level”. Not my words but those of Peter Mullen of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, in an article in the Irish Examiner in November 2013.

The Department of Education in Ireland has no formal policy on the length of time homework should take. I’m going to repeat that – there is no national policy on the length of time that homework should take or how much homework is given.  Each school is free to make its own policy.  In many ways, the lack of a formal policy is a good thing. Nobody wants a situation where home work is done with a stopwatch – not a second more, not a second less.

Homework is a contentious issue.  Some parents rate teachers based on how much homework they give – too much & the teacher mustn’t be teaching them in class at all, too little and the teacher is way too laid back.  Other parents decide that a school is more or less academic than other schools based on the amount of homework given. The consensus being that the longer the students spend on homework the more academic (and therefore better) the school.

I know of one parent, who decided that the teacher, who was also the principal, wasn’t giving enough homework to the class. That parent went to town on the teacher, who gave in and increased the homework from 30 – 40 min to 2.5 hours per night!  The pupils were in 4^th class and no other parents were consulted before the massive increase in workload.  The fact that there isn’t a formal national policy gave the other parents little comeback when this happened.  The school set the policy.

There is a lot more to doing homework than the time it takes to do it but giving a time frame is at least an easy guideline for parents.  However, when I checked the homework policies of various national schools on time to be spent on homework in sixth class, some schools recommend up to 50% more time than others.

An article in The Irish Teachers’ Journal in November 2014 entitled ‘An Evaluation of the Utility of Homework in Irish Primary School Classrooms’ by Joanne Jackson and Lorraine Harbison, concluded that,  based on their research  it is not the giving of homework per se that is of value but that the type of homework that is administered is more important.

They go on to say:  Homework remains a central part of the primary school curriculum that affects teachers and teaching, children and learning, families and home-school communication. Despite this reality, there is limited evidence on the utility of homework. As with the findings of Van Voorhis (2004), too little attention has been given to the purposes of homework and communication between home and school about homework policies. Communication should work both ways, but all the literature refers to home-school communication in relation to homework rather than what could really be deemed the more appropriate term, school-home!

A number of key themes arose during the questionnaire, namely the lack of knowledge of the expectations of parents, partially due to the homework policy being poorly communicated to parents and the juxtaposition of positive and negative views of homework amongst parents. Even more disappointing, is the absence of the voice of the child in the debate although the curriculum advocates that children should be active agents in their own learning rather than submissive partakers. What is apparent is that radical overhaul of homework needs to take place and it is vital that all involved are given opportunities to voice opinions in order to develop the most effective strategies possible which will maximise children’s learning potential.

In March 2015 the UK newspaper The Telegraph ran a story called ‘Homework around the world: how much is too much?’ In it they claim that there is little data on how much time primary school students spend working on homework, but studies have failed to find any relationship between time spent of homework during primary school and academic achievement.

The debate continues in secondary school. The amount of time secondary school children spend on homework varies hugely around the world, depending on the pressures and expectations of each country.

According to the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and various education research partners, 15-year-olds in Shanghai spend the most amount of time on homework, at an average of 13.8 hours per week. Students in Finland spend just 2.8 hours on homework per week, but manage to still perform well on academic tests, despite the correlation between time spent on homework and success. British 15-year-olds spend an average of 4.9 hours per week on homework, which is exactly the same as the overall OECD average.

Ireland was not included in the list of 62 countries.

Elaine Sparling is the creator of the Hummingbird Learning Method® and is about to launch an online version of their the popular workshop The Secrets to Successful Spelling™. Based in Adare, Co Limerick and now also in Tralee Co Kerry, she works with clients on a one to one basis and can be contacted on 087-2996054 or through their website www.hummingbirdlearning.com

Allowing our children to take responsibility for themselves

My husband is terrible at remembering dates. He just doesn’t know birthdays or anniversaries. He has a constant fear of forgetting his god-son’s birthday & every so often he’ll panic about it, even though it could still be months away!

I have a theory about it.  His twin remembers all important dates. I believe that my hubby never had to remember dates because his twin did that for him. His twin would always let him know when a birthday or anniversary was coming up, so over the years hubby abdicated that responsibility to him.

Tuesday morning I was not a happy camper! The Ploughing Championship had started in Ratheniska, Co Laois and it seemed like the world & his mother were heading there – just as I was leaving the house to drop my teenage boys to the school bus. Traffic was unusually heavy but moving and I was grateful that we had left the house a little early.

Then #1 son pipes up – ‘oh damn, I forgot my lunch’.  I won’t go into the next 15 minutes except to say it involved turning the car, getting the lunch-box, taking a back road into the village to avoid the worsening traffic, frantic calls to pals to hold the bus, missing the bus and chasing it to the next stop.

Yet when I told my husband about the forgotten lunch-box, somehow it became MY fault that the lunch-box was forgotten! You see, hubby asks them very morning if they have their lunch with them. I didn’t, ergo it’s my fault.

Lake Mary High School in Seminole County, Florida has a rule, clearly posted in the front office: “Attention students and parents: We do not accept items for drop-off such as lunches, backpacks, homework, and sports equipment. Please plan accordingly.”  They have taken the view that, by the time you are in High School, you are well able to remember to bring what you need with you. If you forget, then you deal with the consequences.

My children have been taking their lunch to school since they were 4. It’s not like it was an unusual item that had to be brought to school that day, but they are now conditioned not to have to think about it until reminded by dad.

There comes a time in life, when we as parents have to let go.  We have to allow our children make their own mistakes. It is how they learn to deal with stress, how to come up with innovative solutions, how to cope when life doesn’t go smoothly.  On the grand scale of things, forgetting to bring lunch to school was a minor event.  The consequence though was missing the bus and the slagging that he got from his pals when we eventually caught up with it, just as it was pulling away from the final stop – cue honking of horns & flashing of lights.

On Tuesday my son learned that he has to be self-reliant and his dad & I learned that there comes a point where we have to allow our boys make mistakes.  Of course, we will always protect them, but big lessons can be learned from making little mistakes.

And what else did I learn?  The date for the 2016 Ploughing Championship is already in my diary AND I’ve texted it to the hubby’s twin!

What is Dyspraxia?

When you are dressing a child, you don’t put on their coat first, then their jumper and finally their vest, not unless it’s ‘Crazy Clothes Day’ at school.  We know that there is an order in the way we dress ourselves and gradually the child learns that order and learns how to dress themselves.

After a while the child learns that they can take off the jumper if it’s too hot and put on a coat if they are cold, without having to go through the entire order of dressing & undressing completely.  They can extrapolate from past experiences to create appropriate actions at the time. This is called Praxis; the ability of the brain to conceive, organize, and carry out a sequence of events. Praxis is the ability to self-organize. The term praxis and motor planning are often used interchangeably however it is more accurate to consider praxis the broader term that encompassed motor planning.

Praxis is allows us to develop higher-level skills and to interact purposefully with each other and the environment. A baby innately learns to sit, stand, walk, and babble. It is when the baby breaks from the sensory motor aspect of object use such as repeatedly banging a spoon on the table, to purposeful object use, attempting to eat with a spoon that he begins to utilize praxis.

Dyspraxia is having difficulty executing new tasks, even though there is adequate motor and conceptual capacity to do so. A child with Dyspraxia that picks up some Lego pieces might keep picking them up and dropping them but make no attempt to build with them, typically showing little sense of purpose or intention. In short, praxis is necessary in order for behaviour to become purposeful. If a child with Dyspraxia cannot organize the steps in dressing he will not become independent in this skill. In other words, praxis is necessary for behaviour to be effective. In order to adapt effectively to his environment, a child must have an idea of what he wants to do; he needs to have a plan of how he will sequence and time his movements; and finally he needs to perform the action.

Praxis involves three processes:

• Ideation, having an “idea” of what to do
• Organization, creating an internal plan of action
• Execution, performing the action

Ideation is the ability to generate an idea of how one might interact with an object or the environment. If a person has no idea what to do with an object, he cannot play or “interact” with that object. Individuals with difficulty in ideation often wander a room full of toys, pausing briefly to push buttons or manipulate an object, yet never engaging in creative play. They have no idea what to do with each object. The cognitive process of ideation is believed to be largely dependent upon the brain’s ability to respond properly to sensory input. Sensory integration provides the body with a map of what the body can do (schema). This map gives the brain all the information it needs to decide what to do with the sensory input it receives. However, if this body map is compromised (inaccurate, incomplete or non-existent), the brain cannot respond properly to sensory input, and ideation becomes difficult or impossible.

Organization is the ‘how to do it aspect of praxis. It is the internal plan of action that bridges ideation and execution. A person decides what to do, and then a plan of action is determined. This plan must be sequenced and timed correctly in order to be successful. In most individuals, this process is automatic, an idea occurs followed rapidly by an action, with no awareness of the organisational plan that formed in that split second to orchestrate the action. Individuals with Dyspraxia, however, tend to organize themselves cognitively – they must think through how to accomplish the desired action before they execute it.

Execution is the motor part of praxis, the physical manifestation of the desired action. While it is not necessarily the major source of difficulty in developmental Dyspraxia, it is the only part that can be observed. The child with dyspraxia picking up the Lego pieces demonstrates difficulty executing purposeful play, but it is likely that the real difficulty is in determining what to do (ideation) or how to do it (organization).

Individuals with Dyspraxia have difficulty imitating actions, sequencing activities, and executing higher-level reasoning.

Many children with developmental challenges have motor planning difficulties. Difficulties with motor planning are often at the heart of these children’s frustrations. As children grow, they move away from simply experiencing the world and are instead called upon to master it. Toys, tools and self-care activities become more complex, requiring more intricate and sequenced motor planning behaviour. Motor planning problems make it difficult for these children to master the use of objects, which leads to an increasing sense of frustration. Academic tasks become increasingly complex and the self-organisation required at the level of secondary school can be daunting.

People with Dyspraxia often require repeated exposure to an activity in order to master it. They need to consciously organise their action since the body is less able to automatically determine the necessary steps for execution. They aren’t able to generalise their experiences to other situations.

Learning becomes exhausting because they working much harder than their friends & classmates to accomplish the same thing, all of which places an enormous tax on the nervous system.

Learning can be challenging for these children as motor planning problems decrease a child’s ability to imitate the actions of others.

Some find it easier to just devise their own way of doing something as opposed to attempting to learn someone else’s way or “the right way.” These children can then be described as unconventional or oppositional, all of which can make social interaction more difficult. The children end up feeling misunderstood and parents & teachers wonder why this bright child isn’t performing at their potential.

Speech and language can also be affected by Dyspraxia. As a child develops, language becomes increasingly complex, requiring rapidly sequenced movements of the tongue and jaw, all of which must be coordinated with breathing. A motor planning disorder can effect articulation and compromise intelligibility. Dyspraxia can compromise language development, as phonemes must be organized into words, words into sentences, and words into paragraphs in order for a person to express their thoughts and feelings. For the child with Dyspraxia, creating ideas and organising language can be a tremendous challenge.

Dyspraxia can have a negative impact on a child’s sense of self-esteem. Children with Dyspraxia have very few feelings of mastery. Learning is not intrinsically rewarding. They never have the sense of effortless accomplishment. Since this is a hidden disorder – they don’t look different on the outside from their friends – they’re left to feel that something is wrong with them. They feel “stupid” and it is difficult to talk them out of this, as that’s what their experience feels like. They are often labelled as lazy by misunderstanding adults and unfortunately this can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if these children start to “give up” in light of repeated failure.

So, what is Fluent Reading?

A while ago I was on a course and the trainer told us a story about the time that he was dead late for a course he was due to give. He rang the hotel to ask them to pass on the message that he was on his way & would be there as fast as he could.  The receptionist asked him where exactly he was & when he told her, her reply was “you can drive as fast as like, but it won’t make any difference when you’re going in the wrong direction”.

Like everything, reading with fluency takes practice, however there is no point in practicing & practicing unless you are practicing the right thing. Reading aloud is right up there with public speaking as one of the biggest fears people have.  It’s easy to see why. In many ways they are one and the same thing.  Making a mistake while reading aloud in a class full of your friends (& mortal enemies too), is every child’s nightmare. Nobody wants to be laughed or sniggered at.

Reading Tips from Hummingbird Learning Centre

So what exactly is ‘fluent reading’?  Fluent Reading is the ability to read smoothly and automatically with expression and attention to punctuation.  The speed at which you read is called the ‘Pace’.  The goal is to read at just the right pace, I call it the Goldilocks pace, not too fast, not too slow, just right!

‘Phrasing’ is chunking words together into meaningful phrases rather than reading, each, word, at, a time.

When reading aloud, it is important to make it interesting for the listener, to engage them, and this is done using your voice. Reading with feeling, changing your voice to match a character, adding excitement or other emotion by moving your voice up and down, or making it louder or softer, adds expression to text.  Using intonation and expression adds to reading fluency. In a nutshell, you should read as you would speak.

Finally, punctuation is there for a reason!  When reading pay attention to the punctuation.  It is there to help you to read aloud with meaning.  It is an aid to fluent reading because it tells you where to pause, where to breathe, where to stop, where to change voices and add dramatic effect.  You stop for a second at every full stop (period). You have an intake of breath at a comma.  Your voice goes up for a question mark. You add excitement when you see an exclamation mark!!! (You read that with excitement, didn’t you?).  You can change your voice for a character when you see “inverted commas”.

I think it is really important that before you read aloud, you read the text silently to yourself first.  You may only have time to scan it but this gives your brain a chance to see what the text is about.  Then when you actually read it aloud, it will feel more familiar and this helps to create fluent reading.  If you are helping your child with homework, give them time to read silently first, that way if there are any new or unfamiliar words they can ask about them in advance, rather than getting stuck on them mid-sentence.  Stopping to sound out a word while reading interrupts the reading fluency, so a little bit of preparation goes a very long way.

When I was a teenager I used to read at mass and one Sunday I was to read the second reading.  Unfortunately, the person was doing the first reading didn’t show up and I got an elbow from my dad for me to go up to the altar and do both readings. Panic!  I had only practiced the second one! Panic turned into sheer horror when I started to read.  The second paragraph had lists of names and places and tribes that were just about pronounceable had I practiced them, but now were double Dutch!! I stumbled through the first five or six, feeling my face go redder and redder and then I got some divine inspiration – I just skipped the rest!  A quick glance down the page got me onto the final straight and it was over.  Thankfully I was able to read the second lesson with ease, because I had practiced it.  I thought my dad would be livid with me but I later realised that nobody (except perhaps the priest, although I couldn’t even be sure about him), noticed that I had left out a huge chunk from the first reading.  I think that if I had tried to continue to read that difficult passage I would probably never have read in public again.

So, give your child a chance.  Allow them to scan and silently read the piece before they read aloud.  It will definitely help them to become more fluent readers.

Elaine Sparling is the CEO of the Hummingbird Learning Centre who help adults and children maximise their learning potential.  Based in Adare, Co Limerick, she can be contacted on 087-2996054, through their website www.hummingbirdlearning.com or on their Facebook Page

#4 MORE Ways to Overcome Challenges at the Playground

Following on from our post – #4 Ways to overcome Challenges at the Playground, I’m back , as promised, with #4 MORE Ways to Overcome Challenges at the Playground.

#1 Dealing with Bullying

Bullying is different from teasing in that it’s repeated and often escalates over time. It can include name-calling, insults, threats, exclusion and even physical violence. Sensitive children and those with learning and attention issues can be the target of bullying. Even if your child isn’t the target of the bully, witnessing others being bullied can be traumatic.

How to help: Be approachable and proactive. Explain what bullying is and make sure your child knows she can come to you or another adult if she experiences it or sees it. Tell her it’s ok to walk away if she feels unsafe or if using words to defend herself isn’t working.  If you witness bullying behaviour, be a role model for your child by intervening in a calm, positive manner.  Be aware that children with learning and attention issues may not be intentionally bullying but instead lack impulse control and have trouble filtering what they say, so bring the behaviour of the child to the attention of their parents, in a diplomatic manner, as they will be better able to deal with it sensitively.

# 2 Winning and Losing

We all tend to have a competitive streak and the playground is one of those places that can bring it out in us. Children who have trouble with impulse control and regulating their emotions may gloat about winning and make other kids feel bad about losing. Likewise, they may get disproportionally upset when they lose a game and then insist others cheated or insist that they will never play the game, or play with the people involved, again.

How to help: Point out that if your child makes other children feel bad, they aren’t going to want to play with her any more. Remind your child that playground games are just games and that it’s ok to feel good about winning, but not to make others feel bad. Teach phrases that show good sportsmanship, such as “Good game!” Tell them stories of good gamesmanship & positive quotes from athletes about losing.

#3 Appropriate Risk Taking on Playground Equipment

Playgrounds are designed to encourage risk taking in a controlled environment, but children can have trouble with impulse control and act before they think.  Children with sensory processing issues may not feel pain as strongly as other kids. This can result in risky behaviour like jumping from too high, swinging too hard or horse-playing too much with other kids.

How to help: Talk to your child about taking a breath and thinking before he acts. To lower the risk of getting hurt during falls, visit playgrounds, such as Adare that have sand, wood chips or synthetic turf and make sure your child is supervised. Playgrounds are segmented into age appropriate zones, keep your child in the one best suited for them.

#4 Being too Aggressive with Other Children

In the excitement of being at the playground, sometimes children get carried away with themselves and play too roughly with other children. It is important to remember that children with learning and attention issues sometimes lack impulse control and have trouble filtering what they say. They may push or shove other kids, run without paying attention or be unknowingly insulting. It’s also possible they don’t realize when they’re being too forceful.

How to help: Set ground rules for physical play, so that your child knows the consequences of being aggressive ahead of time. Encourage her to use words instead of her body to communicate. Remind your child that getting hit or shoved hurts: “It’s not appropriate to hit other kids. If you want a turn, ask, ‘Can I have a turn please?

Have a great time at the Playground.

#4 Ways to Overcome Challenges at the Playground

Something you might or might not know about me is that I worked for 12 twelve years to get a playground in my local community. When I started, in my innocence I thought all we would need was a swing & a slide and we’d be sorted.

In the beginning it was really frustrating when road block after road block was put in our way but now looking back I am so grateful that we didn’t get to put in a playground 13 years ago.  The playground in Adare is now one with an All-Abilities ethos, where children of varying physical and intellectual abilities can play alongside each other and is recognised as one of the best in Ireland.

Lots of children, not just those with learning and attention issues, may have trouble with playground social rules and equipment. Here are  #4 common playground issues and how to help your child deal with them. Watch out for Part 2 when I’ll talk about another #4.

 #1 Using the Playground Equipment

Children with motor skills issues, such as dyspraxia, may find it more difficult to use playground equipment. Climbing frames, zip wires, swinging and even sliding require being able to coordinate many different body movements.

How to help: Practice when the playground is quite – early morning at weekends is good. Your child may feel less self-conscious when other kids aren’t around. You can help her break down the steps and practice doing the things she likes best.

#2 Playing with Other Children

Being at the Playground isn’t just about having a good time – it is also a great place for developing good social skills. This includes sharing, taking turns and joining conversations. Your child may not be sure how to start a conversation or how to ask to join a game. He may not understand when other kids are inviting him to play with them. This can make it hard to develop friendships.

How to help: Practice what your child can say to other kids. “Hi, I’m Seán. What’s your name?” and “Do you want to play on the swings with me?” You can also help your child figure out when it’s ok to join a playground game without specifically asking, though sharing or parallel play.

#3 Teasing

In Ireland we love to tease but it is usually good-natured and fun. The playground is a place where teasing takes place. Most of it is just joking around, but sometimes it can be mean. All children, not just those with learning and attention issues can have a hard time telling the difference between the two.

How to help: Explain the difference between teasing and friendly joking. Show your child the body language, tone of voice and facial expressions that go with each. You can also help your child practice things to say when she is teased. For example, “I didn’t like that,” or “That hurt my feelings.”

#4 Following Directions & Taking Turns

The playground is a great place to learn how to share, take turns and communicate with others. Whether they’re playing an organized game or waiting their turn, this can be hard for children with learning and attention issues. That’s because paying attention, understanding social cues and processing information can be difficult for them.

How to help: Practice taking turns and sharing, using the language your child needs to know, such as “my turn,” “your turn” or even “listen to me!” Let your child know it’s ok to ask a friend or a parent to clarify and break rules down into steps.

Watch out for Part 2 when I’ll discuss #4 more playground issues and how to overcome them.