Archive for the ‘ADD’ Category
June 16th, 2009 | Author: Brenda
I’ve got a couple of really crazy ideas for you and your kids: karoke and closed captions.
I recently read about a new study that shows that singing while reading is an effective way to help both halves of your brain work together.
Most people have one half of their brain that is more dominant than the other.
Right brained people are logical and orderly and often excel at things like math and science.
Left brained people are far less linear in their thinking and tend to be very creative. They tend to be good at things like writing or art.
While almost everyone has a side of the brain that is dominant, most people’s brains integrate the two halves effectively.
Most people with ADHD are left brained and there is a greater chance that the right half of the brain has a more difficult time integrating.
This is part of the reason why ADD brains function (or disfunction) as they do.
So, reading while singing has been proven as a way to bring both sides of the brain together.
Great idea, but how are you seriously going to convince your 12 year old to sing what he’s reading?
Easy. (OK, maybe easy.) Karoke and closed captioning.
Most karoke machines display the words to the song being played. Encourage some fun time playing karoke.
Or turn on a music station on the TV that your child likes and then turn on closed captioning. Now read and sing at the same time.
OK, I admit there’s a possibility that your child will not be excited about singing in the family room.
But maybe with an explanation and some privacy, they might be willing to try.
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June 15th, 2009 | Author: Brenda
Kindall Nelson, a reporter for the Chicago Special Education Examiner, has put together a list she calls Summer Reading for Parents of Special Needs Students.
One of my favorites, The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal by Jonathan Mooney, is on the list. Also included are some great handbooks for both parents and teachers.
The Wrightslaw books are excellent resources for parents, taking complicated issues and making them easier to understand.
How to Reach and Teach Children with ADD/ADHD: Practical Techniques, Strategies and Interventions by Sandra F. Rief, MA is aimed at teachers, but might be helpful for parents as well. You can use these ideas at home for homework and share them with your child’s teachers, too.
See Kindall’s post for the full list and her comments.
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June 3rd, 2009 | Author: Brenda
You know how I’m always telling you how creative people with ADHD can be? Well, here’s your chance to prove it.
The National Center for Learning Disabilities new program Our Kids Count! is having an art contest, and 3 prizes of $500 each will be awarded to the following categories:
Children (Ages 4-11)
Teens (12-18)
Adults (19 & older)
The purpose of the contest is to raise awareness about learning disabilities. Here’s a quote from the site:
The goal is to educate politicians, policymakers, educators, friends and family about learning disabilities and to ensure that they have the help they need to succeed.
You must submit your entry before June 19, 2009. It can be in the form of a poster, blog, photography, streaming web video or any other media you want. Keep in mind that the submissions must be submitted via email.
For full information on this contest, visit the NCLD site.
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