Education tips and articles » Attention Span

Tips for Teaching Autistic Children Reading Skills

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 22:49:03 +0000

Teaching autistic children reading skills can be a daunting task. Some children will never read, but many higher functioning children can learn to some extent and can end up being excellent readers.

Teaching autistic children to read has a very unique set of challenges that requires a parent or teacher to have a lot of patience. It can be like teaching children without autism but with the problems magnified.

Sometimes they can be very cooperative, but for the most part, autistic children have huge problems with attention span, lack any type of motivations to learn to read, and they have problems with figuring out the rules of reading and grammar when compared to children who do not have autism.

Learning to read should be fun for any child, but when it comes to autistic children, you have to reach them on their level, so make sure you chose a method that meets their needs.

For some children sounds are important and using music as a tool to teach musically inclined autistic children to read is a very good move. There are some programs out there on the market that will use music and singing to help a child with autism learn many things. Some also employ the use of games. These interactive methods usually help with attention span and interest, two of the biggest obstacles in this endeavor.

One important thing to remember when teaching an autistic child to read is that most reading requires creative thinking and this is something that many children with autism struggle with. This means that when learning, it is best to focus on materials that are based in reality. Stories about children like them going through their day might be a good place to start. Steer clear of stories that are full of fantasy people like princesses and talking animals.

Continue reading for tips on teaching visual thinkers and sign up for the free Autism newsletter below.

Anyone teaching an autistic child to read should remember that many think visually. This means they are more likely to learn about words and letters through visual stimulation. Almost every child has a special interest, and autistic children are no exception. If they like trains, you may want to use them as a visual guide to learning how to read. If they are interested in the subject matter they are more likely to pay attention for longer periods of time, and are more willing to learn because they will find it interesting.

Each child is different and will learn at a different pace and in a different manner. Don’t be afraid to make use of the reading programs on the market designed with autistic children in mind. These have generally developed either through experience or with strong science behind them. They may be the best way to go about teaching autistic children reading when it seems they have no interest in doing so.

By: Rachel Evans

Tips for High School Teachers with ADHD Students: Increasing Time Focused to a Task

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:38:19 +0000

Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com. This is a sampling of over 500 classroom interventions for your use at http://www.ADDinSchool.com.

Here are some tips on increasing your ADHD student’s time on task. Remember, the best interventions are the ones that will help all of your students be more successful, not just the ADHD students.

One of main characteristics of students with ADD ADHD is the difficulty with sustaining attention on tasks over time. In other words, they get bored very easily, even by you.

Promote time on task, never time off task. Take time to catch the student being on task and working hard. Reward him with a simple smile or pat on the back. If you do this consistently, you will see his attention span, or time on task, increase throughout the school year, making your life easier in the long run.

Your ADD ADHD student will respond better to situations that he finds stimulating and engaging. Varying the instructional medium and pace will help sustain the attention deficit student’s interest.

Your ADD ADHD student would probably find lessons that emphasize “hands-on” activities highly engaging. Keeping the time required for sustained attention to a task balanced with more active learning will improve your attention deficit student’s performance. Changes in instructor’s voice level and variation in word-pacing will also increase his attention during instruction.

Break long tasks into a series of shorter “sprints.” Give a minute timer to keep on his desk. Ask the attention deficit student how long he thinks it would take to perform a certain task. Let him set his own time and race against the timer.

Stress accuracy instead of quantity of work. Mastery of a subject is really what you want as a teacher anyway.

Computers are great for 1 on 1 work and immediate feedback.

Students using medication to treat attention deficit disorder will have their optimal attention effects for methylphenidate (Ritalin) 45 minutes to 2 1/2 hours after medication. Other medications differ, and it is best to check with the physician about the time of maximum medication effects. If possible, it is best to schedule the most attention-demanding tasks for the ADD ADHD student during this medication window.

Combine your verbal directions along with illustrations or demonstrations of what you want your students to do. The more ways you use to describe what you want your ADD ADHD students to do, the greater likelihood that they will actually do it.

Your attention deficit student will be more successful when given directions one step at a time. When a series of instructions are given, retention beyond the first direction is difficult. Minor adjustments on the part of the teacher in giving directions will help the ADD or ADHD student a great deal.

Hopefully these will help the ADHD students in your classroom to be more successful. You can learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder at the ADHD Information Library.

By: Douglas Cowan, Psy.D.

St Louis Schools and Virtual Education

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:24:29 +0000

St. Louis Schools are bravely going where no man, or school, has gone before. They’re going virtual. Simply put, they’re offering more classes online for children in the K-12 school system in order to provide distance education and more educational diversity for all the students in their area. What is it? They’re classes online made specifically for different age levels. Content is different for every grade and developed to facilitate learning and pique the interest of students in the St. Louis Schools area.

Is There More Information Regarding Virtual Education in St. Louis Schools?

Of course! St. Louis Schools have provided the answers to a number of different questions because of the newness of virtual education, especially in the lower grades.

Ï Grades and Subjects: Starting in the 2008-2009 school year, St. Louis Schools will be offering virtual education to children in grades K-12. The subject list is easy because it’s the same as in a normal classroom. Language Arts, Math, Science, Health, Music, Art, and History can all be taught in a virtual St. Louis Schools classroom.

Ï Materials: St. Louis Schools provide all their virtual students with the materials they need to be successful in virtual education. The lower the grade, the more books they will have because St. Louis Schools understand that younger students need more educational diversity because their attention span is shorter. It is recommended that no more than 20-25 minutes a day be spent on the computer. Yes, a computer is needed for virtual education. Just how much though, depends on the age of the student. Younger students get less time, older students get more time. A high school aged student in St. Louis Schools will spend almost all of their time working on the computer.

Overall, it seems that St. Louis Schools are providing a better education for all of their students by making virtual education available for all grades in the public school system. But, there is more to be learned in a classroom than just facts and figures. The problem with virtual education in St. Louis Schools is that there is very little interaction between a student and his peers. Since the classroom setting is also a place to learn valuable social skills, a virtual education student would need some sort of an after school program to interact with other children his age. This ultimately the job of the parent since there is very little, if any involvement, by the school itself. Do the positives override the negatives? That’s a question for you and your child to discuss at great length before deciding on enrolling in virtual education. Call your child’s school and discuss it with a professional, they may be able to help guide you more.

By: Patricia Hawke