caedmyn Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 I'm considering having my 8 YO and 11 YO do one or both of these programs this summer. They both have dyslexia and ADHD. I'm looking to improve auditory processing/auditory memory and possibly working memory. Also anything that would help them learn to pay attention would be very useful...focus is a big issue for both of them. My 6 YO needs some help with auditory memory also (dyslexic, no ADHD) but I think both programs are probably too hard for him at this stage. Would one of these be a good fit for what I am looking for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 I liked Brainware Safari. We used it for my DD w/ suspected audio processing issues. It's not a cure but it did help improve her working memory. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 Hmm, how much is it going to cost you to get access? I like all things as part of a composite approach. Sometimes there's not much research data behind these programs, but data costs money. I can tell you what I did with my ds, similar position. I decided I wasn't sure any of my strategies were *awesome* but that if we did a bunch of them, in a variety of ways, we'd probably get somewhere. So what I did for a period of months was try to do short sessions, like maybe just 5-10 minutes each, doing the sessions maybe 4 times a day, over a variety of modalities. So we did: -digit spans using some materials someone sent me (homemade) -kinesthetic where I would call out the commands in increasing lengths, have him REPEAT the commands (very important!) and then have him do them -visual with games like Memory, A Fist Full of Coins (pricy but really good!), etc. -and strategy games that involved working memory We were also increasing our working memory by doing LIPS/Barton with the tiles and being really, really careful to require him to hold his thoughts and form increasing lengths of words, as much as 5-6 sounds. For us, that blend worked out really well. I think software would be fine too! Like I'm kinda more the merrier. Cogmed has data behind it and is very expensive, and I think it showed like a 10% increase in working memory. See, but that's what I remember. And I'm like, hello, 10% of squat is still squat, kwim? So my ds went from being able to hold *2* chunks to being able to hold 4-6, and being able to do them in a variety of settings while using his vision, his voice, and his motor planning. I think that's lifelike and it transfers over to school work and life. So the more you can bring in more modalities, the better. You want them saying the commands, holding the commands in their mind, doing the commands. Honestly, I don't see how software does that. Like it will TRY, but I don't see how it's super awesomely effective at that. I think Brainware Safari is like $35, and for that price sure you could throw it into the day. But what I'm talking about is stuff you could do for free, with what you already have. Also, we used rewards. Just saying. So they earn a quarter for every session they complete and at the end of the day they do the kinesthetic activity and find $1 as the last step. I always made mine crazy, like jump 3 times, turn around, touch your head, look under the seat cushion. And the $1 would be under the seat cushion, kwim? You actually learn better when you have those endorphins and fun times going. If they're food motivated, use food. Whatever works. The endorphins will help make the neural connections. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caedmyn Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 HearBuilder is $99 for a one year subscription that both kids can use (well all 3 kids but idk that the 6 YO can manage it). Brainware Safari is $79 for a one-kid license through homeschoolbuyerscoop. I know there's things I *could* do, but it'd be really nice to be able to basically outsource it with a computer program. I'm having a hard time keeping up with things like 8 YO's sensory exercises and even the 4 YO's speech therapy practice. Once we're done with school for the summer I'll have more time, but I really want a break, not filling up that time with more things to do that I didn't fit in during the school year. If there's games they could play together, without me being involved, that could work, but not if I have to find the time to do them too. Working memory improvement would be a bonus...the auditory processing/auditory memory is what I'd really like to see improvement in. It'd be nice if DD could actually remember the whole instruction if I ask her to do something...and if she could focus a little better with background noise, since there's a lot of it in this household. It'd be nice if DS1 would just respond to me talking to him instead of being off in la-la land half the time and me having to try to get his attention 6 times before he listens. Also Brainware is supposed to help with tracking somehow and I think DS1 definitely has some tracking issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 Your logic totally makes sense. For my ds, the not responding had a a different explanation. Just pointing out that can happen. You might want to tighten that up with some strategies (getting eye contact first, etc.). To have a 2nd grader needing that much work to get his attention is kind of concerning. Has your ped sent you to an audiologist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caedmyn Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 I don't see it helping with what you want for your son though. We have worked on that with autism related resources, with my 8 yr old. It is still a work in progress when it comes to less desirable tasks. What have you used that has helped with getting his attention? Your logic totally makes sense. For my ds, the not responding had a a different explanation. Just pointing out that can happen. You might want to tighten that up with some strategies (getting eye contact first, etc.). To have a 2nd grader needing that much work to get his attention is kind of concerning. Has your ped sent you to an audiologist? His hearing was tested last summer and is fine. It's a bit of a problem in general, but a big problem with reading lessons. Maybe like Canadian Mom said it is because it's something he doesn't really want to do/is really hard for him. He definitely responds more quickly to DH than to me, so I know it's not an issue of not being able to...maybe more not wanting to or knowing he can get away with it, but I don't know how to get around the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caedmyn Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 You can still get the CDs but they are $69 apiece, and I'd like them to do at least the auditory memory and following directions ones, so it ends up being more expensive to get just those two than a year of online subscription which has all 4 programs included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) I used it with my kids last summer. I got it for my youngest and her weakness in phonemic awareness. She did the phonological processing part and other areas too but my oldest had the kind of difficulties you mentioned and my ds could use some working memory work so I had all of them doing it. I sat with my youngest and my other two did it independently. It did help my youngest with phonemic awareness but I did not really notice any changes with my older two. I only did it in the summer though. They got so busy when they went back to school we could not do it anymore so I really did not have it as much time as I could have. Edited May 10, 2017 by MistyMountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) Hearbuilder does a good platform on the website for checking progress. It shows what lessons they did and their percentile scores on that lesson and how many lessons there are in each different area and the total progress toward completing each section Edited May 10, 2017 by MistyMountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caedmyn Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 I will see if I can get that book from the library, thanks for the recommendation. I will have to think more about getting the disc vs the online program. Thanks for the reminder to stay on top of their progress...I have a tendency to not do that with computer-based programs. I have tried a number of different things for improving focus (caffeine, fish oil, some other supplements, time outdoors, and doing sensory diet stuff beforehand) and nothing seems to help consistently. I printed out a punch card and told him he got a mark every time he followed instructions the first time and would get 5 points toward our reward system when the card was full (usually he earns about 5 points a day and he can fill the card in about 3 days if he tries so it's a pretty good motivator), and that worked really well yesterday...and not at all today. He was pretty excited about it so I think it will help some overall, but obviously it's not going to be a magic fix. Having him to try to beat a timer for a section often helps him focus also. On the bright side, the same punch card idea suddenly gave my 6 YO lots of motivation to finger spell his own words and use the b/d checking trick, which he usually refused to check even if I made the hand shape for him, so at least it's working well for someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 (edited) nm Edited August 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.