Mere2 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 I've been struggling in getting my very bright DD6 to read for the last 5 months. Through that marvelous journey I have discovered that she is left eye dominant, right handed and right brain dominant. (So am I and DH; however, neither one of us had a problem in learning to read) As for her preferred learning modality (visual, auditory or kinesthetic) I am unable to work it out at this stage. I'm very very spatial however she does not appear to be. She constantly on the move (wiggly!) and does not stop talking and is additcted to tv - so all three fit!!:confused: So the right choice of cirruiculum appears to be very important..... We are using MUS which is working reasonably well. I have on order HWOT and a UK reading programme Dancing Bears and Apples and Pears Spelling programme, (just waiting for them to be delivered). I bought some ''lego'' type rods and wrote the phononemes on them and that is working slowly, we just cant transfer the knowledge to actually reading books. What hasn't worked is: STOW, Science the WTM method, Jolly Phonics and 100 EZ. My priority is to get her reading, however I want to continue with other subjects as she is bored and wont do any school. Additionally I have to order it and have it sent to Australia - so its hard to send back if it doesn't "look" right. What curriculum works well with right brain learners? In particular grammer..........:bigear: (something that I never learnt myself!) Thanks Fi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Check out Diane Craft's website http://www.diannecraft.com/. It is all about right brained learners. Times Tales or Times Alive would be great programs for learning the math facts. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabrett Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 How old is she? HWOT would be great for her. Doing the wet dry technique on the slate is very hand on especially if you sing the letter sound as she writes. Making the letters out of the wood pieces is very hands on too. Letter Factory DVD would teach her all her letter sounds if she doesn't already know them. Have her make her make her letters in play dough then combine the play dough letters to make words. Get sand paper and cut out the letters and let her trace the letters while saying the sounds. Then put them together to make words. You could do all these activities using Phonics Pathways ($20). It teaches the blending ladder method (ba,be,bi,bo,bu). Make the letters b, a,e,i,o and u out of play dough and combine them to make to sounds. Or the blending train game out of PP's is very hand on. I also found gummy letters that I used as an incentive to sound out sounds. I made vowel cards and had my dd put the gummy letter in front of the vowel and sound out the sound. The gummy was a reward after we were done with the reading lesson. PP's also has a vowel game were you flash the vowel card they say the sound and when they see eye cards they jump up and down. Really fun and kinesthetic. PP's can be made very hands on with a little creativity. I know I have rambled, but maybe these Ideas will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 You may need to make things physical, tactile and visual for her. Some ideas that have worked here: Get a copy of Leappad's the Letter Factory DVD. Watch it, do the movements with her while saying the sounds. HWT has roll-a-dough letters, if you didn't order them then go to this site, print off and laminte these cards and use playdough to make letter the HWT fashion. Say the sounds of the letters as you make them. http://www.childcareland.com/free.html You will need to scroll down the page for playdough letters or alphabet. Make other tactile letters--trace a letter with glue and glue down rice, cornmeal or good sand. Have her trace the letter and say the sound. Play alphabet I-Spy. Look for things in ABC order or pick a letter sound for the day and as you go out and about find things with that sound. Once she has the letter sounds down fairly well--make words. Spell words by sound (we loved Spell to Write and Read for ideas on the phonograms). Ask her if there are words she wants to see--and spell it by sound using tiles, tactile cards, writing it on paper and having her copy it as she sounds out the word. I also like Rod and Staff Phonics workbooks for grade 1, the Waldorf idea of drawing pictures to represent the sounds but the pictures are in the shape of the letter. Some good books like this are: Curious George Learns the Alphabet The Waldorf Alphabet Book--this one has pages that are filled with objects that begin with a letter sound for your child to search through. Once you get "reading" started, you may have to loosen your twaddle values and let her read graphic novels and such just so that she gains a love of reading. The more she reads and enjoys reading the better she will get at it. Good luck!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongo Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 This sounds just like my youngest. I attended several seminars by Dianne Craft, and I think I have the CD's.....somewhere. It was so strange to hear someone describing my dd, for a while I thought she might have a LD. I just couldn't figure it out. If not for my older two, I think I would have given up homeschooling because I was having such a tough time getting her to read. I was really doubting my ability to teach. Reading: I use SWR, what I changed was I drew with colored sharpies pictures on the phonograms . I also hold the phonograms up high while she is sitting, it makes her look up. We say the phonogram, I ask her to close her eyes to make a picture in her mind of it, I show it to her again and she writes it. We did about 5 a day,this is a technique used Dianne Craft. She also has phonograms she has made with pictures and colors for purchase on her website. When we got to the word lists, I only do 3-5 words a day for dictation, we move at 1/2 speed.;) I also use a computer generated program and she LOVES this, is takes 25 minutes a day, Funnix 2. I can honestly say her reading has taken off since adding this supplement 3 weeks ago. Math: I use MUS in tandem with BJU (colorful and hands on). I really love the games from Mastering Mathematics as a supplement. I plan on using the Flash cards for Multiplication from Dianne Craft's website when we get to that concept. Handwriting: HWT Cursive 3rd grade. I just figured why bother with manuscript, she does not enjoy writing at ALL:glare: Memory: Harp and Laurel Wreath ( also use for dictation) & Scripture from Herein is Love Narration: From our History studies Art: Atelier 3C English and Grammar: Once reading at 1st grade level we started Shurely English. It's working well, I don't do any of the writing, just the sentence classifying. Oh, we also have a huge rubber workout ball she sits on. While doing her math and phonograms. It works wonders because she has to try to keep it balanced and I swear she is less wiggly. We also have a mini trampoline ( I bought it for my active ds) when I start to see her eye glaze over, I realize she now has "teflon brain" everything just slides off ...lol I have her go jump for a few minutes to "bring her back". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 My very vs dd learned to read with Phonics Pathways & Bob Books. To avoid distraction, I would cover half or more of the PP pages and the pictures in the Bob books and other readers we used (I think they were from A Beka). She had to study all the pictures on her own first, then I'd cover them & she'd read. She's also kinesthetic. I let my dc wiggle while reading as long as it's not too large. We also switched to MUS from Saxon, but since she's mathy we added Singapore Math. Soon, MUS became the supplemental math. For my ds, we used HWT. He's left eye dominant, but also a lefty all round. I love the tactile part of it, he loved the songs (we started with the first one.) We still use it because it's so great for lefties. We use math facts to music, grammar songs, and a few other music instruction recordings to augment. My dd's did not learn well by rote, so they learned math facts by doing math rather than by drill. fwiw, we postponed history until our younger two were 8. I would like to add that my 10 yo dd (the most vs of my dc, and strongly so) hated reading at 5 & 6. She didn't get turned on to reading until about 6.5 when I started using nonfiction. My ds tends to prefer nonfiction most of the time, but loves Cynthia Rylant's books (he's now 8 and is doig a newer series by her "The Lighthouse Family"). He didn't get into reading until now. In fact, yesterday was the very first day ever that he complaind that I took him away from reading a book. He hated it before and for 2 years or so kept telling people he couldn't read, although he could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 For Science: Shoot & Sprout Buzz & Bite! I will keep this thread in mind in case we get stuck with our grammar selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Alternate Arm/Leg Marching Start each morning (or as the quick break when child is about to melt down with a school subject) with alternate arm/leg marching to get the two brain hemispheres "talking" to each other. Either march in place or around the house as a family parade for a few minutes; swing the left arm forward when the right leg lifts to step, then swing the right arm forward when the left leg lifts to step. Limit TV/Computer The images and the physical screen redraws of TV and computer screens actually stimulates that ADD/ADHD part of the brain and makes it much harder for some people to calm down, to go to sleep, and certainly to focus on one thing for any length of time. Limit TV/Computer for educational purposes to a very short period once a day for now. (List of education shows/software to follow in a second post.) Attention Span Do school in short learning "bursts", interspersed with some sort of physical activity for kinetic release. Have the child sit on a big bouncer ball or exercise ball to reduce wiggles. Allow the child to use "fidget" items (koosh ball, squeezy toy, pipe cleaners (chenille) or wikki stix, magnets, Legos, coloring book and crayons, etc.) when you read aloud to help the child focus. Steady Schedule A regular routine can be very helpful for easily distracted or short attention span children. Doing the same school subjects in the same order with the same breaks in between can help them know what is expected of them and to begin to establish their own self discipline. Games ADD/ADHD and highly active distractible children sometimes can sometimes focus better/longer with things that hold their attention, such as games. Use learning games to introduce new topics or to "ease into" more abstract or difficult concepts, or to drill "repetitive" topics. Patience Your child is on her own timetable for developing; many children do not "click in" to some school subjects until much older -- often not until about age 10-12. Be patient, and gently continue to persevere. Specific Curriculum Ideas: MATH - Math-U-See - Moving with Math - manipulatives and matching booklets (cusienaire rods; pattern blocks; geoboards; attribute blocks; fraction rods/circles; counting items; etc.) - math facts (triangle flashcards (reduces number of facts to be learned); skip counting songs; Schoolhouse Rock: Math video; bounce/jump the answer to flashcards on bouncy ball; mini-trampoline or with jump rope; make them story-like (Times Tables the Easy Way); draw picture stories of the math facts to remember them; etc.) GRAMMAR - wait on grammar for brain maturity to kick in (wait to start till grade 3-5) - Winston Grammar is a more visual/hands-on program (does not include grammar mechanics such as punctuation and capitalization) BOOK RESOURCES -- especially helpful to you now - How to Get Your Child Off The Refrigerator and onto Learning (Carol Barnier) Specific learning strategies for very active, kinetic, or challenged learning styles. - Unicorns Are Real: A Right Brained Approach to Learning (Barbara Meister Vitale) Specific diagnostic tests and learning strategies for elementary ages. - 100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum: Choosing The Right Curriculum And Approach For Your Child's Learning Style (Cathy Duffy) Specific program recommendations for specific learning types. - Upside Down Brilliance: The Visual Spatial Child (Linda Silverman) Detailed overview of visual-spatial ("right brain") and auditory-sequential "left brain") learners and brain intaking/processing information. BOOK RESOURCES -- perhaps helpful to you in the future - Right Brained Children in a Left Brained World (Jeffrey Freed) Specific learning strategies for jr./sr. high ages. - How They Learn (Cynthia Tobias) Overview to learning types. - Every Child Can Succeed (Cynthia Tobias) Learning environment strategies, esp. for jr./sr. high ages. - Gift of Dyslexia (Ronald Davis) - Gift of Learning (Ronald Davis) Both books are geared for dealing with specific, more extreme issues such as dyslexia, disgraphia, discalculia, ADD, etc. But a few of the ideas can be helpful for children with other "right brain" issues. - Change Your Brain, Change Your Life (Daniel Amen) Specific diet, food allergies, prescribed drugs, and mental exercises/strategies for managing/minimizing AD(H)D; anxiety; depression; OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder); and anger. LEARNING STYLE = how a person most easily/naturally/usually TAKES IN information. kinesthetic = through touching/manipulating and hands-on auditory = through hearing it visual = through seeing it Brain Dominance = how a person PROCESSES that information in the brain. LEFT hemisphere dominance = abstract, sequential, understands the individual parts which leads to adding up to "the big picture" RIGHT hemisphere dominance = concrete, random, intuitively sees the big picture first and then begins to understand the parts that add up to it LEARNING STYLES "CHECK LIST" KINESTHETIC (Do-ers/Touchers) Kinesthetic Traits: - favors sports and building - high energy - loves to touch - uses body when antsy - in constant motion - dislikes sitting long - uses fingers to count - usually has rumpled clothes - has difficulty following oral directions Kinesthetic Helps: - math manipulatives - manipulatives - allow touching - take many breaks - use hands-on activities - divide chores up - allow building/construction AUDITORY (Talkers/Listeners) Auditory Traits: - remembers commercials - uses rhyming to remember - talks aloud doing math - a better listener than reader - reads aloud - has difficulty reading maps - very verbal - likes to talk to people Auditory Helps: - make audiotapes (esp. for spelling) - set learning to music - talk them through writing a paper - read aloud - study groups - have a quiet place for study/learning - watch videos (for audio narration) VISUAL (Watchers) Visual Traits: - assemble by pictures - close eyes to memorize - observant - good with puzzles - vivid imagination - looks neat - better reader than listener - rarely volunteers answers - takes many notes - watches/learns from TV Visual Helps: - illustrate everything - make a mind-map (visual plan) for writing - use post-it notes to organize - highlight different topics in different colors - write down chores - use transparency sheets to reduce glare "Hook" your child's interest with their learning style strength, then present the material in all the learning styles to strengthen their weak areas and really embed the information in their brain in multiple ways, using a variety of learning styles. BRAIN DOMINANCE LEFT BRAIN Left Brain Uses or is Strong with: - analytical - dates - numbers - taxon memory - lists - names - math facts - short term memory stored here Left Brain Takes In Information By: - Words - the Familiar - Sequential - Listens - is a Joiner - Step-by-Step - Routine - Organized - Linear Thinking - Writing/Talking - Detailed - Focused RIGHT BRAIN Right Brain Uses or is Strong with: - spatial - color - music - creativity - design - feelings - storytelling - hands-on - long-term memory stored here Right Brain Takes In Information By: - pictures - the new - is random - particpates - is independant - demonstrations - is impulsive - creative - 3-D thinking - drawing - oblivious to detail - highly distractable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Many of these are available from local libraries. Many are connected to PBS, and still have related websites with experiments, extra info, activity suggestions or additional resources (go to http://www.pbs.org and do a search for the particular show title). Magic School Bus at the Scholastic website has lots of experiments and additional online activities. EDUCATIONAL Pre-K through 5th grade VIDEOS/DVDs: SCIENCE - Let's See How They Grow series - Schoolhouse Rock: Science - Magic School Bus series - Eyewitness series - Popular Mechanics for Kids series - Sonlight Curriculum: "Discover and Do" (experiments from Usborne science books done live) - Schlessinger Media Science series at http://www.libraryvideo.com - Questar's "Getting Ahead" series: Life Science (in Primary Science set) -- http://www.questarhomevideo.com/'>http://www.questarhomevideo.com/'>http://www.questarhomevideo.com/'>http://www.questarhomevideo.com/ - NOVA (PBS series) - Nature (PBS series) HISTORY - Schoolhouse Rock: History - Liberty's Kids (old PBS series) - Nest Family videos/DVDs (Bible, History, Biographies) -- http://www.nestfamily.com/ (expensive, so look for these used on ebay) MATH - Richard Scarry's Best Counting Video Ever - Leapfrog: Math Circus - Schoolhouse Rock: Math - Square One (old PBS series) - Questar's "Getting Ahead" series: Math (http://www.questarhomevideo.com/) LANGUAGE ARTS - Richard Scarry's Best ABCs Video Ever - Richard Scarry's Best Learning Video Ever - Leapfrog: Letter Factory - Leapfrog: Talking Words Factory - Leapfrog: Talking Words Factory II - Leapfrog: Learn to Read at the Storybook Factory - Schoolhouse Rock: Grammar - Electric Company (old PBS series) EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE LANGUAGE ARTS - Reader Rabbit series (letter sounds, reading) - Super Solvers Spellbound (spelling) -- The Learning Company - Word Munchers (reading/vowel sounds) - Word Blaster (reading/vocabulary) -- Davidson - Schoolhouse Rock: Grammar (grammar) - Bailey's Book House MATH - Mighty Math series (various math topics) -- EduMark - Math Blaster series - Number Munchers (math facts) - Schoolhouse Rock: Math (math facts) - Millie's Math House - Trudy's Time and Place House GENERAL - Cluefinder series (several school subjects) HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY - Amazon Trail (history/geography) -- Light Dog; Merriam/Webster - Oregon Trail (history/geography) -- The Learning Company - I Love USA (geography) -- DK SCIENCE - The Incredible Machine series -- Sierra - The New Way Things Work -- DK - Gizmos and Gadgets -- The Learning Company - Sammy's Science House LOGIC - Super Solvers: Mission: THINK -- The Learning Company - Operation Neptune -- The Learning Company - Logical Journey of the Zoombinis -- The Learning Company Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mere2 Posted September 25, 2008 Author Share Posted September 25, 2008 :001_wub: Thank you all so much....a wealth of information here. I really appreciate it (and so will my DD!!):001_wub: Cheers Fi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cillakat Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 consider using one of the orthon-gillingham based reading programs. they're developed for dyslexic kids...and that may not be your daughters issue (or it may)....but they tend to be very hands on/multi-sensory. I use Wilson Reading with my 9.5 yo. It's not very scripted and I did have to put more than a few hours into figuring it out, but really anyone who can manage homeschooling their child can definitely manage using Wilson or similar. dd9.5 loves the magnetic tiles..... other great programs Barton (much much more expensive but totally scripted....which is wonderful) Wilson Reading Fundations (the younger kids program) Read, Write and Type Learning System (http://www.readwritetype.com) Recipe for Reading Horizonsreading.com reading mastery (sra4kids.com) Barton would probably be the easiest for you (totally scripted, phone support is *awesome*) and the benefit it that she might be just up and running with a little multi sensory intensive help. Then you can move towards something less expensive to keep going. But if she does need direct instruction the whole reading journey, then you've already got something great onboard. All the best, Katherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 A good computer program that is fun is read, write, and type. Spelling work is also helpful, you could try both oral and written spelling, and also spelling with magnet letters on a cookie sheet. I have several fun games I play with magnetic letters, I give them 5 or 6 consonants and a vowel and see how many letters they can make. Once they get good, they can see how many they can make in a minute. I also have another game that is fun, my 6 year old loves it, you can see her playing it in the movie: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/concentrationgam.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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