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Search Results for: reading aloud

Reading Aloud to Experienced Readers

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A few months ago, I started something with my grandson that I didn’t do with my kids. Seeing how much he enjoys it and how important it is, I’m feeling a little guilty my kids missed out.

I’ve been reading aloud to my grandson. Two or three nights a week. That may not sound so remarkable, but as a preschooler, reading was our favorite thing to do together. Once he started reading on his own, I kind of left him to it. The whole family was excited. He was reading!!! Mission accomplished! And like most families, our focus shifted to making sure he read every day, to gain fluency and do school work.

But my grandson was missing our reading time. He missed stories. We went back to reading the same books as before, but it didn’t work anymore. He was ready for more sophisticated stories. Stories that stirred his imagination. Stories that made him hunger for more. Stories that broadened his view of the world and stirred new ideas in him. At eight, he was reading, but like most visual learners, his reading skills lagged a bit. When he did read, he was so focused on getting the words right, he missed much of the story. After a while he didn’t like reading any more. He didn’t love books like he did before.

Desperate to remedy this, I started reading to him last spring. To choose a book, I thought about what my kids’ favorite books were from 5th and 6th grade. I wanted a book close to his grade level but wanted to reach a bit further. I also wanted a book that had been made into a movie. A flood of titles came to me and I choose A Bridge to Terabithia. It was perfect. It’s the story of a ten-year-old boy with an imagination that’s not always appreciated. He loves to draw, has a hard time fitting in and is not that crazy about school overall. In the book, he makes friends with the new girl in town, who’s also very creative and imaginative. They have great adventures, while dealing with bullies, fitting in, families and even death.

Our grandson only stays at our house two nights a week but it’s enough time to get into the story and talk about it during the week. He loved it. I loved it. We were both a bit sad when we finished, but that’s the sign of a good story. As a special treat we watched the movie together. (One of our ground rules is, absolutely no movie, until we finish the book.) After watching, we talked about what the movie did well, ways it was different and the same, and what special extras they may have added. It was a lot of great conversation, especially for a visual kid. Visual kids are all about ‘seeing’ things. Their imaginations are always working overtime. Reading aloud gives them new things to ‘see’ and think about. Watching the movie allows them to see it from another visual point of view. To take it even further we got the audio version and he’s listened to the story dozens of time. It’s a great way to gain the rhythm and fluency of reading, while building literacy and vocabulary skills.

Our first adventure was so successful, it’s become a regular thing we do. We’ve read Tuck Everlasting, The Indian in the Cupboard, Island of the Blue Dolphins and are ready for more.  I hope I’m tempting you to carve out some family reading time. It’s hard to imagine adding one more activity to your busy life. But it doesn’t have to be every night. And when you do it, it will become one of the things you look the most forward to. To help you get started, we prepared a list of books. Have a few kids that would enjoy it? Choose one book and gather them all for reading time. It can be something special for them to share. If mom and dad are too busy, or there’s a baby in the house, it’s a great way for grandma or grandpa to spend time with your kids.

Go ahead and take a look at our list and get started on your read aloud adventure. You’ll be amazed how receptive even your most experienced readers will be to this new tradition.

Do you have any books that you loved reading as a child or that you would recommend to us to read aloud? Share them in the comments below.

Reading Comprehension Problems? Here’s a Fix!

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\"\"I’ve got a cure for the reading comprehension blues. Your kids are going to listen their way to improved test scores, and it all starts with Amazon.

Amazon has found another way to embed itself in our daily lives – and I love it. Sound too good to be true? My daughter Emily, an avid reader herself, has found a way to make reading aloud happen even when mom and dad can’t. I often found her, as a child, under her blankets, flashlight in hand, long after I called for lights out. She just wanted more story time. Now she wants her kids to enjoy the same pleasure of stories. So to make sure it happens even when mom and dad can’t be there to read, she’s gone tech!

Here’s How:

  • Emily has two kids, a 10-year-old and a 3-year-old. Both have an Echo Dot in their bedroom (the $30 version), each one linked to an Audible app. One child is on mom’s account. One is on grandma’s account.
  • Mom goes to Audible.com and purchases books for the kids using her monthly credits. Or if there are no credits left, she purchases the audio books.
  • She chooses books that are just above each child’s current reading and vocabulary level. Yes, above.
  • The 3-year-old has books like; Frog and Toad, The Mouse and Motorcycle, and Mr. Putter and Tabby. The 10-year-old has books like; The Indian in the Cupboard, Holes, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, along with several Harry Potter books.
  • At bedtime, the kids are ready and in bed. For the 3-year-old, mom says; “Alexa, play Frog and Toad from Audible.” Alexa acknowledges her. Then mom says, “Alexa, set sleep timer for 20 minutes.\” Alexa acknowledges her request. The story starts. The sleep timer is on. Imagination takes flight.
  • Bedtime for 10-year-old is almost the same, but he tells Alexa what he wants to hear. He has available book titles written on a white board in his room. He scans the options and says, “Alexa, play Bridge to Terabithia from Audible.” “Alexa, set sleep timer for 30 minutes.” (or he can say, read two chapters, etc.) He settles in and lets the listening, visualizing and imagining happen.

Here’s What Happening:

I can name plenty of text book reasons for why this is good for kids, but instead, I asked Emily what she’s noticed in her kids. The most visible impact is in her 10-year-old. She said; “Reading comprehension is NOT A STRUGGLE ANYMORE!!”

Her son is a visual learner with ADD and, reading comprehension has always been a hard area for him. But now in 5th grade, he’s getting great scores on his classroom work and consistently gets 100% on his vocabulary tests, another refreshing change. Even his standardized test scores have increased significantly. And she credits it to consistently listening to stories.

My daughter said she felt her 10-year-old has learned the ebb and flow of stories. He recognizes there’s a beginning, middle and end. There are dramatic events, conflicts and resolutions. Understanding the story arc helps him pay attention to the characters, setting and story events. He’s become a better listener; his auditory processing has improved along with his vocabulary. And he’s happy.

Here’s Why it Works:

The reason this works so well is all about how the brain is wired. Visual kids think in pictures and, listening to stories lets them ‘see’ what they’re reading. Because written words are not their primary way of thinking, they can struggle so much while reading, they lose track of what they’re reading. Listening allows them to follow along and actually hear the story, complete with the pictures they imagine. And the more kids read, the more neurons their brain grows and connects.

Spoken language is limited to our everyday language. Written language contains a much broader range of vocabulary. When your child is listening to books above their current reading level, they\’re introduced to vocabulary words they may not come across otherwise. Hearing the words in context and with inflection helps them understand meaning. All this while enjoying a good story.

Visual kids have such a craving to use their imaginations. The hunger is always there. When they’re lying in bed trying to fall asleep at night there’s a lot of left-over chatter from the day, all fighting for attention. It’s hard to quiet down in order to sleep. But listening to a story, gives the mind a place to focus and something to enjoy, so it can let the busyness of the day fade away. It’s well accepted that reading aloud to kids has enormous benefits, especially improved vocabulary and reading comprehension. The benefits are so enormous, and this is so easy, I hope you’ll have your kids listening their way to better sleep and a bigger brain very soon.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post contains such affiliate links.

Reading Is the Perfect Summer Chore

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Emphasizing the importance of reading is probably the single greatest thing that we as parents can do for our children, whether we are reading to our children or just enforcing those recommended daily reading times. As we enter into summer break the temptation to cut back on the reading requirements can be strong.

However, the difference daily reading can make in your child’s life long term is almost unfathomable. These statistics we’ve found are staggering with regard to the achievement gap that occurs just in relation to the difference in daily reading times. You can print our infographic for your refrigerator as a reminder to simply read.

There are some great ways to encourage reading, especially for our visual learners. But, the best way to encourage reading is to do it yourself, even big kids can benefit from being read to by another strong reader and seeing people in their lives enjoying the act of reading. So, everyone just needs to get a book and start reading!

Learning to Love Reading

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We must take care that children’s early encounters with reading are painless enough, so they will cheerfully return to the experience now and forever. But if it’s repeatedly painful, we will end up creating a school-time reader instead of a lifetime reader.
Jim Trelease

One of the few memories I have of my mother that isn’t about being a mom, was her love of reading. With six kids, I’m not sure how she ever found time. It was one of the only personal pleasures she allowed herself and I was happy for every trip to the library. My mom passed her love of reading to me. I wanted to pass it to my kids and now my grandchildren. For us that meant reading to them as babies, preschoolers and young elementary students. Lots of time at the library. Summer reading groups. And a home full of piles and piles of books, ready and waiting to be discovered. I wanted my kids to love a good story. To be open and curious and discover through the world in books. But I found out being an avid reader is all that, and so much more.

Everything in education is about reading. This is good news for fluent readers. Bad news for lukewarm readers. Unfortunately, most visual kids are lukewarm readers who are struggling. Visual kids are picture people. They like pictures much more than words. It’s the way their brain works. They’re much happier with picture books than chapter books. When they transition to fewer pictures and more words, they can struggle. It can become a painful experience. To avoid problems, it’s critical we help them get through that transition, so they come out the other side reading well, still loving books and wanting to read.

This is why we read aloud to our kids. According to Jim Trelease and The Read-Aloud Handbook, reading aloud is more than a satisfying shared activity. In 1985 Commission on Reading, sponsored by The Department of Education published a report; Becoming a Nation of Readers and said: The ‘single most important activity’ for success in reading was to read aloud to children. Their second finding was, “reading aloud should happen in classroom and at home and should continue throughout the grades.” Reading aloud is paramount, at home and at school; and reading aloud should happen through ALL the GRADES!

When we read aloud, our students build vocabulary, create background knowledge and connect reading with pleasure. When listening, kids can exercise their imaginations and ‘see’ the characters and story, strengthening that part of their brain. When they listen, they hear the rhythm of words and phrases which helps them when they read on their own. Not having to decode the words as they hear the story helps them with reading comprehension. They can then apply this understanding of the story when they try to read it on their own. This is especially important for visual learners. Start reading to your kids when they’re babies. Read to them as preschoolers. Read to them in grade school. Keep reading to them beyond grade school. This doesn’t replace kids learning to read on their own. It primes the pump. It creates a desire to read. A hunger for stories.

The Read Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease, is the bible on reading aloud. In it’s seventh edition, it’s full of how and why to read aloud to your kids. It also includes a ‘Giant Treasury of Great Read Aloud Books’. You should buy it just for that list. I like reading to kids because literacy is such a profound gift to give. Jim Trelease’s book convinced me it’s much more impactful than I thought it was. It’s reinvigorated me. Watch out family, I’m in search of listeners!

Let’s inspire each other. How do you incorporate reading aloud into family time?

29 Read Aloud Books We Love

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For many kids, being read to by their parents is a cherished ritual. But it’s also much more than that. Reading aloud to kids helps expand their literacy skills, love of reading, worldview, and more. Listening to an experienced reader is as important to learning how to read and developing fluency as actually reading the words. For visual learners, it gives them the opportunity to sit back and visualize the story without having to labor through decoding the words. We have found some great books that lend themselves beautifully to being read aloud to readers in upper elementary school.

  1. The Borrowers– The Borrowers, the Clock family: Homily, Pod, and their fourteen-year-old daughter, Arrietty, to be precise, are tiny people who live underneath the kitchen floor of an old English country manor. All their minuscule home furnishings, from postage stamp paintings to champagne cork chairs, are borrowed from the human beans who tromp around loudly above them.
  2. Island of the Blue Dolphins– In the Pacific there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it, blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea elephants and sea birds abound. once, Indians also lived on the island. And when they left and sailed to the east, one young girl was left behind.
  3. Bridge to Terabithia– Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he almost is, until the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, outpaces him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie’s house, where they invent an enchanted land called Terabithia.
  4. Wonder– August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face.
  5. The Iron Giant: a Story in Five Nights– A mysterious creature stalks the land, eating barbed wire and devouring tractors and plows. The farmers are mystified – and afraid. And then they glimpse him in the night: the Iron Giant, taller than a house, with glowing headlight eyes and an insatiable taste for metal.
  6. Dear Mr. Henshaw– After his parents separate, Leigh Botts moves to a new town with his mother. Struggling to make friends and deal with his anger toward his absent father, Leigh loses himself in a class assignment in which he must write to his favorite author.
  7. From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler– When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn’t just want to run from somewhere she wants to run to somewhere–to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and preferably elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
  8. The Wish Giver– The people of Coven Tree are no strangers to magic. In fact, the town’s very name comes from a gnarled old tree where covens of witches used to gather. Even now, imps and fiends continue to appear, frightening the townsfolk with their devilish pranks.
  9. The Girl with the Silver Eyes– Katie Welker is used to being alone. She would rather read a book than deal with other people. Other people don’t have silver eyes. Other people can’t make things happen just by thinking about them!
  10. The Best Man– Archer Magill has spent a lively five years of grade school with one eye out in search of grown-up role models. Three of the best are his grandpa, the great architect; his dad, the great vintage car customizer,; and his uncle Paul, who is just plain great. These are the three he wants to be.
  11. Ghost– Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together.
  12. Charlotte’s Web– Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte’s Web, high up in Zuckerman’s barn. Charlotte’s spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur’s life when he was born the runt of his litter.
  13. Where the Red Fern Grows– Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when he’s finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan and Little Ann—he’s ecstatic. It doesn’t matter that times are tough; together they’ll roam the hills of the Ozarks.
  14. Mischief Came to Town– When Inge Maria arrives on the tiny island of Bornholm in Denmark to live with her grandmother, she’s not sure what to expect. Her grandmother is stern, the people on the island are strange, and children are supposed to be seen and not heard.
  15. Turtle in Paradise– When Turtle’s mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn’t like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida to live with relatives she’s never met. Florida’s like nothing Turtle’s ever seen before though. It’s hot and strange, full of rag tag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure!
  16. The Toothpaste Millionaire– Sixth-grader Rufus Mayflower doesn’t set out to become a millionaire. He just wants to save on toothpaste. Betting he can make a gallon of his own for the same price as one tube from the store, Rufus develops a step-by-step production plan with help from his good friend Kate MacKinstrey.
  17. The Rescuers– Miss Bianca is a white mouse of great beauty and supreme self-confidence, who, courtesy of her excellent young friend, the ambassador’s son, resides luxuriously in a porcelain pagoda painted with violets, primroses, and lilies of the valley.
  18. Julie of the Wolves– To her small Eskimo village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away, only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness.
  19. The Tale of Despereaux-Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. 
  20. Bud, Not Buddy– It’s 1936, in Flint Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!
  21. The Witch of Blackbird Pond– Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place.
  22. Holes– Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnatses. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes
  23. The Giver– “The Giver is a 1993 American Young-adult fiction-Dystopian novel by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society which at first appears as a utopian society but then later revealed to be a dystopian one as the story progresses.”
  24. Shiloh– When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it’s love at first sight—and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun—and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty’s secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd’s anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?
  25. Sarah, Plain and Tall– Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna’s point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa’s advertisement for a wife and mother. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay?
  26. A Wrinkle in Time– It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.
  27. Ginger Pye– Ginger Pye, the “intellectual dog,” who Jerry Pye bought for a hard-earned dollar. The most famous pup in all of Cranbury, Ginger knows tons of tricks, is as loyal as he is smart, and steals the hearts of everyone he meets . . . until someone steals him!
  28. Hitty, Her First Hundred Years– Hitty is a doll of great charm and character. It is indeed a privilege to publish her memoirs, which, besides being full of the most thrilling adventures on land and sea, also reveal her delightful personality.
  29. Counting By Sevens– Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now.

8 Great iPad Apps for Kids: Reading Apps for Children

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Here are 8 AWESOME apps to help your child learn and enjoy reading!

  1. Reading Rainbow: Offers a library of books to users, themed according to a child’s interests (action adventures, magical tales, etc.). Kids can choose to have a book read aloud to them or to read the book themselves. To access more than one book, however, you’ll have to subscribe to the app — a $10 recurring monthly fee or $30 for six months.
  2. Starfall Learn to Read: an app version of the stellar learn-to-read website, Starfall. The app has the same content as the “Learn to Read” section of the site. There are 15 mini-books, each focusing on a specific vowel, along with videos and activities to enhance literacy learning. As with other Starfall apps, the thorough and careful design keeps kids focused on learning.  reading apps
  3. Martha Speaks Dog Party: A US Dept. of Education-funded study found target vocabulary improved up to 31 percent for children ages 3-7 who played this Parents’ Choice Recommended app over a two-week period. Includes FOUR fun-filled games starring Martha, the talking dog from the popular PBS KIDS TV series MARTHA SPEAKS(TM).
  4. ABC Spelling Magic: Spelling is fun and easy with ABC Spelling This app can help your child learn the sounds of the alphabet. This app indirectly teaches the essential reading skill of segmenting as well. Two levels of challenge are available. A team of educators using accelerated learning techniques and Montessori principles developed this app. It has been tested and approved of by preschool children.
  5. Montessori Crosswords: Based on the proven Montessori learning method, Montessori Crosswords helps kids develop their reading, writing, and spelling skills by building words from a set of 320 word-image-audio-phonics combinations using a phonics-enabled movable alphabet.
  6. Reading Raven: An educational app that leads children from early phonological awareness and phonics right up to reading full sentences while integrating printing skills and teaching through games. Reading Raven for iPad is an incredible learn-to-read app.
  7. Dr. Seuss’s ABC: Learn your ABCs with Dr. Seuss in this interactive book app for young readers! Explore pictures, learn new vocabulary, and personalize the story with your own narration. From Aunt Annie riding an Alligator to the Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz, learning to read is an unforgettable adventure with Dr. Seuss!
  8. Sight Words by Photo Touch: A fun and addictive way to learn sight words by sight, sound & touch. Photo Touch is an exciting educational game that helps your child rapidly learn to recognize and read words by sight, sound, and touch. The interface is so easy to use that even a 9 month old baby will delight in using this app. Ideal for ages 0 to 6.

 

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Bette Fetter

Founder and CEO of Young Rembrandts and Author of Being Visual
[email protected]
Follow Bette on Twitter

What to Do When Homework Overwhelms?

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School is well in session and I’m sure you have hit a few bumps with homework already. Homework is going to be a part of your child’s school experience for many years. Whether you have a visual learner just starting school or an older visual learner, I have found lots of great ways to make homework time easier through the years.

  1. Talk casually over a snack before hitting the books. Kids need to let off a little steam before getting started. Talking casually about what kind of homework there is, can take the edge off and get the juices flowing in a fun positive way.
  2. Set up a homework spot. A predictable, steady place to do homework is a big part of a successful homework routine. Make sure it’s a good spot for feel good kind of focus. Be sure to have fresh pencils, pens, and paper nearby. Eliminate the obvious distractions and get down to work.
  3. crafto_bk035zMake a list. Once you’ve reviewed the day’s homework, help your child make a list. Keep it short, simple and visual!  Having a list will help them focus and give them a sense of accomplishment as they check things off.
  4. Shorter working sessions are far more effective for visual kids. Remember they’ve been in school all day working the left side of their brain. More of the same at home is going to require some mini breaks. Kids also remember more when hearing it or practicing in several shorter sessions rather than one long one.
  5. Allow frequent movement breaks to give the brain a chance to process the information. While taking those breaks between study sessions, get them moving. Our visual kids need to get their whole body involved in what they’re doing. Have them shoot hoops, or do a few laps around the block or get their dance moves on before they head back to the books.
  6. Sit and work with them. Younger kids, and some older, will stay better focused knowing a parent helper is nearby. Once you know they understand the assignment, fade to the background and let them carry on. Don’t be overly helpful or do the work for them. Just be nearby to answer questions or provide help when needed.
  7. Allow doodling or drawing during homework. Visual kids often need to write or draw out what they’re thinking about. It even helps for them to take visual notes. Doodling can help your visual learner work out those math problems or science concepts. Just watch time spent doodling doesn’t pull them away from doing the actual assignment.
  8. MMs_bowlUsing manipulatives can make learning more real for visual kids. These learners need ways to make concepts more real. Try using Scrabble® tiles for spelling words or M&M’s® for math. 
  9. Use color for organizing their school work and taking notes. Visual kids love color and their brains remember things how look and color is a big part of that. Let them use different colored gel pens for taking notes, colored highlighters when reading and different colored folders for each subject.
  10. Remove distractions. This is good for everyone involved. You may be used to having to work through lots of distraction and they may think it doesn’t bother them, but it does. Get them working in a spot that’s as quiet as possible. No pets, baby sisters or television on in the background.
  11. Try adding music. Some background noise can help minimize the natural sounds of home, but let’s not have the radio blaring or the latest music videos streaming. Be intentional about creating a mood for focus and concentration with neutral background sounds or classical music. Background noise without words may help your child focus better than complete silence. 
  12. Read aloud. Visual kids might resist reading whenever they can. So, whether it’s reading informational text, a reading assignment or reading the instructions in an assignment; reading it out loud helps the child connect with what they’re reading.
  13. Do larger projects in stages. Talk over those big assignments and make a plan. Break the assignment into several smaller pieces and do a little each day. This lessens the chance of your visual kid feeling overwhelmed and enables them to be successful one smaller bite at a time.
  14. film-novelWatch the Movie-For older students with serious reading ahead, it may help to watch the movie first. Many novels have been made into high quality movies and watching before reading is a great way to engage your child and help them understand the story and characters.
  15. Read the same book at the same time. For older elementary kids through high school, reading the same book they’re reading can help you help them. The shared experience of reading the same story and talking about it, increases comprehension and builds their interest in reading.
  16. Cliff Notes. There are times our visual kids need extra help reading books. For books that are heavy duty and extra intimidating, reading the Cliff’s notes before the book can lighten the load. Yes, we want them to read the actual book, but reading the cliff notes first can make it more approachable.
  17. Read papers out loud. Writing assignments can be much improved when kids read their papers out loud. Reading silently allows the writer to slide over detail and poor sentence structure. Reading aloud helps them hear what they wrote and makes them better able to correct mistakes in wording and content.
  18. Watch a video. Any learning can be enhanced by seeing or hearing more about it. There is a tremendous amount of content available in video format. Whether it’s a documentary, television show or You Tube video, search out the topic your child is studying in class and spend some time watching some quality, age appropriate videos.
  19. Make it fun. More than anything, do what you can to make homework time fun. Keep it light. Take snack breaks. Dance breaks. Create games to study sight words. Get cooking to study fractions. Use props to act out history lessons. The possibilities are endless.

Download the list

Once you and your visual student learn to use these techniques, you’ll be able to adapt them to any subject matter and every age level. And homework will fly by and become a source of accomplishment for everyone.

ADHD Survival Guide for Holiday Break

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\"\"Two weeks off school. Off schedules. Homework. Routines. Maybe even a few extra days off work for mom and dad. Sounds so good. Until reality sets in. 12 days of kids at home. No school. No schedules. No homework. No routines. YIKES!! If you or your child have ADD – double YIKES!!! Now add in the excitement, hype and expectation of the holidays. Major stress for you. Major stress for your ADD child.

I must admit, I loved days off with my kids. Especially holiday break. I wanted it to be a steady stream of Hallmark moments. We had plenty of those. But I’m a planner and I made sure we still had structured time, routines, play dates and out of the house adventures, especially for my ADD kids. There were a few meltdowns and need for reinforcements, but overall lots of good memories. But there comes a day when enough is enough and EVERYBODY needs to go back to school!

Here are a few things we had in place and lots more ideas I gathered to share with you:

Structured Time. Lazy days of holiday break sound tempting but ADD kids need structure. They need to know what’s going to happen everyday and what’s expected of them. But not to worry, you can still be a little flexible. Keep your routines in place. Bedtimes. Meal times. Good food. Medication (if they’re on it). Alternate structured days at home with out of the house adventures. Build in some flexibility for times you see that your kid needs downtime.

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At Home activities. Keep up regular at home activities; making beds, helping around the house, math practice and chores. Then add in the fun. Cooking, baking and making decorations are possibilities, and there’s so much more. Check out our list of ideas but be sure to choose things your child will be comfortable with. Choose things with the level of structure they need. Things that are familiar, but with some new challenges. Something they can do independently, and some you can do together.

Get out of the House. ADD kids get pretty fidgety, especially after too many days indoors. They need a change of scenery and chance to get outside their heads and get their bodies moving.  Going places will stimulate their imaginations with fresh ideas. Check out our list of ideas, but again, choose and adapt things to work for your ADD child. When you go to public places like the museum or library, go at less busy time of day. Limit the amount of time you’re there. And be sure to let them take breaks as needed.

\"\"Allow time to be creative. ADD kids are visual thinkers, with very active imaginations. They need time and ways to be creative or all that positive energy may come out in less than optimal ways. Be sure their days include time spending drawing, building or making stuff. Time spent on their tech devices doesn’t count as creative time. The holidays are ripe with opportunities to cook, bake and decorate, so be sure to let them participate. Sign them up for creative activities at the park district or library. Be sure their gifts include art and building supplies.

Play Dates. Remember, your friends and neighbors are off school too and you can help each other out.  Instead of kids ending up at your house at random days and times, make plans ahead of time. Arrange times your kids play at their house, giving you a break and change of scenery for them. Another day, they come to your house. Be sure it’s someone your ADD child is comfortable playing with, maybe another friend with ADD.

It’s okay to say no. Not everything has to happen. My absolute favorite thing to say no to is sleepovers. I sound like the Grinch of all time, but you’ve got to admit no child ever came home from a sleepover well rested. And who in their right mind wants to host one? Sleepovers with two or more ADD kids is going to be a nightmare that lasts for days, for everybody involved.

Don’t take it out on them. Holidays are intense, and we’ve all had those moments when June Cleaver goes Godzilla, but whatever you do, don’t take it out on your ADD kid. Their voice is the one you hear because it’s the loudest, so they tend to be the first ones we correct. They may be spinning around house like whirling dervish, but instead of losing it, finds ways pull them aside and privately redirect them to more appropriate behavior or activity. Give yourself a time out when needed. Take a few deep breaths to calm and clear your mind and remember, this too shall pass.

\"\"Call in reinforcements. It’s okay to admit when you need help, especially when the incessant chatter and activity of ADD, combined with holiday demands, becomes too much. Call grandma. Your sister. The ‘funcle’ of the family. You and the kids can benefit from an extra pair of hands and fresh perspective on fun. Who in the family really gets your kid? Or who can hang with your other kids, so you can give your ADD kid some one on one time.

It’s your holiday too. As parents we need to think kids first, but it’s your holiday too, so schedule some ‘me time’. Do you want a massage? Lunch with girlfriends? Date night with your spouse? Schedule a sitter, even if it’s to entertain kids downstairs so you can wrap packages upstairs, or soak in a tub uninterrupted. Arrange for a cleaning service, even if it’s not part of your regular routine.

One on One time. There may be times you ADD child just can’t go with the flow any more. Whether they’re housebound, tired of being in a group or struggling with too much activity that’s out of their comfort zone, it may be time to pull them aside for some one on one. Get a sitter for your other kids and have an away from the house adventure designed just for them. Or maybe its quiet time at home reading aloud or playing their favorite game. Giving them your full attention can be very calming and help them get through holidays.

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So many gifts. Too many gifts. Pace it. Remember your ADD kid can either hyper focus or get distracted, you may not know until it’s gift opening time. They may only have eyes for one gift at a time or want to tear through everything and need to ‘see’ them later. Tearing through the stack is never ok at our house. We like to plan ahead and slow things down with one gift at a time, so kids appreciate their gifts and say their thank yous along the way.

As parents we want to make the holidays special, especially for our kids, but it can be overwhelming all around. I hope these thoughts have been helpful and gave you some ideas for the managing the time and activities, especially for your children with ADD. They are remarkable kids and by planning ahead, we can make things more enjoyable for them too.

What do you do to maintain sanity throughout your winter holiday break?

There’s Still Time to Read

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School is starting in just 4 weeks! If your children are anything like my son Matt was, reading might be a struggle. In my book, Being Visual, I share a few insights into why reading can be such a struggle and how to get those kids to sit still and read! Meanwhile, here are some tips to get everyone back into reading.

20 minutes a day – no matter what. I hope you’ve enjoyed some creative ways to read this summer, audio books, watching movies based on kids’ books and reading aloud, but it’s time to get serious about daily, focused reading practice. Real books. Paperbacks or hardcover, but real books. 20 minutes a day. No matter what. Make sure it’s the ‘right’ kind of book, right level, engaging, etc. And once that’s for sure, it’s about putting in the time, no matter what. That first week of school will be so much better, when you put the time in now. I think this is a make or break kind of thing to do with school starts on the horizon.

Read everything- Just like with writing, opportunities to read are everywhere. Take that grocery list to the store and have your child read it and find the correct items. When school supply shopping, have your child read their list of items needed. When you go out to dinner, your child can read the menu to decide what they want to eat. Read cereal boxes while eating breakfast, read recipes while making dinner, whatever you might be reading in your daily routine, your kids may be able to read for you.

Finish the summer reading list- If you have older kids, middle school and high school, there’s probably a list of summer reading to be completed before school starts. Check their progress and check what’s on the list. I remember when my son had to read Great Expectations the summer before eighth grade. And as much as we can all respect Dickens’s work – that is NOT a book to have to read alone over the summer, especially a visual learner that doesn’t like to read. There are times you need to watch the movie and skim the cliff notes! Just get it done in a way they can handle. But get through that list.

Get those prizes!- If you signed up for your local library reading program, it’s not too late to finish up the reading goals and get in there to claim your prizes. While you’re in there, check out some books to read!

As much as visual kids needed the break from school type stuff, they are going to be back in the classroom and READING in every part of their day. The older kids get, the more school success depends on reading and understanding what was read. So, time to ‘interrupt’ the fun and get the books out!

19 Ways to Make Homework a Breeze

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Homework is going to be a part of your child’s school experience for many years. Whether you have a visual learner just starting school or an older visual learner, I have found lots of great ways to make homework time easier through the years.

  1. Talk casually over a snack before hitting the books. Kids need to let off a little steam before getting started. Talking casually about what kind of homework there is, can take the edge off and get the juices flowing in a fun positive way.
  2. Set up a homework spot. A predictable, steady place to do homework is a big part of a successful homework routine. Make sure it’s a good spot for feel good kind of focus. Be sure to have fresh pencils, pens, and paper nearby. Eliminate the obvious distractions and get down to work.
  3. crafto_bk035zMake a list. Once you’ve reviewed the day’s homework, help your child make a list. Keep it short, simple and visual!  Having a list will help them focus and give them a sense of accomplishment as they check things off.
  4. Shorter working sessions are far more effective for visual kids. Remember they’ve been in school all day working the left side of their brain. More of the same at home is going to require some mini breaks. Kids also remember more when hearing it or practicing in several shorter sessions rather than one long one.
  5. Allow frequent movement breaks to give the brain a chance to process the information. While taking those breaks between study sessions, get them moving. Our visual kids need to get their whole body involved in what they’re doing. Have them shoot hoops, or do a few laps around the block or get their dance moves on before they head back to the books.
  6. Sit and work with them. Younger kids, and some older, will stay better focused knowing a parent helper is nearby. Once you know they understand the assignment, fade to the background and let them carry on. Don’t be overly helpful or do the work for them. Just be nearby to answer questions or provide help when needed.
  7. Allow doodling or drawing during homework. Visual kids often need to write or draw out what they’re thinking about. It even helps for them to take visual notes. Doodling can help your visual learner work out those math problems or science concepts. Just watch time spent doodling doesn’t pull them away from doing the actual assignment.
  8. MMs_bowlUsing manipulatives can make learning more real for visual kids. These learners need ways to make concepts more real. Try using Scrabble® tiles for spelling words or M&M’s® for math. 
  9. Use color for organizing their school work and taking notes. Visual kids love color and their brains remember things how look and color is a big part of that. Let them use different colored gel pens for taking notes, colored highlighters when reading and different colored folders for each subject.
  10. Remove distractions. This is good for everyone involved. You may be used to having to work through lots of distraction and they may think it doesn’t bother them, but it does. Get them working in a spot that’s as quiet as possible. No pets, baby sisters or television on in the background.
  11. Try adding music. Some background noise can help minimize the natural sounds of home, but let’s not have the radio blaring or the latest music videos streaming. Be intentional about creating a mood for focus and concentration with neutral background sounds or classical music. Background noise without words may help your child focus better than complete silence. 
  12. Read aloud. Visual kids might resist reading whenever they can. So, whether it’s reading informational text, a reading assignment or reading the instructions in an assignment; reading it out loud helps the child connect with what they’re reading.
  13. Do larger projects in stages. Talk over those big assignments and make a plan. Break the assignment into several smaller pieces and do a little each day. This lessens the chance of your visual kid feeling overwhelmed and enables them to be successful one smaller bite at a time.
  14. film-novelWatch the Movie-For older students with serious reading ahead, it may help to watch the movie first. Many novels have been made into high quality movies and watching before reading is a great way to engage your child and help them understand the story and characters.
  15. Read the same book at the same time. For older elementary kids through high school, reading the same book they’re reading can help you help them. The shared experience of reading the same story and talking about it, increases comprehension and builds their interest in reading.
  16. Cliff Notes. There are times our visual kids need extra help reading books. For books that are heavy duty and extra intimidating, reading the Cliff’s notes before the book can lighten the load. Yes, we want them to read the actual book, but reading the cliff notes first can make it more approachable.
  17. Read papers out loud. Writing assignments can be much improved when kids read their papers out loud. Reading silently allows the writer to slide over detail and poor sentence structure. Reading aloud helps them hear what they wrote and makes them better able to correct mistakes in wording and content.
  18. Watch a video. Any learning can be enhanced by seeing or hearing more about it. There is a tremendous amount of content available in video format. Whether it’s a documentary, television show or You Tube video, search out the topic your child is studying in class and spend some time watching some quality, age appropriate videos.
  19. Make it fun. More than anything, do what you can to make homework time fun. Keep it light. Take snack breaks. Dance breaks. Create games to study sight words. Get cooking to study fractions. Use props to act out history lessons. The possibilities are endless.

Download the list

Once you and your visual student learn to use these techniques, you’ll be able to adapt them to any subject matter and every age level. And homework will fly by and become a source of accomplishment for everyone.

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