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- Answers first / Self correction
- Flood them with success
- Read to them
- Spelling
- Copying
- Math, the great intimidator
- Handwriting (penmanship), writing
- Direct instruction
Answers first / Self correction
Stop asking questions you haven't given the answers to first.
Math anxiety, reading anxiety, spelling anxiety, handwriting anxiety, neatness anxiety, writing anxiety and speaking anxiety are such real and devastating problems that you are going to have to create environments where your children are set up to succeed at these tasks.
They will learn much more by being provided with the answers first, and being allowed to self-correct, than they ever will by being found wrong or sloppy one more time. Allow them the time necessary for self-correction. Often, out of our own fear of failure, we rush in to correct mistakes. Rushing in too quickly destroys the opportunity for self-correction, and self-correction is far more valuable than correction by others.
Children, and adults, are sick and tired of being found wrong - so sick and tired, that in many cases they have given up and will no longer even try. The first thing they need is the trust that simply by focusing on the answer provided they can succeed.
Flood them with success
Flood children with 100 to 1,000 quick successes and they will ask to try and solve the problem on their own.
Write the answer down on a piece of paper and hand it to them. "The answer to the problem is 64. The problem is eight times eight. What is the answer to the problem, eight times eight."
Repeat the exact problem until the child realizes that you are not going to try and trick him, "Here's how you spell the word nomadic." Write the word down and hand it to the child. "Now, look at the word, spell the word nomadic."
If this is a spelling exercise don't go on to ask for the definition without writing it down first, or helping the child find it in the dictionary. Remember, you are setting the child up for success, so don't risk one more failure.
When they ask to be tested without the answer first, that's O.K. Until they ask, keep providing them with the answer before you ask the question. You'll be surprised to find that students who aren't willing to try even a simple math or spelling problem will suddenly be willing to earn their points just as soon as they trust that they aren't being tricked and set up to fail.
Read to them
Stop asking children with poor reading and language skills to read to you.
Rather, you read to them. If they do ask to read to you, allow them to make mistakes without correction. Don't destroy their attempts to start on time, stay on task and complete assignments with helpful suggestions for improvement. There is plenty of time for correction later. As they live up to the terms of their contracts be sure that they are rewarded immediately. Review the section on "chorusing" in the Donaldson Reading Program.
Spelling
Parents want their children to be better spellers, but often sabotage the effort by putting their children on the spot. No child is going to speak up and make an effort to spell if he thinks he's going to fail and be embarrassed in front of Mom, Dad, friends, sisters, brothers, grandma...
An alternative to putting the child on the spot is for the parent to put the spelling list in front of the child. Both parent and child point to the word. Both parent and child say the word together, three times quickly:
house house house
Spell the word together - three times quickly:
h-o-u-s-e h-o-u-s-e h-o-u-s-e
Then move to the next word. Do not quiz the child, you will undermine trust and enjoyment.
Allow the child the simple success of saying and spelling the word along with you. By both parent and child pointing at the word together, the child will tend to focus.
When children choose to focus they will get the right answer. Because the child is chorusing the word with the parent, the child is given plenty of opportunity for self-correction. What destroys focus is fear of failure. What sharpens focus is the experience of self-correction.
Once the child has attempted the word three times, move on to the next word without comment. You can provide an opportunity for additional self-correction by returning to the same word in a minute or two. Don't try to solve all problems immediately. Give the child some time. Allow for self-correction.
Children who haven't yet mastered recognizing their ABCs can practice their individual letters with the chorusing exercises outlined in "Donaldson Reading."
Copying
Once you and the child have spelled approximately 10 words together, ask the child to copy the words directly from the list. The child will see the words, say the words, spell the words, read the words, copy the words, hear the words. Most importantly, the child will focus and experience academic success. Every five or ten minutes on task earns a point or two (as spelled out in the contract).
Many times parents and teachers will now feel compelled to test the child to see what was learned. Keep in mind that during these early stages, what is being learned is not primarily how to spell. Improvement in spelling is coming, but what is being learned now are the fundamental behaviors associated with academic achievement and success: starting on time, staying on task (focus), completing assignments. Don't sabotage the program, and your child's trust, by suddenly reverting to asking questions that will catch the child failing. Answers first.
Move on. Don't continue to review until the child is exhausted. Leave the child with a feeling of accomplishment. Even if mistakes continue to be made, move on. You can come back in a few minutes, or tomorrow. Let it be. Focus on what was accomplished.
Will the child be able to go to school and pass the spelling test? Perhaps not, but keep in mind that the child has not been passing spelling tests. It is going to take a while for the child to even be willing to try again. Keep the focus on the quality of your time together. Successes at home will rapidly begin to transfer into the classroom.
The child is re-establishing trust in his ability to focus and is developing the trust that you are no longer going to put him on the spot and try to trick him.
She is earning points for living up to the contract. Nothing more can be asked. After 100 to 1,000 successes, children will ask to try a couple of words without looking. If she gets it say, "That's correct. The word nomadic is spelled n-o-m-a-d-i-c. Congratulations." If she misses, both of you point to the word and you say, "The word nomadic is spelled n-o-m-a-d-i-c. Spell it with me." Always tell her the answer immediately. Show her the word immediately in order to allow for self-correction. Allow her to stay in control.
When the child asks how to spell a word don't make her guess. Don't tell him to look it up in the dictionary. Write the correct spelling out on a piece of paper, even if you have to look it up yourself, and put it in front of the child. Allow her to focus. Allow her to copy the correct spelling.
While she is copying you may look the word up in a dictionary, highlight the word and definition with a yellow highlighter and show the child the dictionary entry. Allow her to glance at the highlighted section briefly, and move on. Don't turn the dictionary into another frustrating book.
Some examples of successful earning:
1) Spelling list makes it home: Earns points.
2) Parent choruses each word with child three times: Time-on-task earns points.
3) Mom asks spelling words while child looks at list: Time-on-task earns points.
4) Child always given another chance: Time on task earns points.
5) Child allowed to write words while looking at list: Time on task earns points.
6) Child allowed to look at list until child suggests trying it solo: Time on task earns points.
Math, the great intimidator
So many children have experienced so much failure with math that they have totally lost their ability to focus on even the simplest problem. They have come to believe that they "hate math." They have learned that anything to do with math isn't for them. They excuse themselves by saying they are stupid, that math is too hard, mysterious, arbitrary.
The antidote to this enormous failure is exactly the same. "Provide the answer first and allow plenty of time for self-correction." Children who are frustrated by their inability to do math should be encouraged to write (copy) the numbers 0-9 one thousand times. The familiarity this exercise will instill will correct many misconceptions about the child's inability to do math. Ask the child to see how an times he can write the numbers 0 - 9 in one minute. Record the answers on a piece of graph paper.
When presented with a math problem, simply write the problem down and provide the answer. Ask the child to chorus along with you three times, "The problem is ten divided by two." Both of you touch directly under the problem and chorus (repeat) the equation until the form of a problem can be chorused without fear of failure.
Example:
5 (five)
+ 5 (plus five)
=10 (equals ten)
Both of you touch directly underneath each number and operating sign (with a finger or a pencil) and both of you chorus three times:
Five plus five equals ten.
Five plus five equals ten.
Five plus five equals ten.
Write another problem. Ask the child to earn her points by chorusing with you. Always include the answer.
A multiplication table (complete with all the answers) is an excellent way to chorus. Point to the appropriate row, column and answer:
"Five times five equals twenty five." Chorus three times and move on.
While drilling multiplication tables to mastery, don't forget to also drill addition, subtraction and division tables.
Use flash cards that include the answers, they are a set-up for success. Make your own flash cards out of index cards and include the answers right on the front. Remember, the goal is to build trust and focus at this point. When children choose to focus they can win. It is the first step to building academic self-confidence.
Wait until the child asks to try a problem without the answer. If the child misses, simply show him the entire problem again, chorus and move on. The child must learn to trust that you are never going to trick her or put her on the spot. Absolutely refuse to ask any more questions you haven't given the answers to first. The child will let you know when she is ready.
Handwriting (penmanship), writing
The solution to this concern lies in the great lost art of "copying." One of the greatest exercises there is to overcome anxiety about math, spelling, handwriting, neatness, punctuation, sentence structure, capitalization, the ability to write clearly is, "copying."
Copying works on capitalization, punctuation, vocabulary, spelling, handwriting, content and sentence structure. It allows the child to earn points by starting on time, staying on task and completing assignments.
Use any book, magazine, newspaper that is at hand.
When students chooses to copy for 5 - 20 minutes they earns points as described in the contract.
Point out the two or three letters, numbers, words that you think look good and then move on. No correction. Have them copy using pen, pencil or a word processor. Reward them for time on-task. Move on.
Children new to the keyboard can practice using any number of typing tutors. Using washable ink, letters may be written on the back of each finger to encourage correct fingering.
Direct instruction
Tell children clearly what you want them to do rather than what they are doing wrong.
Wrong: "Stop slamming the door."
Right : "Close the door quietly."
Wrong: "Don't be late."
Right: "Start on time, 4:00 p.m. sharp. Earn your
points."
Wrong: "If you don't stop that I'm going to take
away television."
Right : "Stay on task until 4:30 and earn your points.
Points earn television."
Wrong: "Stop writing so sloppily."
Right: "Copy for 5 minutes and earn your points."
Wrong: "If you don't bring home your assignment
you'll lose your privileges."
Right: "Bring home your assignment and earn your points."
It is imperative that, as adults responsible for our children's academic success, we do what we can to take the emphasis off of all the things our children are doing incorrectly and keep it on those many things they are doing correctly.
Tell them directly what you want done. Provide them with the answers. Allow them to self-correct. You will suddenly see that your children are far more capable than you thought.
All of you will begin to believe that, in fact, they can
do it!
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: ANSWERS FIRST © April 2001 by Rory Donaldson. All rights reserved. In order to help reverse the tide of academic failure and optimize success, individuals may copy brainsarefun solutions for non-commercial use at no charge. Contents may not be sold or repackaged in any manner without the written permission of Rory Donaldson. Since all material is copyrighted, please ensure that this entire copyright notice and contact information continues to be attached to each article you download. Mr. Donaldson appreciates the feedback. Additional solutions may be viewed and downloaded at no charge by logging on to brainsarefun.com. New titles are being released regularly.
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