Four- and five-year-olds may be able to count to ten before having a sense of a number being connected to a specific quantity. Here’s a simple, hands-on activity to help them associate a numeral with a quantity: Begin with numbers 1 through 5. Write a numeral on one side of a blank index card and put that number of large dots on the back. This makes it self-checking. The child can first match the number card to a pile of objects you’ve put together. Then he can make piles himself, putting the number card next to the pile for you to double-check.

Objects in a pile can be identical—a common approach in workbook pages. But to develop true number sense, kids should also have experiences identifying the number of objects in a group that fit into category, but aren’t exactly alike. For example, 4 books of varying size and thickness, 5 cans with different colored labels, 2 pencils of different length or color, and so on. Once they master 1-5, use this same approach with 6-10, and then with 1-10.

I’ve often suggested to families homeschooling a child with ADHD that they block in short exercise breaks prior to any 20-30 minute lesson requiring concentration. In addition, I’ve recommended teaching or enrolling him in physical education classes—swimming, skating, sports, etc.—where he is taught specific movements in order to develop greater skill. Some of the families I’ve worked with found martial arts classes with encouraging teachers where their child wasn’t discouraged by criticism or a competitive atmosphere. Within that environment, the child was able to work at his own pace and gain both self-confidence and physical skill. The February 2007 Prevention magazine includes an article that recommends such classes for kids with ADHD, stating that the “highly structured approach and repetitive patterns of movements actually help ease symptoms of the disorder.” It quotes Richard B. Coolman, MD, “‘In martial arts classes, they learn to focus, clear their minds of distractions, and take control of their body movements.’” With such benefits, it seems worth checking out.

Because of the negative side-effects of drugs, I’m always looking for alternatives to any and every condition. The June 2006 issue of Prevention magazine mentioned studies using neurotherapy on kids and adults to increase attention and focus. Using biofeedback, the patient learns how to increase or decrease specific brain waves which are associated with alertness, behavioral control, daydreaming, and loss of focus. Apparently 75% found this approach successful as a treatment. The article quotes Monastra, author of DHD biofeedback studies and the book Parenting Children with ADHD:

“‘The response is as powerful as stimulant medications, but the effects appear more enduring…research suggests that gains can last for years.’”

Here’s a link to an article that discusses this approach in greater detail:
http://www.bio-medical.com/news_display.cfm?mode=EEG&newsid=35

Or go to www.bio-medical.com and click on “Articles,” then “Neurofeedback” and finally the title What is Neurofeedback? Client’s Guide to Neurotherapy.

Drugs are recommended to help children with ADHD, but many families are hoping for alternatives with fewer side effects. Caffeine is a much milder drug than those prescribed, yet some doctors advise against using caffeine with any children. However, since others suggest that it works better than no medication at all, and because some parents have told me caffeine has helped, I’ve passed it along as an option worth investigating.

Recently someone asked if I knew the particulars—how much to use and when—so I searched the Internet. Other than a caution to recognize that body weight is a factor (young children obviously need much less of any drug) and that the amount of caffeine can vary in coffee, I didn’t find anything about dosage. However, I did find a site with lots of testimonials those of you interested in trying caffeine may find helpful. For those of you who have already tried caffeine, consider adding your experience for the benefit of others. http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/What_does_caffeine_do_to_an_ADHD_child

I would also appreciate e-mails from anyone who has tried caffeine with their ADHD child. Did it help? What was the child’s age? The form of caffeine (Coca Cola? Mountain Dew? coffee?) How much did you give and when? Did you experiment on your own or follow the advice of a doctor or health consultant? I would like to be able to share your experiences with families who are struggling. Send emails to Kathryn@designastudy.com. Thanks!

I recently heard about an organization that offers a simple way for homeschoolers to raise funds for their own family. Flood Ministries shares the gospel through Christian music. Its latest praise and worship CD, Sanctuary, sells for $15. Homeschoolers selling the CD will receive 50% of each sale — and there are no hidden costs. CDs make great Christmas gifts, so it seems like the perfect time to take a look at the details. Visit www.floodministries.org.

Some kids skip small words when reading. Others have difficulty remembering words they can’t picture—words like “the” or “of.” In either case, color can help. Before having the child read, write down a troublesome word and color over it with a highlighter. Point to it, say it, and then have the child say it. Give the child the highlighter to mark that same word each time it appears in the sentence, paragraph, or page he is about to read. For kids that skip words, highlighting draws their attention to words they might otherwise ignore. When memory is the problem, the color helps the child make a mental image. For that reason, try to assign a different color to each sight word that seems to be interfering with his ability to read fluently.

Frequently, kids guess wildly at a word in a story instead of using their phonic skills to decode it. When they seem unable to sound out the word at your prompting, try reproducing it with letter cubes or tiles. Now there is no clutter—no words next to, above, or below the unknown word. Also, because kids typically enjoy manipulatives, this is an appealing way to practice. After he successfully reads the word, have him return to the story, reading it on the page and continuing the sentence.

For children who tire after reading a paragraph or two, interrupt with phonetic practice using the letter cubes or tiles to make word families. After a few minutes, have them read a bit more of the story. This approach gives their eyes a rest, alters their focus so that they don’t become overwhelmed, and ultimately allows them to spend more time practicing reading at one sitting.

Give your kids this simple 5-finger rule when they choose books to read on their own. Open the book to any page and begin reading at the top of the page. If you can’t read a word or don’t know its meaning, put down one finger. If you put down five fingers on one page, the book is too difficult. In that case, let them know you’ll read the book aloud.

I tutor kids who attend public or private schools and find themselves drowning in classes which require lots of reading. They don’t have difficulty sounding out words—so what’s the problem? Typically, the vocabulary and concepts are unfamiliar. This is often the case with social studies and science texts. Students may be required to read and take tests on chapters with little time to digest information they don’t understand. Those who’ve had past experiences to bring into their reading have a foundation on which to build and may be able to handle the pace. Unfortunately, many kids just try to silently read and memorize content in order to pass a test. If that’s all they did in the past, even content meant to be familiar won’t be.

I help struggling students by reading portions out loud and then explaining what I’ve read in my own words, adding examples. Then I have them read a portion and try to do the same, helping them as necessary. If there’s time, I supplement the materials with simple, illustrated library books or find short video clips on the Internet. I also ask parents to pick up related videos from the library. All this gives the students ways to make sense of vocabulary and content they find daunting. Memorizing without understanding can leave kids anxious. Really understanding—even if it’s only a portion of the material—ultimately inspires confidence in their own ability to learn.

Teaching reading can be a challenge for both teacher and student. Phonics can feel tedious and progress may be slow. Keep kids motivated and increase their vocabulary and comprehension skills by reading out loud to them from books you believe they will enjoy. Also let them choose books to read on their own, helping them if they ask. Any time they decide a book is boring, let them switch to another one. After all, if they don’t connect to the story, forcing them to finish won’t help them develop a love a reading. And isn’t that one of our primary goals?