Saturday, May 5, 2012

short-term memory: help your child read

We all read using our short-term memory, also called the working-memory. The working memory is set up to retrieve information stored in long-term memory.

The short-term working memory is about 1 and 1/2 seconds long.

Successful reading is done by keeping the 1 and 1/2 second loop moving forward, connecting to the next loop with the correct information. 

Not having the correct information stored in long-term memory ready for rapid retrieval results in the brain waiting too long.

This creates an "overload" for the short-term (working memory): the looping process gets broken. 

The brain requires rapid functioning in speeds of 1 / 1000 bits of a second for the smooth merging of information. Too slow, creates a cascade of trouble.

The only way to help your child is to be sure he really knows his basic lessons.

When you are helping your child with reading, think of making sure lessons are securely anchored. Creating the pressure to be fast introduces stress which drains brain energy. Do not put the focus on fast, put it on sure. When lessons are well-anchored in the brain, the brain will be fast and joyfully amazing all on its own.

Think about it this way: You eat the proper foods so that your body can effectively use the best elements to your good health. You do not digest your food, your body's systems do that job.

I have created a few books to help your child master the basics and the tricky parts of reading. Click my link, then click bookstore, scroll down to see books at your child's grade level: http://www.zoomreadingstrategy.com   All books teach a special comprehension method.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Please feel welcome to leave a question for me. 
Mary Maisner


Help your child read


Understanding your child's working-memory, also called short-term memory, will help you be more effective. (For all age children.)

Unknown to your child, his eyes are seeing the upcoming letters and words. The brain wants to pop the letter or word into place as soon as the child needs it.

When your child's brain does not have  lessons stored and ready for instant recall - a cascade of trouble starts. Let's look at the lessons that are often not well enough learned (stored); not ready to go: 

1) b / d and p / q /  g,     2) look-alike sight words such as whether, which, though, thought, etc
3) and, comprehension skills. 

For children 3rd Grade and up, use my search box - top left corner - put in help struggling reader for fast help with comprehension skills.

Preschool - 2nd Grade: Children know the name and sound of b, d, g, p, q but cannot identify b from d and p from q and g when the child sees these letters within words. Goal: check your child on these five letters. Be sure your child does not get confused by these letters because this confusion causes a child to fall behind.
Parents depend on preschool and kindergarten but there is not enough time for the required repetition; parents must monitor and help.  Ignore all other backward letters, they will not slow your child's progess, are rarely dyslexia, and will self-correct by mid 2nd Grade. Better to use your time teaching my tricky letter rules: 

Bb rule: b is the 2nd letter in my ABCs and its round face looks the way words go in a story >.    Help your child draw lots of giant b's with a smile and eyes looking the way words go >. Take turns saying b words, like boy, bear, bus. Repeat the b rule together. Using a story, have your child find and point to b at the start, middle, and end of words. 

Dd rule: d's straight line blocks d's round face from seeing the way words go. Help your child draw lots of giant d's with sad eyes and a sad mouth. Tell your child d is sad because it cannot see the way words go in a story. Take turns saying d words: dog, dragon, door. Repeat the d rule. Look for d words in a story; d at the start, middle, and end of words.

Gg rule: g's fancy tail tries to reach up to tickle g's round face. Help your child draw lots of giant g's with eyes looking down at g's fancy tail. Take turns saying g words: green, grass, goat, go. Find and point to g at the start, middle, and end of words in a story. Repeat the g rule together. (Beware: Handwritten q looks like the opposite of g.)

Pp rule: the round face of p looks the way words go in a story, just like b; b and p can see. Help your child draw lots of giant p's with a smile and eyes looking the way words go. Find and point to p at the start, middle, and end of words in a story. Take turns saying p words.

Qq rule: the straight line of q blocks the round face of q, online and in print. The round face of my q is blocked by my pretty hook which curves up and away from q's round face.  Help your child draw lots of giant q's with sad eyes and a sad mouth. Find and point to q in stories - always with a straight line - at the start and middle of words: quick, quack, squirrel, squeak; q says kw in English words and letter u always comes next.  Also, have fun making the handwritten q with a hooked tail curving up and away from q's face.

I know this is alot already but try to help your child start collecting sight words when you are reading stories together. Make a list for the frig. with stars and stickers. The 1st ten: the, of, and, a, to, in, is, you, it, he.  All sight words lists are the same and in the same order. 

I use eBay as my website. Search Instant Reading Help Kindergarten all my books will pop up. All are brand new and include my contact info; email or call for help. Have fun reading with your child. Thank you, Mary Maisner

The wonderful lion at the top was drawn by Albrecht Durer in 1521.