| | | | | one of these senses in the learning process, the |
| Concentration is a prerequisite for learning and too | | | | remaining ones are likely to act as distracters. |
| often it is overlooked on the assumption that it is | | | | Add to this the fact that individuals favour |
| a natural act, which is governed by a condition of | | | | different learning modes - some of us are |
| the brain, rather than a deliberate mental process | | | | predominately visual learners, some auditory, |
| which must be trained through a process of | | | | some kinetic, while others learn best through a |
| mental discipline. | | | | combination. Imagine the little boy, whose |
| By far the most palpable symptom of ADD is the | | | | favoured learning mode is more auditory than |
| inability to concentrate. Distraught mothers testify | | | | visual, struggling with a difficult word on the board |
| to the maddening manifestations of this condition | | | | or in his book, - an essentially visual process. A |
| - bright, intelligent children darting physically and | | | | lawn mower starts up in the school grounds - at |
| mentally, apparently at random, from one thing to | | | | once the distracter operates and attention is lost. |
| another as it takes their fleeting fancy. Often | | | | A common assumption is that children should be |
| curious, they are easily distracted - ask a question | | | | taught according to their preferred learning mode |
| but don't wait to hear the answer. Other parents | | | | and some well known multi-sensory learning |
| describe how they wear out their vocal chords | | | | methods embrace this philosophy. A problem can |
| trying to command attention and secure a | | | | result when the child fails to develop the ability to |
| response from their 'space cadet' offspring, | | | | learn through other modes. It is important for the |
| whose eyes refuse to make contact and who | | | | right-brained, very visual learner to develop logical |
| seem unable to come out of their own little world | | | | thought processes and competent language |
| of thought and pay attention to the practical | | | | formation, which are both functions of the |
| needs of the moment. | | | | left-brain. So the favoured learning mode should |
| In his book "The Hidden Handicap", the late Dr | | | | be used as a trigger rather than a total means. |
| Gordon Serfontein describes the hierarchy of | | | | The ideal, inclusive way to teach small children |
| learning as recognized by psychologists. | | | | individually or in a group, is to incorporate activities |
| The process is as follows: | | | | which use all the channels to the brain. A clear |
| 1. senses | | | | impediment of the Whole Language system is |
| 2. attention* | | | | that it does not easily lend itself to this strategy, |
| 3. short-term memory* | | | | being a predominately visual method, which |
| 4. perception* | | | | depends heavily on visual memory and guessing. |
| 5. integration | | | | With phonics, on the other hand, looking, listening, |
| 6. 1ong-term memory | | | | speaking and writing can be employed in a |
| Dr Serfontein tells us that for the ADD child, the | | | | co-ordinated logical process. Teachers are |
| process breaks down at the stages marked with | | | | encouraged to organize activities that involve |
| an asterisk. Hence it goes without saying that the | | | | symbol imagery using playdough, movement and |
| next stages are not accomplished. Clearly | | | | tactile games to provide kinetic awareness and |
| something has gone wrong at the 'senses' stage. | | | | exercises for coordination. Above all, a wide |
| School learning takes place mostly through the | | | | range of enjoyable activities trains the ability to |
| senses of vision, hearing, speech and touch or | | | | concentrate and encourages whole brain learning. |
| physical movement (kinetics). If we are using only | | | | |