Posts Tagged ‘learning math’

Happy New Year!

 Little Giant Steps has the fortunate history of seeing children, teens and adults leave behind their  struggling with learning for almost 2o years.  We are very blessed to work in a field now called “neuroscience” of which we’ve called “neurodevelopment”.  The good news for this year and all of the years we’ve been helping families, is that we get to see the potential realized in their children along side the parents.  Getting the brain and body’s connections functioning efficiently is a matter of doing what was missed during early development.  Yes, there is a discipline one must follow in order to accomplish that goal, but it is very achievable!

Please take a moment and read some of the histories of those with whom we’ve worked.  Then make a New Year’s Resolution that this year will be the year to set your child free from learning disabilities!  God bless you and yours in the coming year.  Thanks and much gratitude to all those who support Little Giant Steps and our sister non-profit agency, Steps of Hope.

 If Your Child Struggles With Learning, Get Auditory Processing Up, First

 I thought I’d share a good resource for you and your child from Little Giant Steps. As you know, we talk about auditory processing a great deal, because it is such a key to learning. (Get a free Auditory Test Kit and see if your child is functioning at grade level.)  If they’re not up to speed, then there are so many games you can play by “practicing” while playing games with your child.  Here’s an excellent “auditory game”: To start, call out at least 4 numbers (monotone voice, with 1 second between each number) then having them give the numbers back to you after you’ve completed the sequence.  It doesn’t have to be numbers, it can be colors, favorite things they like, food, games, etc. Remember the more syllables when using words will make it more difficult, so start out with just one syllable words if they struggle.  If they two out of three correct, then give then additional number (item) and see if they can process 5 successfully, if they can’t just keep practicing on 5 until they get it! There are two things we consider cheating while playing this game. 1. If they are “chaining” ~ that’s trying to group the numbers so they can remember (generally you’ll see them darting eyes, moving head in a rythmn). 2. If they are trying to use visualization (like they are putting the information they hear on a bulletin board in their head) ~ you’ll see they eyes go up and to the side. Both, chaining and visualization, are coping and compensating behaviors that they’ve learned to try to help themselves. To become proficient in auditory processing, they must do it right until they get it.  Then, you go to the next level. We do have a computer program called Sequencing in A Flash, which works with both auditory and visual processing (for all ages), but it’s not nearly as fun as playing a game with mom or dad!

I like to have it be interactive.  First I give a series, they repeat it back, then they give a series and I repeat it back. What’s the goal?  A child should be able to hold in short term memory the same as their age. For instance, a 1 yr. old, should be able to repeat “one word or number” back. A 2 yr. old 2, 3 yr.old ~ 3, etc.  When they get to age 7, or above.. a minimum of digits they should be able to repeat back is 7.  If you wish to carry on a good conversation, and interact with people and teacher meaningfully, you need to be able to process 8 digits.  If you wish to retain college level material, then you must be able to process at least 9.  If a child or an adult has the ability to get to where they’re processing at 12, they would be doing exceptional! The main thing, is to keep this journey to better processing fun while you’re doing it.  Make it a game… it can be a game you and your family will play for the rest of your lives, as you get together to re-live wonderful growing-up memories.  The best part is that playing these kinds of “auditory processing games” will keep your brain sharp and clear, your comprehension will be very good, and your memory will be kept in fine order regardless of age, or I.Q,!

If #auditory processing# is low for your child (which is more the case than not these days) you are affected globally – areas of reading, writing, comprehending, and motor skills. To increase auditory processing abilities, the activities must be “listening.” Here’s a great publication and CD for those important “listening” times. Remember, you or your child can listen while in the car, while playing on the floor – building castles, playing with legos, racing cars or dressing up the dolls!

Meet Axel. from The Little Giant Steps website:

 Remember, your child loves it when you will sit down and focus on them and any activity you can do together. Too many children do not have parents who understand the vital part they play in the neuro-development of their children. It’s crucial that you be interested, interactive and especially to have FUN with your child.  Don’t let another day go by without making a fun and beneficial time-out for just the two of you.  Your life will improve dramatically, along with your child’s!  If you are aware your child is struggling in learning. Try #Developmental Foundations#.  It’s program that can also be very fun. And it will address the functional areas of the brain that are interfering with your child’s ability to: Receive, Comprehend, Store and Recall Information!  Everyone wins with this program.  Just do it a couple of times a day for no more than 5 minutes~ and you’ll see changes you won’t believe when your child’s brain gets organized and begins to have the needed connections (neuro-pathways) that gives them neuro-efficiency.   If you have a pre-schooler (3-5), then #Early Learning Foundations# is what you will want to order. 

 Now, go have a fun weekend with your children!  Take an “Intentional Break” with your child: Play, Laugh, and Make FUN Memories that will last a lifetime!

FALSE: LGS only serves people with learning disabilities.

It’s amazing that Little Giant Steps (LGS) is often times “pigeon holed” as a neuro-educational consulting group that only works with children, teens or adults with learning disabilities or brain trauma.  The fact is, the Neuro-Educational Programs they provide work for everyone!  Why? Because all of us have been raised in a society that began practices (40 some years ago) that were convenient, but not the best interest for our infants neuro-development. The truth is, each individual must go through vital steps and stages of development in order for the brains and bodies to be wired and functioning efficiently. What has happened is that we’ve hampered our off-spring from developing solid strong neuro-connections because we’ve taken them off their tummies during their waking hours, and placed them up-right, in seats that rob them of the neuro-stimuli they require.  They’ve been affected with less than ideal function neurologically, neuro-muscular development, vision (central vision development and tracking), auditory development, tactile and motor function.  Not to mention other factors  (food additives, genetic engineering of our foods, vaccinations, medications, etc.) that may play a part in the development of our neuro-connections.

Each individual  requires a sound auditory processing ability, which is part of the early learning experiences. Yet, today most of our children are functioning below grade level with a skill set that effects them globally. Auditory Processing can make the difference in a person’s ability to receive information, hold it in short-term memory, and then recall and utilize it. Here are a few other benefits of having an efficient auditory processing ability, because when I say globally, here’s  the areas affected:
* Phonetic Utilization
* Behavior
* Following Directions
* Comprehension
* Conceptual Thinking
* Conversational Language
* Staying On Task

Who needs an increase in critical thinking, memory, academic or work-related function?

The answer is everyone!

Can Little Giant Steps address the needs of businesses function?  YES!   When brain organization improves, so does organization of ones work and production.

Can Little Giant Steps address the needs of those who are gifted? YES!  Gifted people many times have such talent they can cope an compensate with unique quirkey learning, organizing, and behavior issues, but what we’ve seen over the years, is when they get the “coping and compensating monkey off their backs“  and they no longer deal with neuro-inefficiency ~ their true potential can be realized.

Can Little Giant Steps provide schools with improved reading, writing, and math scores and function? YES!                                                                                                                         According to a school principal, just last week,  reported that her middle school had been suffering from poor functioning in the area of math, math facts specifically.  They began utilizing Rapid Recall System (an LGS supplemental math facts program that works alongside the state approved curriculum),  and she said. “ their scores came up more than 100points.”   YES!!!  YES!!  All students can benefit from Little Giant Steps’ Neuro-Educational Programs!

Can Little Giant Steps address the needs of our seniors with their Memory and Motion program that helps with memory, comprehension, balance, and well being?  YES!

Can Little Giant Steps addres the needs for intervention with those who are incarcerated, born with mental challenges and learning disabilities?  YES!  YES! YES!

Share this information with your friends, it’s important.  Once you gain solid neuro-efficiency… it lasts a lifetime!

First Step: 

 Get your child neurologically organized.

Little Giant Steps has been providing education for parents and teachers for many years, so they can assist their children to reach their full academic potential.  All learning begins with the brain. So, first let’s get the brain ready to learn. Everyone, regardless of age or I.Q. will improve in their abilities if their brain is better organized and neurologically efficient.

A child arrives in this world with many areas of the brain still developing.  One of the crucial stages of early development includes establishing the central nervous system so the brain and body get connected (we call this “becoming neurologically organized”).  When a child is neurologically organized, information can travel effortlessly between the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell).  When a child is neurologically organized, his movements are coordinated and he has age-appropriate fine and gross motor skills.

Most children become neurologically organized without any outside assistance.  God designed the human brain in such a way that when an infant begins moving, the brain receives the stimulation required to develop higher function.  Infants start out with very random and primitive movements, and then, as the brain develops, their movements become more complex.  It is the cross pattern movement of crawling and creeping that is so vital to a child’s continued progress and development.

If your child didn’t spend much time crawling and creeping, or if they skipped this important developmental stage, there is good news!  It is not too late!  Young children, teenagers, and even adults, can benefit by spending time every day crawling and creeping on the floor in a good cross pattern.  It just takes 2 minutes, twice a day each for cross crawling (like an army crawl) and cross creeping (up on hands and knees).  That’s just 8 minutes a day, five days a week!  Make sure the opposite hand and knee hit the floor at the same time (this cross pattern movement provides the proper stimulation to the brain).  The benefits will amaze you!  Improvement can be seen within 2 to 4 months in academics, behavior, social interaction, coordination of movement and other functional abilities.  It would be best to do these cross pattern activities for at least 6 months to ensure that the brain has received enough stimulation to make these positive effects permanent! 

See you next time with Step 2.  God bless.

 Why Do Neurodevelopmental Programs Succeed?

 It was discovered about 40 years ago that the brain was not hard wired as initially thought. It was also discovered by stimulating the brain through the use of specific activities, one could create new neuro-pathways or connections.  The brain is made up of 97%  connections and 3 % cell bodies.  It is the connections that allows the brain and body to communicate at lightening speed.  Normal growth and development requires certain vital steps to be completed in order for the person to reach their full potential academically.

One of the programs developed by Little Giant Steps is called Rapid Recall.  In the last year it’s been incorporated into our Early Learning Foundations program.  In fact, the kindergarten class at Summit Christian Academy utilized it beginning in November of 2010.  Rapid Recall System is a math facts program that works along side the regular math curriculum utilized by the school.  All Little Giant Steps’ neurodevelopmental programs help all students regardless of I.Q. or age to get their brains organized, improve their auditory and visual processing abilities , raise their academic performance and many other neuro-efficiency advantages.  See what a difference this program made to this kindergarten class:

See other research data from LGS Educational Services website.

Winning Over Learning Disabilities

Jan Bedell, The Brain Coach, Strives For Excellence

Over the years Jan Bedell, founder of Little Giant Steps and leader of the LGS Dream Team, has been inspired by God to create Neuro-Educational Programs.  Each year we change up and improve our educational curriculum that is richly embedded with neurodevelopmental activities, as a means not only to prepare the students to function academically, but to prepare the brain to receive, comprehend, process, store, and recall information in the most accurate and efficient way possible.

• This year is no exception.  The biggest change for 2011 has been the improvement in Early Learning Foundations (ELF).  Now, there are three levels (and expect a level 4 next year). 

* Early Learning Foundations Level 1 – Serves preschoolers and helps them with becoming more school-ready with gaining neuro-efficiency in addition to getting them ready for reading, writing, and math. We’ve added a new DVD to teach you how to use this program more effectively! All facets of the activities within this program will stimulate the brain to improve and enhance your child’s Auditory, Visual, Tactile and Gross Motor abilities. You’ll be amazed at your child’s new found skills when they become neurologically organized. They will be able to stay on task, follow directions and they will enjoy learning. Here’s what one mom had to say about this program:
“I ordered Early Learning Foundations for my “just turned” 4 year old. This is the most incredible curriculum I’ve ever had!! It almost makes me have “momma guilt” for not having it for my two older children. I also ordered ABC’s in a Flash and look forward to using it.”  K. S. in Spring, TX

* Early Learning Foundations Level 2- Serves Kindergarten. ELF is a multi-sensory approach to teaching basic math skills to early learners as well as individuals with challenges. Level 2 begins where Level 1 leaves off.  Rapid Recall System is included in the Kindergarten Level 2 ELF.  This program is not only excellent with what it accomplishes educationally and neurologically, but it is fun! Watch this video and listen to this principal with what she witnesses in her classrooms.

* Early Learning Foundations Level 3- Serves 1st grade.  Again this program is innovative, educationally sound, and the children love it. Watch this classroom’s response to taking a one minute speed and accuracy test with the Rapid Recall math facts program.    More information on the research done in schools on Rapid Recall System is available on LGS Educational Services website.  Have a blessed day.

 Get Your Child’s Brain Ready to Learn

Little Giant Steps builds foundations for learning.  Jan Bedell, M.Ed., Certified Neuro-Educational Specialist created this Early Learning Program Level 1 that can be started as early as 2 years of age and serves up to age five, as well as helping those children with challenges.  There are 3 levels that not only get children’s brain and body communicating efficiently, but improves auditory and visual processing abilities.  It readies students for school success, as well as addressing what they will need in reading, writing and math.  Here’s just a few parent’s remarks concerning this fun and important program:

Early Learning Foundations

“The Early Learning Foundationsprogram is amazing! Thank you! When we put our son back in public school after home schooling him for a couple of years, he started off right away needing to learn his math facts. We are really hanging in there thanks to this program. He is also being timed in these areas and this has always been difficult for him. His first test he made a 68%; but the last four tests – 100%!!! K.M in Midland, TX  

 ”My 3 year old grandson absolutely loves to do his Early Learning Foundations each day. In fact, he would like it if I’d let him continue past the two pages you recommend. Each day he wants to do more. He had terrible ear problems between ages 1 & 2. He missed a lot due to not hearing and his speech was distorted. It’s amazing how he’s picking up in his speech now that we’re doing some of the neurodevelopmental activities. Thank you for helping our children!” C.R.

 ”My three year old really enjoys working on the activities. One day I got some other activity books out that I had bought at the department store, my little guy said, “no mommy, I want my big school book (meaning the Early Learning Foundations notebook)” Mom in TX.

Read all about the curriculum, loaded with embedded neurodevelopmental brain-based techniques.  It’s fun, it’s easy, and it only takes 2 minutes twice a day to see you child gain skills far beyond your imagine!  Here’s one of the reviews provided by publisher Old School House.  Here’s a private school’s end of year test scores in Math Facts for their Kindergarten.  Notice how they scored compared to the third grade who did not have the advantage of Early Learning Foundations, and the Rapid Recall that is a part of it!

 Everything Begins With Gaining Knowledge

Little Giant Steps has many free articles that can give you insight into sound brain-based methodology to  assure improved learning abilities. The premise of this is that God’s natural order is perfect. However, in an infant’s early experiences, there can be vital steps missed, or distorted due to environmental conditions, health issues, trauma, or just plain lack of stimulation that was needed.  In the case of most of our children today, they are placed in seats, jumpers, walkers instead of having enough “tummy” time, which is how God intended for the brain and body to become neurologically wired for efficient communication between the brain and body.  If a baby does not receive enough stimulation to all the parts of his body (trunk, limbs, eyes, ears, mouth, muscles, hands, and feet) then they continue to develop, but they carry with them unfinished connections between their brain and body. Sometimes parents are aware of these “glitches” as early as two or three years of age. Some just think, “Oh, this is just the personality of this particular child,” and ignore it. But, typically these “unique” features are usually revisited after they get into school and it surfaces that they are struggling for some mystifying reason! These children also learn to cope and compensate in order to perform in a way the world is telling them they need to do, either by example or language. Some of these coping skills are very sophisticated and almost genius by design, but they all take additional energy (emotional and physical) to run. Typically we see the gaps showing up when they are in their first or second year of school. Some children reach the “wall” or limits of their coping and compensating skills at age 9 as the complexity of their curriculum will no longer work, therefore we see them “falling” off academically.

What Can Be Done?

First, gain knowledge of the problem.  I would suggest you read Learning Disabilities in our article library.  Next, read about the Neurodevelopmental Approach.  I would encourage you to spend some time with our videos.  Our Heroes is an excellent place to start.  Next is to understand what we have to offer.  Check out Evaluations Tab on our website.  Scroll down and you’ll find more videos there.

What If I Can’t Afford A Professional Evaluation?

Jan Be-dell, M.Ed., Certified Neuro-Educational Specialist, understands many families have limited resources.  With a heart for those who home school and have only one income, or for those who have different circumstances, she has developed two programs that can provide remedies from Tiny Tots to Seniors.  Remember, improving function by training our brain is always possible regardless of I.Q. or age.  The three programs to serve needs at-home are as follows:

• Early Learning Foundations (used in Pre-schools-Level 1, Kindergarten-Level 2, and First Grades- Level 3) typically for 2-5 years of age. It is also very effective for challenged individuals whether brain trauma, physiological limitations, or mentally challenged. This program provides brain stimulation, plus addresses readying the individual for reading, writing and math.
• Developmental Foundations- (used for school age through college) It is based on The Neurodevelopmental Approach and is beneficial for people of all ages but especially for families with children who are struggling academically, behaviorally, or with low self-esteem. The activities included in the Developmental Foundations program are a very fundamental level of neurodevelopment, chosen from thousands of neurodevelopmental activities proven to address brain inefficiencies. Working on root causes of inefficiencies, these brain stimulating activities advance many areas, from fundamental brain organization which controls what we are able to do, to increasing abilities in short term memory, as well as reading and math.  For an overview of Developmental Foundations benefits — click here.  Unfortunately, there is no “magic pill.” It takes consistent effort to reap the rewards that The Neurodevelopmental Approach has to offer. Developmental Foundations may be only the first step toward academic success for some individuals. Please see Frequently Asked Questions for more details.

• Memory & Motion - by Ruth Young,ND,  An Adult/ Senior ND Program. Keep It Simple ~ Keep It Fun. We are healthier when our lives are balanced and the confidence in our abilities is strong. Little Giant Steps (LGS) is an organization that has worked, for close to two decades, in helping individuals discover improved brain function, better long term retention of information, accelerated short term memory skills and most importantly a reduction in stress and anxiety that often robs our dignity and confidence.

 A parent knows in their hearts when they see their child struggling with academics. The problem is once they recognize things are not as they should be, they most often don’t know where to go to get help.

Little Giant Steps has been providing natural and life-long solutions to learning disabilities for two decades.  Here’s a mom who shared her experience with us.  Now, we’d like to share it with you.

“We are so very happy with the Little Giant Steps program. For the first four months, my 17 year-old daughter did very little structured academics. We focused on the Neurodevelopmental Activities on her program instead. At every question I had of “Should I continue this?”, her evaluator, Ruth Young, would answer, “Let’s just wait, it will be easier in a few months.” At our four month evaluation, I was shocked at the progress Sarah had made. Her reading comprehension jumped from a 7th grade level to an 11th grade level in just 4 months. A few days after the evaluation, I heard my daughter read for the first time since long before she started with Little Giant Steps and I joyfully listened to her read at an adult level for the first time in her life. Sarah has attempted Algebra on two previous occasions and I had just about given up hope that she would ever understand. After the four month evaluation, we started Algebra again for the third time and this time she gets it! She has taken 5 Algebra tests and her scores have ranged from 80% to 100%. It is like teaching a different child. Even when she doesn’t understand something, her reactions are usually much more mature. Wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you.” C. P. in Houston,

All we can do is to say thank you to this mother for persisting in helping her child each day for the four months it took to see results.  She now understands, like we do, it’s all in the wiring!

Here is the second part of the article by a math teacher, be sure and check out the 1st part, if you’ve not seen it.

Right after lunch, the students were given a discovery game card/speed drill sheet. The students listened again to the same track as earlier in the day.same as the top students in the other classes.

This time they had to hunt for the correct problem on the row and write down the answer. This was the first time we asked for something back from them, but they were hearing the math facts on the CD, so while it was more intense, it was also easy for them. Upon completion of the CD track, they would turn their papers over and do the speed drill. The problems on the speed drill only included problems that they had been exposed to in the previous weeks. That made it easy to complete the page quickly because they knew all the answers.

Even one student who didn’t know his numbers at the beginning of October was feeling successful. He was able to keep up with the rest of the class. Later in the day I would flash the same cards again or I would use the Smart Board and run the Input DVD on it. The Input DVD is divided into tracks so that I could easily find the math facts we were working on that week or I could use the review track for a student that had been absent or needed a little more practice with a set of facts. We completed the addition program in a total of 14 weeks. My students were excited about math! For the first time, they had high math scores and were able to quickly remember all their facts.

When we finished the addition module, we moved on to subtraction. My students were pre-tested for subtraction at the same time as they were tested for addition. Most of them scored zero. The highest score was a 3 in a three minute test. We were only on week nine of fourteen when we were asked to take the post-test on addition and subtraction. In comparison to other classes that hadn’t used Rapid Recall, the three-minute addition post-test showed amazing results.

I had one student that even finished 30 seconds early and scored 100%. Two others did all 70 problems in the three-minute time limit. The bottom three students scored the

On the three-minute subtraction post-test, my students showed an even higher percentage of improvement than they did in addition and we hadn’t even finished the program yet!rapid recall of math facts!st  While mastering math facts is vital to being successful in math, there were other benefits to this system. My students were confident. They were begging to do math, but even more remarkable, they were begging to do math homework!

They wanted to be able to show their parents how easy it was for them and how quickly they could get homework done. Rapid Recall is an amazing product and I would recommend that you use it with all students to gain

Tanda Trussell, 1st Grade Teacher, West Texas Elementary, Stinnett, TX