 |
FACTSHEET
Young children with learning disabilities need many opportunities
to practice the skills they are taught. Both parents and caregivers
should plan activities such as the following to provide the positive
practice needed for development:
Play word and letter games that emphasize newly learned letters
or words. Be sure that new letters or words are used, along with
those already known. Some ideas include:
- Concentration. Write pairs of numbers, letters or words on 3
x 5 cards.
- Bingo cards. Make simple cards with numbers, capital and/or
lower case letters or words.
- Hangman. Play Hangman using newly learned words from stories,
spelling lists, science books, or social studies materials that
have been learned recently. For example, for practice on words
read in a book on space, present _ _ _ _ _ _, which would be solved
as "planet."
- Rummy. Use 3 x 5 cards to make sets of three words to be practiced.
Take turns looking for numbers, letters, or words. Try to emphasize
those that are recently learned, along with some "old favorites"
already learned. Depending upon setting and age, try some of the
following:
- License plates. Watch for 3's or 8's on parked or moving cars.
- Billboards and signs. Find 7's, G's, or "SALE" in
stores, along sidewalks, or beside highways.
- Magazines and newspapers. Point to, and perhaps highlight or
circle, specific numbers, letters, or words.
Play games that provide practice with numbers, letters, words,
and concepts. Choose games that require players to use a skill,
along with some luck. Commercial or homemade games can be used.
- Simple board games. A path of colors, shapes, letters, or concepts
and a spinner or dice move the pieces toward victory. Ask the
child to name items along the path.
- Dominoes. Different sets of pieces may have colors, shapes,
letters, words, or any pairs of matching concepts, such as items
of clothing to match (e.g. a red hat, blue cap; and brown shorts,
blue slacks) or word opposites (e.g. up, down; in, out; and back,
front).
Use computer games and software to practice skills already learned.
Try to find a computer store that allows you to review a number
of programs before you buy. Contact websites and companies that
provide good descriptions of products and often include a demo disk
or website experience that shows how the game is played. A few software
packages to explore might be:
- Keyboarding skill development
- Reading skill development
- Mathematics skill development
- Written language skill development
Remember to keep your child's attention span in mind. Try to stop
before your child gets tired of the activity. Remember to take breaks.
Allow your child to set the schedule. Make the activities positive
and fun, as well as an opportunity to develop and learn.
Prepared by:
Early Childhood Committee
LDA of America
September 2001 |
|
