| Copyright by Lisa Harp
| |
| | to access the left hemisphere of the
|
| In the past few years there have been
| |
| | brain. These exercises are like magic,
|
| more and more students needing special
| |
| | in that the once confused, unorganized
|
| help with math. Not too long ago most of
| |
| | student can now function in a logical,
|
| the help was given to students with
| |
| | organized manner. The language of math
|
| reading problems. But now, math is
| |
| | makes sense. Computations can be
|
| taking over. And, it's no longer just
| |
| | performed accurately. The fear and
|
| boys who need help in math or reading.
| |
| | anxiety can go away. Success can be
|
| Five years ago most of the students who
| |
| | found.
|
| needed help in school were boys, but now
| |
| | In addition to brain balancing exercises,
|
| girls are appearing as frequently as
| |
| | the student can benefit from perceptual,
|
| boys.
| |
| | spatial, and visual memory activities.
|
| Math seems to be a much more difficult
| |
| | Memorizing facts can often be a big chore
|
| fix than reading. In part this is due
| |
| | for students, even though these very
|
| to the increased standards that are being
| |
| | students are extremely intelligent. If a
|
| imposed on students who are just not
| |
| | student has not mastered basic math
|
| developmentally ready. But there is also
| |
| | facts, then higher level mathematics is
|
| a definite processing problem as far as
| |
| | nearly impossible. As the student stops
|
| math goes. Students can't seem to
| |
| | to figure out a multiplication problem,
|
| understand the language of mathematics.
| |
| | he will lose his place in the entire
|
| Here are the basic problems that are
| |
| | process and get lost. Once this happens,
|
| occurring in math:
| |
| | not only has a lot of time been spent,
|
| 1. Students can't process more than one
| |
| | but it is difficult for the student to
|
| piece of information at a time.
| |
| | find the correct answer.
|
| 2. Students are unable to process
| |
| | In addition, math is a developmental
|
| information sequentially.
| |
| | process. When a student is ready to
|
| 3. Students can't switch gears during
| |
| | understand a mathematical concept, it is
|
| multi-step problems. 4. Students lack a
| |
| | easy. It clicks. But when a student is
|
| basic working knowledge of addition,
| |
| | not ready to understand a concept, it
|
| subtraction, and multiplication facts.
| |
| | really doesn't matter what you do to try
|
| 5. Students are not able to "think"
| |
| | to help the student. He simply is not
|
| through story problems.
| |
| | yet ready for this concept. The new,
|
| 6. Students make a large number of
| |
| | highly difficult standards imposed by No
|
| computational errors.
| |
| | Child Left Behind do not take this into
|
| 7. Students are unable to neatly
| |
| | consideration. All it takes is a review
|
| organize a paper so that the correct
| |
| | lesson of Piaget's levels of development
|
| answer can be achieved - for instance -
| |
| | to understand this simple concept. If
|
| lining up columns or spacing problems out
| |
| | you leave this same kid alone for a few
|
| on a page.
| |
| | months and revisit the same skill, more
|
| 8. Students develop an actual fear of
| |
| | times than not, the skill can easily be
|
| mathematics and freeze up when asked to
| |
| | learned.
|
| perform math problems.
| |
| | In math, there are no points for almost
|
| Math is a sequential, logical activity.
| |
| | right. In reading a student can muddle
|
| The student must be able to access the
| |
| | through some words and still understand
|
| left hemisphere of the brain in order to
| |
| | the basic concept. But math is black and
|
| accurately perform math computations and
| |
| | white, right or wrong. There is no in
|
| problems. The right brain dominant
| |
| | between. Students need help to succeed in
|
| student is at a severe disadvantage as
| |
| | math. If you know of a student who is
|
| far as math goes, but there are brain
| |
| | suffering from math problems, there are
|
| exercises that will show the student how
| |
| | many things that can be done to help.
|
