FAST FLASH PROBLEMS: HE WON’T FOCUS!!!

• —CONTENT CHECK: Are you showing the cards in groups of only 5? And are at least 2 of the 5 super-high-interest words? E.g., a group of five might be Super, Heroes, I, like, see. That gives you a ration of 2:5, 2 of high interest, 3 boring. You might try a 3:5 ratio. (If the word topics don’t float his boat, why should he look at the cards?) Does he need a 5:0 ratio until you get his enthusiasm on board?
• BE A  “SPEED DEMON”. Move those cards FAST, at least one per second; do two cards per second if you can.
• YOU SPEAK, SHE LISTENS: You call out the names of the words; she doesn’t. There’s no time, and furthermore, you only want her to do one task at a time. In this case, her task is to LOOK. The brain will do the rest.
• —CREATIVE FLASHING: Surprise him. Vary your routine. As you call out the words, slap the cards down on the table in front of him for a change, fast, fast, fast. I do this with my students when they’re super distracted–they like the change of pace.
• LIGHTS OUT: —Turn off the lights and give her a flashlight pen to shine on the words. Cool.
• —SEEING RED: Are you using red ink? Humans prefer red, especially very small humans. The brain prefers it. I didn’t believe this years ago, so tested the theory with red, black, and blue ink. Hands down, kids will choose the red-lettered card.
• —GET THE JIGGLES OUT: Has she had enough energy-releasing movement before sitting? Do you need to give her an action break?
• —VISION CHECK: Is there a tracking problem? A vision problem? Are his glasses constantly going AWOL? If glasses are needed, don’t try to teach him without them; it’s too frustrating and can cause discouragement.
• —THINK BIG: Try 2-inch high lowercase letters. The younger the child and the more immature the visual pathway, the larger you want the letters. As the pathway matures, the child will be able to easily recognize smaller and smaller type, but not in the beginning. 
• —OTHER INTERFERENCE: Is there a secondary diagnosis impacting your child’s ability to focus or attend? One of the biggest problems I see with my students and their families is the fact that many health care professionals are not yet experienced enough with secondary diagnoses to call them correctly. The dual diagnosis of DS/ASD, for example, is still in its infancy as far as getting an early and accurate diagnosis goes. Too often parents struggling with this dual challenge are told, “Oh, it’s just an involved case of Down syndrome.” Not. I was so grateful to get a knowledgeable  and accurate diagnosis for my son when he was 7: “DS/ADHD.” Why grateful? Because then I knew what I was dealing with and could approach the problem with tools. DS is not DS/ADHD, and DS is not DS/ASD. An experienced, knowledgeable professional can quickly spot the difference. I encourage parents not to be afraid of a second diagnosis: you’re already living with it, aren’t you? A label won’t make things any worse. It can only help, because an accurate diagnosis means you can get understanding, tools, and services. ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis), for instance, can transform the learning and life experience of our kids with DS/ASD. We wouldn’t look for a door in the ceiling, right? In the same way, we wouldn’t try unsuccessfully to teach a child with one approach when he needs another instead.

Hope this checklist helps you jump over any “Fast Flash” hurdles you find in your way!

Here’s to success!