Education - Parenting Hub

Advice from the experts

Homeschooling Your Child In South Africa

With controversy surrounding the public school system and with soaring school fees for private schools many parents are starting to question if homeschooling is a better option for their child. Homeschooling is legal in South Africa and has been provided for in the SA Schools Act (SASA) since 1996. It is a fast growing market at about 20% per year. The law defines home education as “education at the learner’s home”. Therefore a child that receives education at the home of someone else is not covered by the protection provided for home education by law. Will my child still learn the essential social skills needed in life if they are homeschooled? Developing a child’s social skills in order to have successful relationships in life is a vital part of growing up. There is a lot of misconception about children not learning adequate social skills if they are being homeschooled. Research has proven otherwise. In South Africa, research done at the University of South Africa (UNISA) by Ms. Dierdre Bester has found that children who receive home education perform much better in academics than learners in government schools. She also found that homeschooled children are very well adapted socially as well. A University of Florida doctoral dissertation by Larry Shyers found what homeschooling parents already knew. They are cooperative and friendly. Shyers theorized that homeschooled children learn how to behave toward others by modeling their parents, not their peers. Being with friends is a special treat, not a daily dread. Do you have what it takes to educate your child at home? It takes a special kind of parent to make the decision to homeschool their child. Do you have what it takes? As a parent are you prepared to adjust your current lifestyle and schedule? Do you have the emotional energy to balance the homeschool parent / teacher role? Do you as a parent have the social skills to develop a social network for you and your child? Are you able to handle criticism and perhaps some disapproval from the public? Do you have the self discipline, patience and perseverance? Are you able to efficiently organize your household? (Sufficient space, materials etc) Do you and your partner agree that homeschooling it the best option for your child? The last point is the most important one. Without the support, love and guidance from your partner homeschooling your child would not be an option. Did you answer yes to most of these questions? For more information on homeschooling your child in South Africa please visit www.pestalozzi.org and www.homeschooling-curriculum-guide.com.

March 7, 2017

How to make “back-to-school” activities a breeze.

It’s never too late to start planning for a productive school year ahead. With a little creativity and a range of helpful back-to-school tools at your disposal, you can take the stress out of family scheduling and ensure weekday routines stay on track throughout the school year. Epson, the global leader in printing technology, provides some useful tips to get the ball rolling in the right direction. Put a name on it – Replacing lost school clothes, books and other items can be an expensive process. Help your kids keep their belongings safe throughout the school year and beyond by using iron-on name tags to label clothes, and adhesive labels for stationery and books. The Epson LW-400 label maker allows you to print and save custom labels to your choice of different fonts, colours and sizes . Best of all, Epson’s label tapes are water-resistant and highly durable. Create a ‘drop station’ – Avoid the hassle of last minute homework surprises and parent notices crumpled at the bottom of school bags by creating a family ‘drop station’ – a designated area in the home where the kids can hang up their school bags and place any important letters or homework to be done in wall mounted folders, along with a white board for jotting down to-do lists and goals for the week. Get the kids to tick off completed tasks on the white board, which helps get them into a routine of getting things done on time while instilling a sense of responsibility. You can find ready-made calendars and goal planners here, or simply design your own using basic software already available on your PC. Make vision boards – Along with goal charts, vision boards will help kids to visualise what they would like to achieve over the next three, six and 11 months – whether at school, at home or in their social lives. Gather everyone around a large table or on the floor, get the kids to print and cut out pictures and words from the Internet, or from magazines, that represent specific things they want to happen over the next year. Provide each child with a large empty canvas or board to stick their pictures on to, and hang these up where they will be seen and reflected on every day. Creating a space for the kids to display what they really want in life will help make their goals a reality. Give them something to look forward to at lunchtime – Getting kids to eat healthily is no easy task, especially with junk food options readily available at school tuck shops and in vending machines. You can easily turn boring fruits and veggies into fun characters, simply by getting a little crafty in the kitchen. You can also save precious minutes on school mornings by preparing everything you need the night before. Encourage them to think positively through the day by including printed notes with inspirational quotes and sayings for them to read during their lunch breaks. Design a custom on-the-go homework kit – Make sure homework is done no matter where the kids go after school – whether it’s after care or even a friend’s house – by giving them a homework kit stocked with everything they might need to get their work done – pens and colouring pencils, rulers, scissors, erasers, extra paper, calculators, and even times table charts. You can find beautiful printable charts online, as well as free printable motivational pages to use as a decorative feature for the inside of the kits. Epson’s Ink Tank System printers, like the Epson L382, offer low-cost printing with high-quality results, allowing you to print over 13,000 pages in black and 6,500 pages in colour, before needing to refill the ink. Get back into the swing of things with these nifty #BacktoSchool tips from Epson. With a little help from your Epson label maker and home printer, there’s no limit to what’s possible in the year ahead. Visit www.epson.co.za for more information about Epson’s innovative range of printing, scanning and labelling products. The Epson L382 printer is available in selected retail and e-tail outlets at a recommended retail price of R3 179.82 excluding VAT. The Epson LW-400 label maker is available in selected retail outlets and e-tail outlets at a recommended retail price of R1 130.70 excluding VAT. For more information about this product and other Epson printers visit www.epson.co.za

February 7, 2017

Starting Tertiary Education…What’s to Know?

The prospect of finishing high school and starting tertiary education is a daunting one for many students. They’re forced to leave the friends, teachers and surroundings they have spent years with for a whole new environment. Although this can be a little overwhelming, it can also be an exciting and rewarding time. If your child is starting tertiary education, give them a chance to read over this and see if anything strikes a chord. You will need to be more independent With the move into post-compulsory education comes more freedom: uniforms are a thing of the past, you can come and go when you please and can choose subjects that interest you. But keep in mind that greater freedom brings about greater responsibility, which means that you are responsible for staying on top of assessments and turning up to classes — and no one will chase you up if you miss a class or forget to hand in an assignment. You might also need to manage competing priorities such as your part-time job and new social circle. Bear in mind that many institutions also keep attendance registers. If you’re not paying for it yourself, it can be very easy to justify “taking a day off”, especially if there is no detention to fear. Heed the warning though, someone will be taking note and you owe it to yourselves and those counting on you, to succeed! Learn to budget Depending on your circumstances, you may be working off a very tight budget. Get into the habit of budgeting for travel, food and the “occasional” social event, as it can be very easy to spend your money when you’re studying. You may become familiar with the term “student food”, which is what people often resort to when on a budget. This usually incorporates some combination of beans on toast, instant noodles, terrible coffee and lots of tap water! You will have to adjust to a new learning and teaching style There are a number of different class structures at tertiary level, including lectures, tutorials, laboratories, practical workshops and field work. Lectures consist of the lecturer speaking to a room full of students. Tutorials are much smaller and feature a more interactive and personal style of learning. Workshops, laboratories and field work allow students time to obtain certain practical skills and knowledge. Instead of studying the same subjects for a full year, subjects change each study period. You will also find that learning is more self-directed, which means that you will be expected to do a significant amount of independent study and research in addition to attending classes. Get out ahead of it. Unfortunately this is a lesson often learned too late. When you have to read 2 Jane Austen novels in one night, you’ll realise how important it is to systematically get through your reading material, ahead of time. At this level, entire forests are felled to provide reading material for each student, so be prepared and don’t get snowed under by a pile of paper. Get used to being around different people. In school, your classmates were all roughly the same age and mostly from the same area. At tertiary level, students of all different ages and backgrounds will form your peer group. Some may come straight from high school while others will be mature age students returning to study. There are ways of behaving and talking that once applied to high school and may not translate too well into tertiary level. Learn to ask questions of each other and respect (not necessarily agree with) the opinions of others. Yours is not the only answer that may be relevant. Speak up! This level of education can cost a lot of money, especially if your college is an independent organisation. If you are unhappy with your experience, speak up, but go through the right channels. At this point in your life, you’re bridging the gap between being a learner and being a participant in society. This is a great chance to learn how to work within an organisation and to ensure that your right to a quality education is respected! Be an adult as often as you can In South Africa, we are considered an adult by the time we are 18 years of age. Most of us are well aware of this long before that age, but it is a difficult thing to navigate still being dependant on your family for food, shelter and education, while asserting your independence as a young adult. Prepare to encounter this conundrum at some point in your tertiary education and handle it maturely. Understand that they will still have expectations of you, if they are still supporting you. Measure your autonomy and independent mind-set with responsibility and respect and hopefully it will help reduce the impact of any conflict that may arise.

February 2, 2017

Children Suffering From Migraines In Sport

“A new fact on migraines and participating in sport” Claims that participating in sporting activities is detrimental for migraine patients are untrue – a new study found that participating in sporting activities actually has health benefits for migraine patients. The study, recently published in the Sports Neurology Journal ascertains that under Neurological supervision sporting activities can be safely integrated into the lives of migraine patients. This is the first time empirical research has been done to review known risks involved with participating in sporting activities by migraine patients. “It was a study that sampled patients with; epilepsy, migraines, and multiple sclerosis”, says Dr. Elliot Shevel, South Africa’S migraine research pioneer and the medical director of The Headache Clinic. Shevel confirmed that as long as there is proper supervision in place for migraine patients, playing sport is not harmful. Dr. Elliot Shevel says that migraine patients are often discouraged from participating in sports based on theoretical detrimental effects, when in actual fact they can and should be encouraged to participate in sports provided that the exercise does not trigger the pain. Where exposure to prolonged sun triggers the pain indoor sports should be pursued. With schools re-opening and sporting activities being part of the academic experience, children that suffer with migraine should take the time with parents and teachers to work out which sporting activities suit them best. To find out more about how migraines affect your child, call 0861 678 911 or visit www.theheadacheclinic.net

January 20, 2017

Ambidextrous kids – disorder or gift?

I watched a film once where the main character was completely ambidextrous – he could write a poem with one hand while drawing a picture with the other. How I would have loved to have a skill like that. So why is it that teachers push kids to choose a dominant hand? The reason teachers and OTs will encourage a child into one-handed dominance is predominantly for practical reasons in the classroom – the sooner they choose a hand, the sooner they perfect their control with that hand, and the sooner they will learn to write quickly and efficiently. I strongly disagree with this. The majority of children will naturally slip into right or left dominance at around 7 or 8 years of age and shouldn’t be forced into writing exercises before the body is naturally ready. Unfortunately this doesn’t fit in with the school curriculum, which requires kids to be practicing pre-writing skills from as early as 3 or 4. Very very few children are truly ambidextrous (and usually this only happens when one hand is injured for a period of time or some other environmental factor), but there are a fair amount who are mixed-handed (i.e. They will tend to use one hand for certain tasks and another hand for different tasks e.g. Writing with the right hand and cutting with the left hand). The schools will try to discourage this as sometimes it slows kids down as they’re still trying to decide which hand to use for what and not getting on with the task at hand. There are some things that will be helped by choosing a dominant hand – for example crossing the midline or bilateral integration, but these can easily be included in a child’s life with some simple exercises to ensure that they don’t miss out on any brain integration that may come from choosing one hand as dominant and using the other as a helper. For example, pushing a car round a track, holding the car with one hand and the track with the other; reaching over the body to grab something on the opposite side of the body; holding paper with one hand and cutting it with the other; or my personal favourite, playing “Twister”. In OT they will essentially do these kinds of exercises with a child, but it will cost you. If you hop onto Google you can find plenty of exercises like these and do them yourself. You can have a lot of fun and your child never needs to wonder about why he/she is in “therapy”. Most researchers on the subject agree that it is useful for everyone to sometimes try using their less-preferred hand for tasks normally done with the dominant hand as it improves brain function and dexterity! Being mixed-handed can also have great advantages in sports like baseball and snooker where you can switch hands to get a better shot. The only real concern with a child who isn’t naturally finding a dominant hand is a learning disorder known as dysgraphia, which involves problems with motor skills. This disorder would not only affect their ability to choose a hand to write with, but would also manifest with other noticeable problems such as struggling with the concepts of right and left, difficulty catching a ball or skipping or even basic motor movements like walking and jumping. It is unlikely that your child would have problems of this nature without you noticing them and they definitely would be picked up in an assessment with an OT if you choose to have one. The other thing to consider is that your child may be gifted. Around 48% of gifted children are ambidextrous at some stage of their development. Take a look at some of the other criteria for gifted kids and if you think your child is, then it is definitely worth getting an IQ test done as gifted children do need additional stimulation in order for them to develop optimally. · Unusual alertness, even in infancy · Excellent memory · Learn to speak early and have an unusually large vocabulary and complex sentence structure for their age · Understand word nuances, metaphors and abstract ideas · Enjoy solving problems, especially with numbers and puzzles · Often self-taught reading and writing skills as preschooler · Highly sensitive · Thinking is abstract, complex, logical, and insightful · Idealism and sense of justice at early age · Longer attention span and intense concentration if something interest them · Preoccupied with own thoughts—daydreamer · Learn basic skills quickly and with little practice (1-3 repetitions) · Asks probing questions · Wide range of interests (or extreme focus in one area) · Highly developed curiosity · Interest in experimenting and doing things differently · Puts idea or things together that are not typical · Keen and/or unusual sense of humor · Desire to organize people/things through games or complex schemas · Vivid imaginations (and imaginary playmates when in preschool) If your child is still in preschool, he/she may just not be ready to choose a dominant hand and making a child ‘wrong’ for this seems unfair and unnecessary. Ultimately you will have to make a decision based on your own child whether your child would benefit from having an assessment or if it is worth waiting to see what naturally develops. Please remember to trust yourself. You know your child better than any teacher or therapist and if you feel that their opinion is incorrect, trust that. You can always get a second opinion or even just hold off on getting an opinion at all. Whether your child’s ambidexterity is a gift or a disorder is often determined by how it is handled, and that is up to you as the parent.

December 15, 2016

10 Reasons to homeschool

You know someone who knows someone who teaches their children at home and you’ve read a few articles on the topic, but it’s not something you’ve seriously thought about, is it? If not, here are 10 reasons you should consider home educating your children. (Yes, it is legal and yes, you can do it!) It is centred on your child’s learning pace: Home education allows parents to meet their children’s individual learning needs. Whether you spend extra time on concepts your child finds challenging or move ahead in areas that are more quickly understood, all learning happens at your child’s pace. It promotes one-to-one interaction: Having a dedicated educator means that your child can ask questions without fear of being judged by peers, and they can receive help with difficulties as and when they arise. It offers a safe learning environment: Parents often turn to home education to avoid school bullying and violence, negative peer pressure, unwanted influences, substance abuse and other factors that impact on their child’s wellbeing and education. It offers flexibility: You don’t need to follow a specific curriculum and you don’t need to follow a typical school day – you can teach anywhere! It fits with your family’s beliefs: If your family has philosophical, ideological or religious objections to traditional schooling, home education offers the perfect alternative. It supports children with health concerns or special needs: Children who can’t attend school regularly due to illness or who are recovering from critical health events can benefit greatly from home education. The same applies to children with special learning needs, who tend to cope better in their home environment with a familiar caregiver as their educator. It builds stronger family bonds: Many families believe that home education helps foster closer family relationships and a stronger family unit while instilling core values. It encourages the development of broader social skills: While traditional schooling forces children into an artificial network of same-aged peers, home educated children mix with people of different ages, resulting in broader social skills. It increases independence: Children who are educated at home work individually, measuring themselves against their own performance and not a class average. As such, they learn to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, and to take responsibility for their performance. It solves distance and quality problems: If you live far from schools – or simply far from a good school that meets your child’s needs – home education offers the ideal alternative. By choosing to teach your children at home you are not only investing in their emotional, social, physical and intellectual development, you also get to accompany them on their journey to adulthood every step of the way. Impak is a curriculum provider for home, tutor and school education. Visit www.impak.co.za for more information

December 8, 2016

So what does dyslexia really mean?

(All information was obtained from Stark – Griffin’s book Dyslexia) Definition of dyslexia – A neurological-functional problem manifesting as a deficit in word decoding (reading), encoding (spelling) and nemkinesia (writing) due to a minimal brain dysfunction and/or differential brain function. More use full information regrading dyslexia Eidetic: give meaning to text in general and recognising words from previous experience. Phonetic: allocating a sound to each letter and using these sounds in groups to produce words. People suffering from dyslexia usually have an average to above average intelligence. 10% – 20% of all children suffer from dyslexia. Children suffering from dyslexia feel confusion, frustration, anxiety, withdrawl and compensating behavioural patterns. These children are often teased and humiliated by their classmates.Dyslexia may lead to poor self image and even depression. These feelings may manifest in behavioural problems which inlcude aggression, vandalism, disruption of class and a hostile attitude. Types of dyslexia Dysnemkinesia Deficit in the ability to develop motor engrams (memory trace) for written symbols Child wil revers letters A child should have no letter reversals by Gr. 4 When writing the alphabet 1 reversal is acceptable in Gr. 3 When writing the alphabet 3 reversals are acceptable in Gr. 2 When writing the alphabet 5 reversals are acceptable in Gr. 1 Dysphonesia Deficit in visual-symbol and sound integrations Child will struggle to read unknows words as he cannot decode them / will have difficulty spelling e.g. slow/solw, does/dose Dyseidesia This type of dyslexia is genetic Deficit in the ability to perceive whole words and to recognise words from previous experience. Child will struggle to read words that he cannot relate to a picture e.g. did / will struggle to read sight words / will struggle to read word that cannot be divided /will spell word the way they sound e.g. does/duz Dysphoneidesia Mix between dysphonesia and dyseidesia Dysnemkinphonesia Mix between dynemkinesia and dysphonesia Dysnemkineidesia Mix between dysnemkinesia and dyseidesia Dynmemkinphoneidesia Mix between dysnemkinesia, dysphonesia an dyseidetia One has to rule out the following deficits before a diagnosis of dyslexia can be made: Problematic vision and/or eye muscle functioning Impaired visual perceptual skills Impaired auditive perceptual skills Cognitive impairment Emotional problems/psychological factors Attention deficit disorder Health factors: e.g. nutrition, infections, allergies, trauma Environmental factors Treatment The child needs to be evaluated by a professional (usually an occupational therapist/speech therapist/educational psychologist/optometrist) that is registered with RADA (Red Apple Dyslexia Association). The test used is called the Dyslexia Test developed by Stark-Griffin. If dyslexia is identified it needs to be specified which type of dyslexia as each one has a different treatment approach. All types of dyslexia can be improved although the percentage differs from person to person. Dyseidesia cannot be 100% cured as it is genetic. Dysphoneidesia is the most difficult type of dyslexia to treat. Dysnemkinesia is easily treated. Build on the child’s strengths and later give attention to the weaknesses. Work around the problem to improve reading/writing and spelling. Famous dyslexics No matter what your dissability – you can still be successful !!! Just look at these famous dyslexic people: Pable picasso Tom cruise Richard Branson Leonard daVinci Thomas Edison Whoopi Goldberg Development of the child checklist The Developmental checklist will assist you in determining whether you child is functioning according to his/her age level. Download your order form Here It is divided into 29 categories namely: Movement (Activities of daily living) Communication skills (Cognitive skills) Personality traits / temperament (Playing) Ball skills (Coordination) Perception (Grasps & hand function) Basic concepts (Body concept) Number concept (Form concept) Colour concept (Size concept) Building with blocks (Working with beads) Cutting with scissors (Drawing / painting) Drawing a person (Picture-reading) Story-time (Writing) Eating / feeding (Sleeping) Prepositions (Senses) Teeth When determining if your child is developing according to his/her age level it is important to remember that each child is unique. Each child develops at his/her own pace; therefore no 2 children’s milestones will be achieved at exactly the same time. Please give a 2 – 3 month leeway to either side of the time frame given (e.g. if it says that a child has to walk when he is 1 year old it can mean that the child may start walking when he is 9 months old or 15 months old). When you see that your child has a delay in more than 2 important areas, please consult your developmental paediatrician and take him/her for an occupational therapy assessment. A child that has a developmental delay usually reaches a plato when 12 years old. Thus it is so important that a child receives therapy from as early an age as possible.

November 28, 2016

Why Reading With Your Child Is So Important – 5 Tips to Make it Even More Beneficial

There is such a sense of joy, warmth and togetherness that comes when we read with our children. It is a time when we can cuddle up together and let our minds float to the places the story takes us. This is a time for bonding with your child; a time when you are both relaxed, unhurried and un-harried. By spending some quality bonding time doing reading together, you are also giving your child a deep-seated love of reading. Your child learns that reading opens doors to the imagination and he can learn interesting facts about his world just by reading a book. Reading is such an important life skill, that helping your child learn to read and to enjoy reading is one of the keys to helping him onto the path of success. Here are five tips to help you and your child get the most from reading together: Make sure your child is sitting next to you and can see the words and pictures. Even if your child is too young to have begun learning to read, you will be improving his concept of printed words. By looking at the picture and trying to see all the details described in the story, he will be developing his visual perception in preparation for reading. If your child has already begun learning to read, you can point out some of the words he has learnt; this reinforces his learning and helps him realise how useful it really is to be able to read the different words because he sees them in the story which he is enjoying with you. Use the story as an opportunity to discuss aspects of his own life. Link the story to concepts he is beginning to learn, such as sharing with friends, avoiding conflict, good sportsmanship, or coping with bullies. By relating to the story, you can open discussion in a relaxed way. Talking about the characters in the story, rather than directly about him, helps your child feel safer to share his concerns. Stories do not only have to be about morals and coping skills, simply sharing views and thoughts with each other on how the characters are behaving, laughing together at their mistakes, yet noting what they could have done if they were wiser, gives you so many fun, light-hearted and relaxed opportunities to discuss life, behaviour and morals with your child. Paired reading. This is a great way to support your child once he has begun to learn to read. You begin reading a book which is at his level of reading. He must follow the words you read with his eyes (no pointing allowed) and then you suddenly stop reading and he has to carry on for awhile. He then stops and you have to carry on. This helps him learn to track with his eyes while you read more smoothly and slightly faster than he can. He therefore learns to improve the flow of his reading; similarly, he also learns to read with tone. You will probably find that he initially only wants to read a couple of words before stopping to make you take your turn. This is fine at first but as he develops his reading skill, you can make a rule that no-one can stop before having read a whole line, or two lines. When the story is finished, ask him which parts were his favourite. This helps him build his memory and comprehension. He must not feel that this is a test. He must know that you enjoyed the story as much as he did and that you are enjoying thinking back on the fun things that happened in the story. Find words. At the end of the story, choose about two or three words that are new to him but within his reading capability. Point them out to him and see if he can sound them out, then ask him to see how many times that word appears on the page or even on the next three pages. This builds his reading vocabulary as well as developing his visual figure-ground perception for written words. Figure-ground perception is the ability to notice the figure (or word, or letter) against the background and is very important for reading text. Remember that children learn best when they are having fun. Spending time with you and enjoying the written word together is the best way you can instil a love of reading. Many of the children who come to me for therapy first need me to undo their fear of learning to read; they associate reading with a sense of failure. That is why I decided to write a book for parents, sharing my methods which use therapeutic strategies and fun to reduce the barriers to learning to read. For those of you interested in finding out more about my methods, go to: http://sharonstansfield.weebly.com/unique-reading-program.html Reading is communication. It is how we communicate over distance and even time. By reading, we are able to learn from people far away or even those who died before we were born. It is a crucial life skill and every child deserves the best input to help them enjoy reading.

November 25, 2016

Developing reading skills to help children triumph against dyslexia

There were two important educational issues in the local and international spotlight during September and October 2016: Literacy Day, observed on 8 September 2016, and Dyslexia Awareness Month, which is observed annually during October. In support of Dyslexia Awareness Month, Edublox reading, maths and learning clinic examines the surprising root cause of dyslexia and shares tips on how parents can address their child’s reading difficulties. ‘The importance of literacy to prosperity and democracy in South Africa’ was a topic discussed at a Literacy Day breakfast event and panel discussion, hosted by the educational development programme, help2read. Panellists highlighted some of the key issues and challenges faced by the South African early education sector. According to Dr Nick Taylor, former CEO and current head of Education Evaluation and Research at the Joint Education Trust, the country’s most urgent educational priority is to promote reading and schooling from an early age, as brain sensitivity for the development of children’s foundational language skills is the greatest in the first few years of life. A study by Van der Berg supports this statement in concluding that potential access to university is already largely predetermined by Grade 4*. Susan du Plessis, Director of Educational Programmes at Edublox, explains that the issues around the promotion of basic literacy skills and creating awareness around dyslexia are more intertwined than many might think. “Reading difficulties are a major culprit when children experience learning difficulties. Often, a variety of symptoms are simply grouped together, diagnosed and labelled under the umbrella term ‘dyslexia’ – a word feared and dreaded by many parents. We believe that a strong focus on the development of foundational reading skills can be the key to unlocking learning potential in all children – including those diagnosed with the problem,” she adds. “An understanding of the causes of dyslexia can help parents support their children in overcoming it,” says Du Plessis. “Two important facts are especially relevant: firstly, that reading is not a natural or instinctive process, but an acquired skill that must be taught. Secondly, parents must remember that learning is a stratified process, during which one skill has to be acquired first, before it becomes possible to acquire subsequent skills. At the heart of this process and as the bottom rung of the ‘reading ladder’, is language. Skills, like visual processing, auditory processing and auditory memory form the second rung of this ladder, and must be taught first,” she explains. Du Plessis shares some tips on how parents can help children prevent and overcome reading difficulties: Since language plays a vital role in reading, it is important to provide children with enough opportunities to hear language from infancy. If your child is experiencing problems like letter reversals, difficulties with letter order, poor comprehension, mispronunciations and poor recall, the best approach is to take immediate action. Approach a professional reading clinic specialising in cognitive development that focuses on aspects like concentration, perceptual skills, memory, and logical thinking. Before setting up a meeting with an educational practitioner, it often helps to list your observations and your concerns. Be sensitive toward a dyslexic child or a slow reader’s feelings. Most children look forward to learning to read and do so relatively quickly. For these children, however, the experience is very different. For them, reading, which seems to come effortlessly for everyone else, appears to be beyond their grasp. Parents can breathe a sigh of relief as children’s academic performance can improve despite dyslexia. Abigail de Robillard, a mom from Durban, enrolled her dyslexic son at a reputable reading clinic and noted a change. De Robillard highlighted improvements in his overall self-confidence, his ability to manage schoolwork on his own, and his overall reading and concentration after just one term. “Dyslexia is a learning barrier – and I now truly believe that through hard work, the clinic will break these barriers and allow my son to harness all his real gifts, talents and abilities to be all that he can be, and above all, happy,” she says. Edublox is a leading specialist in cognitive development with 26 reading and learning clinics across Southern Africa. Edublox offers multisensory cognitive training, aimed at developing and automatising the foundational skills of reading, spelling and Mathematics. For more information about Edublox, visit www.edublox.co.za or contact 0861-EDUBLOX / 0861 338 256.

November 24, 2016

Choosing a Preschool

As a first time mom, finding and choosing a school for my daughter was one of the most daunting things I had to do. I had no idea what to look for, how to screen for potential problems, or even what the law was regarding the qualifications of teachers and preschool owners. And so my poor child, and then the next child too, got moved from school to school almost yearly before I decided to homeschool. So let me just say, from the outset, that every school will have its problems. There is no such thing as a perfect school, but there may just be a perfect school for you and your child – one where they don’t bother about things that are not on your priority list and do care about the same things as you. If I were to do it all again, I would do the following: I would make a list of what was important to ME in terms of childcare. For example, it is important to me that my kids eat nutritious food and not junk, that their caregivers are caring and not overly disciplinarian, that there is no shaming or naughty corners or physical punishment, and that kids are allowed to be kids and have lots of free play. I would absolutely INSIST on spending a week at the preschool with my child. Most schools discourage this as they say the kids settle quicker if the parents are not around, but a small child cannot articulate problems to you when they arise. I would like to see for myself how certain issues are handled. For example, at one school my kids were at I found out years later that if they cried they were shamed by being put into nappies. I knew my daughter was unhappy at the school (the school kept telling me she was very happy there) but she was only 4 and couldn’t express what it was that was bothering her. I would hang around at the end of the day and chat to parents of kids who are already in the school. Of course the school will tell you they are marvelous, but you may get a different picture from the parents. I would have a list of questions for them such as what they like most and least about the school, if they’ve ever had an issue with a teacher and how the management handled it, etc. Get a broad overview from a number of people. I would find out what qualifications each of the teachers has and what additional training they are exposed to on a regular basis. We had one teacher who had never even heard of a sensory integration disorder and so was shaming my child for coming to preschool in her pyjamas when she was tactile defensive and literally couldn’t handle wearing much else. The same teacher used sarcasm with her class (telling them she would cut their tongues out if they spoke in class), something that children can only cognitively start to comprehend at around age 8. Teachers need to be up to date on current research, childcare philosophies, and childhood growth and development. Other questions I would ask the management would be around the size of the class, the teacher to child ratio, the teachers’ working hours, and even their salary if they will disclose that. I would want to know that the teachers are not overworked and underpaid and unhappy. And lastly, I would trust my instincts. This was a tough lesson that I learned through all of this – where I had a feeling that things were not ok and yet when I asked I was told that my children were happy and playing and everything was fine. You know your child. Trust that. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. And do not be afraid to change schools if you need to. Of course the ideal is to get your child into one school where they are happy and make friends and are settled, but kids can and do adapt to change. Rather keep looking until you are completely satisfied than settle for something less than ideal because you are afraid of making the change. For us, in the end, homeschooling was what best suited all of our needs, but that is also not for everyone. There are pros and cons to both and you need to look at your unique family, your own values and needs and then find the best solution for you. Good luck!

November 17, 2016

Raising a Millionaire

Children do bring additional financial strain, and many parents spend a large portion of their focus on money. Or the lack of it. How can we help our kids to do better with their finances than we are? How can we possibly hope to raise a millionaire if we’re not millionaires? The answer to all of this comes in a term much loved by investors the world over: Compounding. Let’s say that your child is already 5 years’ old. If you put just R400 per month into a simple investment (without high costs) – something like the Tax Free Index Trackers offered by companies like the eftSA (http://etfsa.co.za/ ) – then by the time your child is 15 they will have almost half a million rand. You will have only invested R50 000 and the rest of the R450 000 will come about by the compounding of that money sitting in that investment. Right now there is a lot of fear and panic around the stock market and investing in general, but what the rich know and use to keep getting richer, and the poor don’t and so keep perpetuating their cycle, is that the stock market crashes every 7-9 years. And this is not a bad thing unless you buy into it while it’s up and sell while it’s down. If you do it the other way round, and buy while it’s down (think of it like a sale) and leave your money accumulating interest for a long period of time, then over time these ups and downs balance out and the overall trend is up. It sounds complicated, but essentially what I’m saying is that if you commit to a monthly amount and keep putting this in no matter what the market is doing, in THE LONG RUN you will come out with a lot more than you put in. But you have to be prepared to invest in the long run – so for 15 or 20 years; not trying to access the money in 2-5 years. Where most parents get caught is that they get offered these fancy education funds and investments for their children but don’t realize that the high costs on these accounts are eating away at most of the interest that they would be earning if they just invested in a simple Index Tracker. Something as little as a 1% difference in fees can mean the difference of hundreds of thousands of Rands once you factor in the compound interest that you would have earned on that over 15 years. You don’t need to be a financial guru or brilliant with money to start investing for your children and their futures. Start small and keep it simple. Now where do you find this R400 per month? If you’re like most parents I know you’re going over budget every month, not under. Well, in the financial world there’s this lovely little idea called the Cappuccino Factor. It looks at the small expenses that you’re barely even aware of and adds these up over days and weeks and months to see what they really add up to. Let’s say you stop and buy a coffee on the way to work every day and your coffee costs R20. If you do this every one of the 21 working days in the month, then that is already R420. Now your coffee might be a Coke, a chocolate, a manicure, a take-out lunch, or any other small but regular expense that seems insignificant until you add it up. Go take a look through your expenses, find your Cappuccino, and eliminate it. That small change in a small habit can mean the difference between being a millionaire or not. Now my last caution is in what is done with this money in the long run. I’m all for saving and investing on behalf of my kids, but they need to learn to do this for themselves. If they haven’t learned good money habits along the way then if you hand them a lump sum when they’re 20 or 25 they will probably blow the whole lot in the next year. Most lottery winners end up in the same or worse financial situation a year after their winnings. It’s about developing good habits. My agreement with my own children is that the money I have invested for them will only become theirs once they’ve matched how much I initially put in. So for every Rand that I contribute, they have to contribute equally before they get access to that investment. This teaches them to be aware of their own spending habits, to put money aside and to keep a vested interest in their interest! In other words, they will only benefit from the investment once they have earned the right to it by developing and maintaining good money habits. And this is the start of your good money habits too. Once you’ve found that R400 for them and watched it grow, why not do the same for yourself? You and your kids could be millionaires if you just take some time and focus today to invest in your future. It isn’t scary or difficult or only for the rich. It is purely about developing good habits. Small, habitual effort now = great rewards later. Bring on the millions!!

November 14, 2016

Matric Stress – When is enough, enough?

As hundreds of thousands of young South Africans are busy writing their Matric exams this month, they have entered into what is, for the majority, the most stressful, charged and demanding experience of their schooling experiences. A certain measure of pressure to perform can certainly be highly motivating. But the line is thin, and it is all too easy for the pressures of writing these final schooling exams to mount unbearably, putting matriculants at risk of being overwhelmed just at the time when they most need to feel confident, alert and focused. People react to stress differently, and students experience different kinds of stresses. Some have high expectations of themselves and may become anxious and fearful that they won’t achieve their own goals. Others may feel extreme pressure from others to perform, such as from parents or teachers they really want to please. What is important for both parents and students to understand is that stress is going to be a factor over the next few months, and it needs to be consciously managed so that it does not derail the efforts of our current Grade 12’s. We asked Claudia Raats, Research Psychologist and Academic Development Manager from SACAP (the South African College of Applied Psychology) to provide some essential tips on monitoring and managing stress: 1. Know Yourself “The question of when is Matric stress, too much stress, needs to be answered individually. It helps for both parents and students to reflect on this. Naming the fears and anxieties, and identifying the sources of the pressures the student feels brings important awareness to particular danger areas for the individual. When the triggers are known, they are easier to anticipate, monitor and manage. It’s also helpful identify the individual’s habitual reactions and behaviours when they are under stress. What works to help relieve stress for you? What makes stressful situations worse for you? If this is clear to you then it is easier to identify when you need to take a different action such as going for a run or whether you need to temporarily avoid engagement with a particular person. Some people react to stress by trying to distract themselves by getting involved in an absorbing activity such as watching TV or playing digital games. While it may result in temporary relief from the stress in the short term, it can potentially create more stress if it causes the student to get behind on their study plan. If this is the case, a different way to release stress needs to be found.” 2. Look After Yourself “A balanced mental and emotional state provides us with resilience in the face of stress, enabling us to manage our reactions better and recover quicker when the stakes have got too high. Our mental and emotional well-being is inextricably linked to the state of our physical health. It is vital for students to get enough restful sleep every night, to be physically active regularly, to eat healthily and to have some time set aside in their busy study schedule for relaxing and socialising with supportive, encouraging people. Parents can play a vital role in helping their child to achieve this balance over the next months. They can ensure that healthy foods and drinks are available in the house. They can encourage their child to get out and take a walk with them when they’ve had long hours at their desk. They can help to promote healthy sleeping habits, and also provide a loving, compassionate connection full of encouragement.” 3. Avoid Stressing Yourself Out by Listening to Your Inner Critic We all have an inner critic which is the negative internal voice that often comes out when you are stressed and anxious. It is very important to be highly aware of negative self-talk that only inflames your fears, anxieties and stresses. It is also helpful to have strategies to quickly and effectively silence this inner critic so that you can restore a state of balance. When you find yourself aware of running thoughts like ‘You will never pass Matric’ or ‘There’s no way you’re going to get an A’ or ‘You’re just not bright enough’ or ‘You won’t amount to anything’, you will have identified the voice of your inner critic. It often echoes the voice of a critical parent, or an intolerant teacher or a bully who has impacted on you. The best way to deal with this downer-character is to become aware of it, gain insights into where it came from and then challenge it with evidence from your real life that it is wrong. For example, if you are busy studying Maths and your inner critic pipes up with: ‘You can’t do Maths, you’re going to fail this’ you can challenge this negative thought it with the reality that since you are busy studying Maths at Matric level, you have passed a lots of Maths tests and exams, and therefore you can do it. Don’t hesitate to talk back to your inner critic and show it the proof of your success. You can also dilute the impact of your inner critic when you engage in positive self-talk. Regularly affirming that you are smart and that you can do it builds confidence, increases your energy and puts you on the road to success – after all, everything starts with an idea. Let your Matric exam experience start with the idea that you can ace it. Find success quotes and ‘can-do’ statements that inspire you and make you feel motivated, and put them up in places where you see them often during a day. Another effective tactic to take power away from your inner critic is to externalise it. It might seem silly in the written word but in practice this works well. If you are battling an inner critic, disempower it by giving it a silly name and calling it out. ‘Hmmm, Negative Nancy is at it again’ or ‘Oh look, Pessimistic Pete has come out to play’. Of course, you

November 11, 2016

Exam Stress

A moderate amount of stress can be a good thing. It can sharpen concentration and performance and help to create the energy and motivation we need to keep studying. Too much stress, however, can be overwhelming and stop us from being able to study and function healthily in life. Undoubtedly, it would be disappointing if you do not do as well as you hoped. Thus, instead of thinking negative thoughts it is helpful to challenge the thoughts (I won’t get a good job, people will think I am stupid, my future is over) with a more realistic assessment of the situation. Enlist the help of a friend, counsellor or tutor to help you to do this. It is very common to think that we will be judged solely on our academic achievements rather than as individuals with contributions to make in all sorts of ways. If someone believes that his/her self-worth depends on academic achievement, there will be considerable anxiety surrounding any academic assessment. Too much anxiety can be paralysing. If the pressures to succeed from family or others is extremely high it may help to contact your local counselling service in order to talk about this. WHAT IS STRESS? Stress is part of the body’s natural response to a perceived threat. It causes our bodies to go into a fight or flight response. The main physiological reaction is the release of a rush of adrenaline which gives us the energy to act. If the perceived difficulty is not physical but psychological, the adrenalin is not used up and this can cause increased muscle tension, heart rate and breathing rate. This then leads to physical changes (headaches, neck aches, stomach problems), mood changes (irritability, tearfulness, feeling low or anxious) or behaviour changes (sleeping problems, increase or decrease in appetite, difficulty in concentration). Exams lead to stress because the marks will influence final degree results. Thus, the stress is derived mainly from the additional meanings which get attributed to exam results. ORGANISING YOUR TIME Draw up a weekly timetable including everything you need to do such as revision, eating, sleeping, lectures and relaxation. Allow for sufficient flexibility due to the unexpected. Be realistic about how much time you can spend revising – if you divide the week into 21 units (3 a day), you should work for a maximum of 15 units per week. You should have 6 units to do other things. Allow yourself time for relaxation as it will decrease your stress levels. This is not wasting time as it will help you work more effectively. Plan how you will use your time during your revision periods. Decide on the order of topics and how much time you will spend on each. Stick to your deadlines. Prioritise – do the most important topics first and allow more time for subjects you find difficult. Set specific goals for each revision period. WHAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAN DO TO HELP Listen to the individual’s concerns, be sensitive and give him/her support. Encourage him/her to take breaks and go out from time to time. Inform them about various strategies. Help them to seek additional help if the stress is getting too much for the person. Reassure them that this is a sign of strength, not weakness. Ensure that they are having regular meals, times of relaxation and emotional support. Give positive feedback. Keep distractions to a minimum. SLEEPING BETTER Do not work in or on your bed. Stop working at least an hour before you intend to sleep. Stick to a regular bed time and getting up time. Maintain good sleeping patterns – 6 to 8 hours a night are recommended. Do not drink too much alcohol – it will prevent you from sleeping properly. STUDY PATTERNS Take regular breaks from studying. When you notice that you are distracted, get up and take a break. Fifteen minutes when you can concentrate is better than three hours of staring into space and feeling guilty or anxious. TECHNIQUES TO COPE WITH STRESS Some individuals may use alcohol, smoking and drugs as a means to manage stress. These may have a calming effect in the short term, however, they are not ideal solutions since it may cause one to feel worse afterward and thus impair the ability to think clearly. Eat at least one proper meal a day and keep the body hydrated. Exercise. This increases the blood flow around the body which increases clearer thought. Just a 10 minute walk a day can be helpful, especially in using up some of the extra adrenaline created by the stress. BASIC REVISION METHODS Step One: Read your notes and seek answers to questions. Be as active in your reading as possible – talk to yourself, walk around the room, speak into a tape recorder. Step Two: Close up your notes. Step Three: Actively recall what you have just been reading, asking again the same questions without looking at your notes. Write down what you have recalled in brief notes. Step Four: Check the original notes with the new ones. If you recalled all the answers to the questions then you have created a master card which you can use to re-revise without having to consult lengthier notes. Step Five: If not all the questions have been answered, re-read your original notes, looking particularly to those you missed. Repeat steps two to four. ON THE DAY OF THE EXAM Do not try to learn any new topics since this may impair your ability to recall those you have learnt previously. Look at some brief notes or revision cards. Do not study for the last hour before the exam. Time your arrival at the exam room so you do not need to wait about outside with others who may increase your anxiety level. Give yourself time to settle before reading the questions and starting to write. Use a breathing exercise to regulate your breathing and calm yourself down. Have a plan for how you will use your

November 3, 2016

Reading and writing: Confidence is the key

Many parents find themselves in a daily battle with their little ones over reading and writing homework. It seems like no matter how much you try to correct your kids they just don’t seem to be improving and they don’t appear to want to learn. Homework often ends up in a screaming match or at least a battle of wills. Let me tell you about a research study that I read recently. It was about kids with really bad handwriting. They took a group of kids with terrible writing and divided them into two groups – one group got the usual teacher feedback of red lines through their work, admonitions, and pleas to try harder. With the other group, the teachers were told to ONLY focus on what the kids did right – so to underline their good words and praise them for these, to point out what they had done well – even if all they could find was one letter that was formed nicely the teacher would tell the child – look at that “a” over there, now that is a beautiful “a”. They were not to comment AT ALL on their poor performance. Within two weeks the group with positive feedback had improved by 100% and the other group had degenerated. So the moral of the story is this… Kids cannot learn under stressful situations (such as a shouting or even disapproving parent). When we are stressed, the blood vessels to our prefrontal cortex (the part of our brain used for thinking, problem solving and learning) constrict and all the blood is redirected to our hindbrains (which are purely for fight and flight reflexes). So a child who is shouted at literally CANNOT learn. It is impossible. They don’t even have enough blood in the part of their brain necessary for learning. In order for your kids to improve in reading and writing what they needs most is not extra practice or more instruction or help, but a better learning environment. 90% of reading ability is not skill but confidence. The kids who read and write well are the ones who believe that they can. As a parent, you need to focus on the relationship with your child – on who your child is as a person, not on what he/she can do. We will all have areas of strength and weakness, but what everyone wants most is to be heard and understood. So next time you sit down with your little one to work on homework, think about what he/she might be going through. Homework may have become something that their brain automatically associates with stress and so they’re stressed before you even get going which makes them more likely to get it wrong. Discuss this with your children. Tell them that you realise they must be stressed about it and it isn’t easy to learn to read and write, particularly at a young age. Apologise for shouting in the past and let them know that you’re human and also lose your temper and get frustrated, but that you’re going to try to do better, just like them. Then take some time for both of you to do some stress-relieving exercises –do some breathing or visualisation, go for a short walk, have a cup of chamomile tea, and make sure you’re both feeling relaxed to start. Your child WILL learn to read and write, but at what cost. Let them learn a little more slowly if necessary, in their own time, and focus on caring about your child and what he/she is going through. Studies show that whether a child learns to read at age 4 or age 9, their reading and comprehension levels by age 11 are exactly the same. There really is no rush, other than the unnecessary pressure that the school may be putting on them. A child who learns slowly, but with love, care and confidence will go on to become an adult who loves reading. One who learns under stress will always associate reading with pain and this is much more likely to squash their overall educational achievements in the long run. And be gentle and kind to yourself too – new parenting doesn’t happen overnight and you will find times when you have other things on your mind and your stress levels are higher and you crack. This is normal. Stop. Take a few deep breaths. And apologise. Children learn a lot from our mistakes and how we handle them!

November 3, 2016

ADD/ ADHD And Alternative Treatments

Over the past years there have been many debates and controversy discussions around what Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is? Furthermore how it is diagnosed and what are all the options to treating the disorder? The definition of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been updated in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This revision is based on nearly two decades of research showing that ADHD, although a disorder that begins in childhood, can continue through adulthood for some people. Changes to the Disorder ADHD is characterized by a pattern of behaviour, present in multiple settings (e.g., school and home), that can result in performance issues in social, educational, or work settings. As in DSM-IV, symptoms will be divided into two categories of inattention and hyperactivity and impulsivity that include behaviours like failure to pay close attention to details, difficulty organizing tasks and activities, excessive talking, fidgeting, or an inability to remain seated in appropriate situations. Children must have at least six symptoms from either (or both) the inattention group of criteria and the hyperactivity and impulsivity criteria, while older adolescents and adults (over age 17 years) must present with five. Treatment options There are a number of treatment plans that are available to parents when making the appropriate decision when treating their child for ADD/ADHD. Nutritious meals, play, exercise, and learning better social skills are all part of a balanced treatment plan that can improve performance at school, improve your child’s relationships with others, and decrease stress and frustration. Pharmacological Treatment Stimulants such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall are often prescribed for attention deficit disorder. Such medications may help your child concentrate better or sit still, however there is a general debate as to whether or not medication is a ‘quick fix’ and what about the long term affects as well as immediate side effects of appetite suppression, insomnia and an overall change in the child’s personality? For some parents they have found medication to be the best result for their child, while others look for alternative treatments and see pharmacological treatment as the last resort. Homeopathy There are many other effective treatments that can help children as well as adults with ADD/ADHD to improve their ability to pay attention, control impulsive behaviour, and curb hyperactivity. According to Dr Raakhee Mistry who is a Homeopath, commented that Homoeopathy has often been used to assist with ADD and ADHD and has been effective. But unlike conventional medicine, there is no one particular homoeopathic medicine for these conditions. The ADD and ADHD symptoms for that particular child and factors that aggravate or ameliorate the symptoms, are taken into account when selecting the remedy for the child. Homoeopathic medicines do not numb or block symptoms, instead they work with the body to re-establish a state of equilibrium. When the patient is in this equilibrium state, the symptoms ease and the patient is able to function better. The aim of homoeopathic treatment is not to keep a patient dependent on medicine, but rather to bring the patient to the space where he/she can maintain this equilibrium state. Many homoeopaths also incorporate other modalities to their treatment such as supplements, herbs and probiotics. A child’s restlessness and ability to concentrate has also been linked to the state of the child’s gut Nutrition Good nutrition can help reduce ADD / ADHD symptoms. Studies show that what, and when, you eat makes a difference when it comes to managing ADD/ADHD. The following tips can be seen below By scheduling regular meals or snacks no more than three hours apart is a useful tip, which will help keep your child’s blood sugar level, minimizing irritability and supporting concentration and focus. Try to include a little protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal or snack. These foods will help your child feel more alert while decreasing hyperactivity. Check your child’s zinc, iron, and magnesium levels. Many children with ADD/ADHD are low in these important minerals. Boosting their levels may help control ADD/ADHD symptoms. Increasing iron may be particularly helpful. One study found that an iron supplement improved symptoms almost as much as taking stimulant medication. Add more omega-3 fatty acids to your child’s diet. Studies show that omega-3s improve hyperactivity, impulsivity, and concentration in kids (and adults) with ADD/ADHD. Omega-3s are found in salmon, tuna, sardines, and some fortified eggs and milk products. However, the easiest way to boost your child’s intake is through fish oil supplements Tips for supporting your child’s treatment In order to encourage positive change in all settings, children with ADD / ADHD need consistency. It is important that parents of children with ADD / ADHD learn how to apply behavioural therapy techniques at home. Children with ADD/ADHD are more likely to succeed in completing tasks when the tasks occur in predictable patterns and in predictable places, so that they know what to expect and what they are supposed to do. Follow a routine. It is important to set a time and a place for everything to help a child with ADD/ADHD understand and meet expectations. Establish simple and predictable rituals for meals, homework, play and bed. Use clocks and timers. Consider placing clocks throughout the house, with a big one in your child’s bedroom. Allow plenty of time for what your child needs to do, such as homework or getting ready in the morning. Simplify your child’s schedule. Avoiding idle time is a good idea, but a child with ADD/ADHD may become even more distracted and “wound up” if there are too many after-school activities. Create a quiet place. Make sure your child has a quiet, private space of his or her own. A porch or bedroom can work well too as long as it’s not the same place as the child goes for a time-out. Set an example for good organisation. Set up your home in an organised way. Make sure your child knows that everything has its place. Role model neatness

October 28, 2016

Setting the stage for a successful Matric

At the end of this month, the country’s latest cohort of aspiring matriculants will begin to write the 2016 National Senior Certificate examinations, the most important, and probably the most ‘knife-edge’ experience of their education so far. It is a six-week event that doesn’t just test what these South African teens have learnt and mastered over the past years; it also puts their self-esteem, their outlook on life, their courage and their resilience on trial. We asked Raydene Naidoo, Counselling Psychologist and Head of Work Integrated Learning at SACAP (the South African College of Applied Psychology) to provide some essential tips on how the current Grade 12’s can prepare themselves optimally for the mental, physical and emotional rigours ahead: Know Yourself “Before you plan, before you draw up your study schedule, it’s important to take the time to do some self-reflection. You need to think about things like how much sleep you need, the activities that are important to supporting your well-being and whatever else you need to operate at your best academically. Think about, and then also make a list of your strengths and your weaknesses. This is very important because you want to make study plans and devise a schedule that optimizes your strengths and mitigates your weaknesses. For instance, it doesn’t help to decide to follow a recommended study schedule that involves four-hour blocks of dedicated study time if you are prone to get restless after an hour. It might work well for your friend, but if you do that, you are likely to study effectively for just one hour, and then waste three hours of every four-hour block you have scheduled with your struggles to keep focused and still. You need to know yourself well, so that you are empowered to customize a study schedule that works optimally for you. If you know that you are distracted after an hour, you can devise a schedule that gives you regular short breaks that enable you to return to your desk and effectively pick up when you left off.” Identify your peak times “We all have particular times of day when we are most effective, and this differs from person to person. For instance, some people are raring to go in the mornings while others struggle to get themselves started. Some fade in the evenings and others find that they are highly productive at night when life around them is quieter and still. Once you know your peak times, schedule your most challenging studies exactly then, while topics and subjects that are much easier for you can be scheduled during your off-peak hours.” Don’t just think about it, create your study timetable, share it and commit to it “Give real form to your study timetable. Map it out in a graphic form. Make sure it includes your study breaks and covers all the work you need to do. Stick it up prominently in your study space so that you can see where you are at any moment, at a glance. Think of it as your trusty guide over the next weeks – there to help ensure you don’t get any last-minute surprises or setbacks that feel like disasters. Sharing it with your peers and family members can also help to keep you on a committed track. Monitor your progress on a daily basis. Some shifts and adjustments may be necessary in practice, but you need to make sure at all times that you have got all your topics and subjects covered according to the priorities.” Plan for balance “Yes, the most important thing you need to do over the upcoming weeks is study and it does take precedence over a lot of other things in your life at this time. However, you still need some balance in your life, and you can plan for this. It is important to look after your mental and emotional well-being as this affects your intellectual performance. Even though you need to be very focused on your studies, you will still need time to relax, time for physical activity and time for socializing. While you will probably have to cut back on those times, you shouldn’t eliminate them completely. While you may not be able to spend three hours playing soccer four times a week, you can find the ways to schedule four ten minute runs around your neighbourhood that will help you to keep active, relieve stress and re-energise you. While you won’t be able to ‘binge-watch’ the latest TV series, you can still make the time to watch a favourite programme every now and then. And while, late-night parties are probably not the best idea while you are studying for matric, you can still schedule shorter, lower-key occasions in the company of friends that give perspective and provide support.” Commit to your well-being “Studying for, and writing your matric exams will probably rate as one of the most stressful experiences of your life. There’s no better time than to care deeply and well about yourself. The upside is that in being tested this way, you have the opportunity to discover new and deeper aspects of your strength and resilience. You can think of the experience as being on a ‘Hero’s Journey’ where you want to be facing challenges with all your wits about you so that you can achieve the best results possible. For that to happen, you need to ensure your physical and emotional health. It’s important to eat healthily, get enough sleep, be physically active and feel connected to the people who support your success in life.” Parents play an important role in supporting their matriculants and ensuring that they go into the exams in the best frame of mind possible. Naidoo has some tips to help parents best support their matriculant: When facing a stressed and anxious matriculant, replace a ‘been there, done that, now you can too’ approach with ‘I understand’ and encouragement; Acknowledge your child’s efforts. Noticing and affirming their choices such as turning down

October 26, 2016

It’s okay to fail!

From very young we are taught that getting something wrong is a bad thing. Mistakes are something to be ashamed of and chances are some form of punishment followed a failure. This follows through into the working environment. We are all too aware when emails do the rounds in an effort to deflect blame when something goes wrong. We’ve all been in meetings held specifically to “find the culprit” rather than finding a solution and putting a process in place to prevent the same thing happening again. Inevitably, our kids get to hear about this because we talk about it at home. They learn through us that making mistakes as an adult is just as much of a problem as when you are a kid. What this means is that throughout our lives we are sensitised to failure being a bad thing. Sadly this often leads to people not trying anything new because of the “What if I fail?” voice that lurks in our minds. Failure means the end. A favourite quote of mine by A.P.J Abdul Kalam says this: “If you fail, never give up because F.A.I.L means “First Attempt In Learning”. End is not the end, in fact E.N.D means “Effort Never Dies. If you get No as an answer, remember N.O means “Next Opportunity”. So let’s be positive.” As parents we need to teach our kids about the positive side of failing at something. It means that you have at least tried. It means that you have an opportunity to look at a process and make a change so that you can do better next time. It is a chance to learn something about a situation and about yourself. Being a parent you need to walk the talk. Our kids need to see how we fail and what we do to pick ourselves up and turn the situation around. We need to be the ones who model the concept of “Effort Never Dies”. And yes, this moist definitely applies to test and exams. Sometimes all the effort does not show in the results. Instead of berating our kids we need to take a step back & assess what has happened. Is there something happening at school that is creating anxiety? Is your child possibly not using the best method for them to study? Are they leaving their studies to the last minute? And yes this applies equally to sport. You might have been the A –team netball player, that doesn’t mean that your child will be too. Allow your child to try out all of the sports possible until they find what works for them. Of course there is a big difference between putting in the effort and failing and not putting in any effort and failing. As a parent you know when your kid is not applying themselves. Before getting upset with them, try and figure out why they are not applying themselves. It’s very easy to lose the plot. I know I’ve had to pull myself back from the edge on a number of occasions. The key is to remember what it was like being a kid, take the time to understand the developmental phase your child is in and work with that. Let’s not make the mistakes of the generations before us. Let’s encourage our kids to try everything, find what works for them and encourage them to excel in what they love.

October 18, 2016

Take time to reflect

While most parents spend considerable time preparing for the beginning of the school year, not much thought is given to the end of the year. For the most part, both parents and children are simply thankful to have survived another school year! However, helping children wrap up the year on a positive note, and encouraging them to reflect on what they have gained – knowledge, friends, skills – will leave them with a sense of pride and accomplishment. For example, if your child struggled in a particular area at the start of the year, the last school term offers a good opportunity to celebrate how far he has come. You can also talk about what was easy and what was hard, what was enjoyable and what wasn’t, and which part of learning was fun and exciting! Here are a few suggestions for ending the year on a high note: Celebrate: Help your child create a list of things that he is proud of. Consider what it took to achieve these successes, and encourage him to keep working hard to achieve his goals. Say thanks: Let your child write a note to his teacher/s. While they may have had some ups and downs during the year, writing a sincere note of gratitude to a teacher is a meaningful way to end the school year. Stay in touch: Encourage your child to make plans during the final term to stay in touch with his friends over the holidays. This will help maintain the strength of the relationships he worked so hard to build during the year. Unfortunately, the end of the school year is also accompanied by certain losses. While saying goodbye is never easy, school goodbyes provide (repeated) opportunities to help children acknowledge and express loss, which is vital for their emotional development. The end of primary school, in particular, marks a major shift in a child’s life and can be both exciting and terrifying. Your child will have to say goodbye to teachers who made a lasting impression, but more importantly, he will have to say goodbye to friends who may be going to a different high school. As peer relationships have become quite important by this point in a child’s life, this transition may be particularly difficult for children to deal with. Allow your child to reflect on what he will miss, but also talk about the benefits of moving on. Support your child by keeping conversations about his feelings – both positive and negative – open. So, as the last day of school approaches, try not to get too caught up the end of the year rush! Make time for your child to reflect on the year’s achievements, experiences and feelings. Impak is a curriculum provider for home, tutor and school education. Visit www.impak.co.za for more information.

October 17, 2016

Look beyond the book

We all know why it is important for children to read, and that developing a love for reading from a young age has lifelong benefits. But many children regard reading as a chore, especially if they are forced to read things that they have no interest in. So how do you get reluctant – or downright uninterested – children to read for pleasure? The key is to not only find something that appeals to them, but also to look beyond the traditional book. Here are some alternative suggestions to encourage reading: Turn to technology Many kids are fascinated by technology, so why not use it to get them excited about reading? Reading books on a screen is just as valuable for your child as reading a traditional book, and books in electronic format have proved to be especially engaging for boys. In addition, e-books are readily – and immediately – available. Colourful comics For children with reading problems, graphics make it easier to follow the action because, even if the text is difficult, the visuals offer support in comprehending the story. In addition, the text is broken down into shorter, more understandable segments. Comics contain the same story elements and literary devices as narrative stories, e.g. characters, conflict, themes and symbolism, so these elements are embedded. Most importantly, comics are fun! You’re joking Joke books can be a compelling way to engage reluctant readers. After all, who doesn’t enjoy having a laugh? Jokes can provide a subtle exercise in reading fluency and, because comedy is all about timing (you may have to explain this to your child), he’ll want to repeatedly read his favourite jokes aloud to perfect his delivery. A for audiobooks You may think that as soon as your child learns to read on his own, he no longer needs to be read to. But sometimes children just want to relax and take it all in. So try audiobooks. Technically, they involve listening rather than reading skills, but when trying to encourage kids to read, it counts! Why? Because it builds vocabulary, it cements background knowledge, it supports comprehension and it helps children discover the magic of storytelling. Recipe for success For children who love to help out in the kitchen, recipes can be a fun way to practise reading skills. In addition to providing general practice, it reinforces other essential skills and helps build confidence. As an added incentive, why not break the rules a little? Almost no child wants to go to bed on time, especially on weekends, so give yours the choice between going to sleep at the usual time and staying up later to read a book. Ultimately, reading should be fun, interactive, and engaging (no matter the medium), and by thinking “outside the book”, your child may well find something that captures his imagination and sparks a lifelong love for reading.

October 7, 2016

Make a play for new skills

While robots are most likely do most of the mundane tasks that humans do today, they will never be able to fully replace human beings. Why? For one they can’t be creative and collaborate let alone function with emotional intelligence – and those are the skills that employees of the future will need more than ever before. That’s why schools are changing to focus more on these skills, creating learning environments to develop creativity and collaboration. Our children will most probably be employed in jobs that do not exist yet, and need these skills to cope with the changes predicted in the job market of the future. The World Economic Forum has identified these top ten core skills to master the jobs of the future: Complex problem solving Critical thinking Creativity People management Co-ordinating with others Emotional intelligence Judgement and decision making Service orientation Negotiation Cognitive flexibility Ironically, the i-Generation (i-Phone, i-Pad, i-Pod) should spend less time in front of screens and more time playing and exploring freely. Do you remember how you used to play? Creating houses and artefacts while playing in the mud, building cities in the sand, making marble runs using old boxes (now called recyclables), being send to the shop by your mom to negotiate the best price for five tomatoes, team play in the driveway – all these activities develop the skills so badly needed today. Unfortunately, school work and extramural activities allow children very little time to play freely. So, what about knowledge then? If robots will be doing all the thinking and remembering for us, why do children still need to study facts? Gaining knowledge through studying is more about just the facts that are learnt. Firstly, it requires discipline to study, a skill that any workplace needs. Secondly, remembering facts increase your brain’s capacity and makes you smarter. Balance, as with everything in life, is key. Give your kids enough time to explore and play freely, make sure that they gain the basic knowledge needed and practice applying that knowledge on a daily basis. If 55 creative, out-of-the-box thinkers applied for a position, I put my money on the creative, disciplined thinker who knows the answer to 120 multiplied by 90 without needing a robot’s assistance! *Five years from now, over one-third of skills (35%) that are considered important in today’s workforce will have changed. Is it not time to make a play for new skills? *Alex Gray, Senior Writer, Formative Content, World Economic Forum. Information adapted from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-10-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/

October 6, 2016

Help your child become an ‘Academic Olympian’

As the 2016 Olympic Games came to an end, we can reflect on the achievements, camaraderie and celebration of sport on the global stage. In addition to the great successes, Edublox reading, maths and learning clinic, highlights important lessons that can be learned from the Olympic athletes, which is applicable to a child’s academic and sporting performance. The Olympic Games is a prestigious sporting event and the highlight of any Olympian’s career. No athlete wins a medal or even qualifies to participate at the world’s largest sporting event without committing the majority of their time to perfecting their craft. It takes years of preparation to build a strong physical foundation and develop the necessary skills to compete on the highest level. “The same goes for a child’s academic performance,” says Susan du Plessis, director of educational programmes at Edublox. “Children have to be able to read and concentrate in order to grow and develop academically. For children to learn how to read or improve their reading, they have to understand the language, as well as master the foundational skills of perception, memory and logical thinking. Children have to work hard and train their learning abilities with as much vigour and determination as athletes in order to become ‘Olympic students’,” says Du Plessis. Another characteristic of an ‘Academic Olympian’ is the ability to concentrate. Concentration is a skill that can be taught, just like riding a bike. “Concentration and memory go hand in hand and play a major role in a child’s all-round development. These two aspects not only affect a child’s academic accomplishments, but also influence the performance of young and upcoming sportsmen and women on the sport field,” explains Du Plessis. After his enrolment at Edublox, Stelios Charalambous, a Grade 3 learner experiencing learning challenges, surprised everyone with a dramatic improvement in all of his subjects on his second report card of the year. “When we received Stelios’ report card, we were ecstatic! His marks had jumped by 20% in all of his subjects,” says Christa Charalambous, Stelios’s mother. “Another big change we’ve noticed is that he is more confident and had improved significantly on both the rugby field and the tennis court,” she adds. Du Plessis shares a few easy tips for parents looking to help their children become ‘Academic Olympians’ from a young age: Improve reading Your child’s fluency in language is a key determinant of his reading ability. Talk to your child and explain to them what you are busy doing while shopping, cooking and working in and around the house or even while taking a walk. This will help enhance your child’s vocabulary. Read to your child as often as possible. Language develops through repetition. You can read the same book over and over again before moving to another book. Teach your children nursery rhymes to stimulate their brain and improve memory. Improve concentration Let your child build age-appropriate puzzles from a young age. Progressively read longer and more in-depth stories to your children. Let your child play outside. This often improves the child’s ability to concentrate more than when playing indoors. “Mastering the fundamental skills of reading and concentration is important for every child’s academic growth and development,” says Du Plessis. “Regardless of whether they find it difficult to read and concentrate or not, it is essential that all children work hard, similar to Olympic athletes, so that they can transform into great Academic Olympians,” she concludes.

September 2, 2016

The real price of not addressing your child’s learning problems

Failing or delaying to address a child’s learning difficulties has far-reaching implications for both parents and children alike. Edublox reading, maths and learning clinic, warns that the real cost of withholding learning intervention programs from children with learning difficulties should not be underestimated. This could result in long-term financial burdens when learners have to repeat a grade, while they often pay the price academically, emotionally and socially. “While parents tend to spend money on exciting hobbies, or sporting activities in areas where their child is flourishing, they often find it difficult to acknowledge and prioritise resolving their child’s immediate academic issues,” says Susan du Plessis, Director of Educational Programs at Edublox. “Parents put off addressing their child’s academic problems as they tend to hold on to the hope that the next report will be better. Their child’s busy schedule, full of extracurricular activities, also leaves no time for homework or attending extra classes” says du Plessis. “Children often pay a steep price for not being able to learn at a level that is expected of them,” says du Plessis. “Besides not being able to pursue a career of their choice one day, children with learning difficulties often develop emotional issues that can cause long-term psychological damage,” she adds. Research by Dr. Marianna Alesi, published in the Journal of Psychological Abnormalities, found that students who experience repeated failure, such as those with learning disabilities, are more likely to have anxious symptoms and to use avoidant behaviours. This, explains Alesi, creates a vicious circle where a learner’s self-esteem is negatively impacted by their learning ability and it can affect all aspects of their future development.* Parents often underestimate the true value for money that effective, solution-driven and scientifically proven educational intervention programs provide for children with learning difficulties. Recent research by Old Mutual indicates that if a learner repeats a year at a state school it could cost an estimated R 37 500 for school-related expenses alone; excluding additional food, recreation and transport costs.** “When looking at the cost of an additional year of school fees, the economic choice to invest a marginal amount in solving an academic issue early on becomes much simpler,” says du Plessis. Parents concerned about the affordability of getting specialised help for their child’s learning woes are encouraged to take a look at their monthly expenditure, and prioritise their expenses by making use of various budgeting tools available online or to consult a financial advisor.*** Alida Smit is a parent that can attest to the psychological and financial benefits of early intervention at a reputable and professional reading clinic. Today an owner of such an establishment herself, she once struggled to find help for her son, who was diagnosed with dyslexia. “My son’s confidence blossomed and his attitude towards learning changed completely when he was exposed to the right intervention and development programs. If I got to the clinic sooner, I am sure the cost would be less and the emotional impact far less significant. When my daughter started experiencing some of the same challenges, I was able to help her immediately without having to exhaust many options. Not only was the cost significantly less in this process, but she benefitted much sooner, and did not go through the emotional and psychological roller coaster of emotions,” she says. Today’s challenging economic environment is forcing parents to cut down on costs wherever possible. The financial implications of an academically struggling learner are, therefore, often overlooked as parents feel they cannot afford professional help for their children. Du Plessis advises that parents who want to save money should do research to evaluate various learning support programs available based on their track record, quality control measures, and the realistic timeframe of improvement. “By temporarily reducing little luxury expenses such as restaurant meals and pricy entertainment, parents can provide their child with the opportunity to excel at school,” says du Plessis. “The best solution for parents is to get help for their children as soon as possible. Nip learning difficulties in the bud; it makes sense from a financial perspective and helps build your child’s self-confidence,” says du Plessis. “As parents, we have a responsibility to not only provide our children with an education, but to ensure that they have a wide array of choices when it comes to possible career paths after school. The temporary financial sacrifice for resolving your child’s learning difficulties is actually a long term, emotional and educational investment towards your child’s future success,” du Plessis concludes.

August 3, 2016

Questions To Ask Your Child’s Teacher

The third term is upon us and meeting with professionals working with your child is a priority. It can be very daunting, especially for parents whose children may have learning challenges. Frequently, the professionals end up talking and the parents try desperately to follow the conversation and very often only pick up on the negative information. A small but interesting fact: it takes 9 or more positive remarks to cancel out the effects of a negative one. Sadly, many parents leave these meetings feeling overwhelmed and too often, disappointed. Being prepared is one of the best steps one can take. Here are some questions to help you find out your child’s strengths, where their difficulties lie and how you can help your child. Hopefully, this will allow you to leave these meetings with ideas, empathy and positive information about your child and what you can do. Of course there will be areas of concern, but as a parent you will feel more confident in how to handle them. What does my child enjoy? Who are my child’s friends? How is he/she socially? Interactions and communication? Is she/he liked by her/his peers? What are my child’s strengths (socially, emotionally, physically and mentally)? What value does my child bring to the class/sessions? Are there areas in which my child shows a particular interest or possible talent? What are my child’s differences – instead of saying ‘problems’ or ‘difficulties’ – (socially, emotionally, physically and mentally)? Does my child participate? (This can mean anything from being a team leader, team player, active member, dedicated, diligent, a motivator. Remember, an extroverted and an introverted child will play different roles in these situations. What is important is that they are involved.) How is my child learning and functioning in a classroom environment or sessions (individual or group) – does their behaviour differ in different subjects (P.E, music, computers, languages, maths, etc.)? What will you be teaching my child? Areas of focus. How will you do this? What methods or approaches will you use? Can I implement these at home? Expectations (i.e. homework – time, assistance and outcomes) What type of homework will you give, and what are the deadlines? (what is due weekly/daily or projects/exams/assessments) Is my child managing to complete the work (in class and homework)? Do they have the current abilities to work in class or in sessions effectively? How can I, as a parent, be involved and assist? How can I check up on grades, assignments? (Remember you are entitled to see ALL of your child’s work). Bring up your own concerns, observations and ask questions related to your child. Remember your child will be different in different environments. It is important to know about any major discrepancies. What is the best way and time to contact you (the teacher or professional)? I hope with this information you and your child can gear yourselves for the forthcoming term. I suggest scheduling a meeting with your child’s teacher and other professionals as soon as possible. I wish you all the best for your upcoming meetings.

August 1, 2016

Could you be the reason for your child cheating?

Mrs M, with her short straight black hair and angular face, peered suspiciously at us, pacing the grade five class, blurting out English words at timed intervals. It was our job to translate these into Afrikaans and spell them correctly within the allocated time. I’d studied for the test as I always did and I probably could have aced it. But I was afraid. You see, I’d confused praise with love and I believed that if I failed that love would be withdrawn. Love: The lifeblood of every child. And so I cheated. The vocab for the week was posted up at the back of the class and I snuck a look at every opportunity. I thought I got away with it. Then the next day, there she was pacing the class again, this time calling out the marks for everyone to hear as she handed back test papers. Starting from the highest mark to the lowest. Full marks. Not me. Ok, I must be next. Nine out of ten. Not my name. Come on, come one. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Zero. Slam, my paper lands on my desk. The whole class goes silent. Somebody gasps. She grabs my wrist and pulls me out of the class to discuss my crime in privacy. ‘Why?’ I wonder after she has already humiliated me. I start to cry. I don’t stop for hours. By the end of the day she calls me back into her class, says she thinks I have learned my lesson and tears up the paper. I never cheat again. But not because I’ve somehow become more moral from the experience, but because my terror at losing that love has just intensified. It’s one thing to not do well but cheating and getting zero would definitely be the end of me. I wondered later what those teachers must have thought of my parents. They probably thought that if I went home to get my test signed I’d have had a beating. But the beating I believed I would’ve gotten was way worse than any physical pain. It was the beating of rejection of my being. There was no way I could stand that. No child could. And so I empathize with children who cheat. I wonder what fear has brought them to that point. I wonder why parents and the schooling system are so focused on marks that they forget the real reason for testing a skill – To see if the work has been taught properly and understood. I wonder why nobody explains this to children, and why report cards and test scores are held up as measures of self worth. I wonder too why we berate children for cheating without acknowledging this trait in ourselves. How we ignore our own failures when we cheat on our diet or cheat on our spouse, cheat our employers out of time as we scour Facebook or cheat the tax man to save a few bucks. How is it that we expect our children to have higher moral standards than ourselves. Why are we are unable to look past their misdemeanors and see the fear and pain and panic just below the surface? What are we teaching them really? The brain is a very efficient organ. It will always find the quickest path to a desired result. If it perceives that the quickest way to get love and approval is to cheat (rather than to risk trying the honest way and possibly failing) then cheating will happen. Is your child’s fastest way to love and approval through good marks? Then you’re setting them up for cheating at some point in their lives. Think about the messages that you are giving with your praise or bribery, or with your withholding of affection when kids don’t do well. If we want our children to pass honestly, then we need to change the messages that we’re giving them around what testing means, around their true worth regardless of performance, and around the unwavering love that we have for them regardless of their behavior.

July 28, 2016

Is Your Child Suffering From ADHD or ADD?

Do you have a busy child who is always running around, struggles to fall asleep before 10 at night, shouts out answers in the class, has difficulty concentrating and sitting still? Your child may be suffering from ADHD or ADD. But what is ADHD/ADD? Does my child need medication? Is the medication dangerous? Medical professionals use the DSM criteria to diagnose Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Attention deficit disorder (ADD). The following signs and symptoms were taken from Kaplan and Saddock (IV edition): Either (1) or (2): (1) Inattention: Six (or more) of the following symptoms of inattention have persisted for at least six months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level: (a) Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities (b) Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities (c) Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly (d) Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behaviour or failure to understand instructions) (e) Often has difficulties organizing tasks and activities (f) Often avoids, dislikes or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework) (g) Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (e.g. school assignments, pencils, books or tools) (h) Is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli (i) Is often forgetful in daily activities (2) Hyperactivity-impulsivity: Six (or more) of the following symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity have persisted for at least six months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level: Hyperactivity (a) Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat (b) Often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected (c) Often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults, may be limited to subjective feeling of restlessness) (d) Often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly (e) Is often ‘on the go’ or often acts as if ‘driven by a motor’ (f) Often talks excessively Impulsivity (g) Often blurts out answers to questions before the questions have been completed (h) Often has difficulty awaiting turn (i) Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g. butts into conversations or games) Some hyperactive-impulsive or inattentive symptoms that caused impairment were present before age 7 years. Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g. at school, work and at home) There must be clear evidence of clinically significant impairment in social, academic or occupational functioning. The symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of a pervasive developmental disorder, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder. Your child may only have Attention Deficit Disorder; this is all the above symptoms except the hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms. So what should I do if I think my child may be suffering form ADD/ADHD? Take your child to an occupational therapist to determine the possibility of ADD/ADHD and the effect it has had on development and skills. If the therapist suspects that your child is suffering from ADD/ADHD you will be referred to a paediatric neurologist for an evaluation. It is important not to take your child to a GP for medication as a specialist needs to be consulted as medication for ADD/ADHD is schedule 5/6 and works on the neurological system. Your child’s neurological system is still developing and damage can occur if the dosage of the medication is too high. Is medication always necessary? Sometimes medication is necessary – this will help your child to focus her attention; this will improve her concentration and thus learning can take place. Usually children with ADD or ADHD cannot concentrate for sufficient periods in class and thus they lose learning-time – that is why some children with ADD or ADHD fail their grade or fall behind in class. It will not help to hit/punish your child if they suffer from ADD or ADHD because although they try their best to sit still/work/pay attention, they are incapable of doing so – that is why medication is sometimes a blessing for both the child and the parents. It is sometimes difficult for parents to admit that their child needs medication but this is an issue that the parents need to deal with – don’t take valuable learning-time away from your child by not taking him/her to see a trusted paediatric neurologist. Usually the neurologist will start on a minimum prescription of Ritalin (for attention) and Risperdal for hyperactivity/restlessness. These medications will vary according to the age of the child and the severity of symptoms. Remember that it will take some time for your child’s body to adapt to the medication – don’t give up too soon. If unacceptable side-effects persist for more than 2 – 6 weeks, please talk to your doctor. Remember that not all medications work for all children and that the doctor may have to try a variety of medication until he/she finds the combination of medication that works for your child. Helpful hints Children with ADD or ADHD need a structured/disciplined environment to function optimally. Using the same handling approach at school, therapy and at home gives the child clear guidelines of what is expected of him/her. The golden rule to follow with a child with ADHD is a low GI diet. Find out if your child is allergic to any food e.g. dairy products, yellow food (corn, squash), junk food, fruit juice, sugar, chocolate, NutraSweet/Canderal/etc., processed meat, MSG’s, fried food, food colouring or fish as this may cause temper outbursts! Avoid processed foods. These contain additives and preservatives e.g. certain cheeses, certain cold meats Avoid junk food/take-aways Avoid sodas/fizzy drinks Avoid candy Avoid cookies No energy drinks e.g. Play/Red Bull Avoid fried foods E.g. chips, crisps, KFC Avoid additives and preservatives. Fruit juice should be diluted and not given

July 25, 2016

5 Steps to study success for working parents

In today’s challenging economy, many parents are taking on further studies, often in an effort to better provide for their families after graduating. But studying while having to balance work and family responsibilities is not for the faint of heart, and could have a detrimental effect not only on the existing family budget, but also the general wellbeing of a family, if not approached with a clear strategy. “In the past, people studied in a particular discipline and were largely committed to that for life,” says Tammy Oppenheim, Head of Programme: Faculty of Humanities at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest and most accredited private higher education provider. “But in 2016, the landscape has altered completely. People are exposed to a great deal more information and experiences, and many choose to alter their career path, which may require further study later in life. Even for those who stay in their selected field, study is vital to ensure they remain relevant and up-to-date on the requirements of your field,” she says. “If approached correctly, further study can fast-track a career and give access to promotions or financial rewards that would have been otherwise unachievable.” In addition to financial reward, a change of career path and upwards mobility can also contribute beneficially to self-esteem and self-actualisation, helping parents to be the best role-models they can be for their children, says Oppenheim. “Modelling life-long learning and good study habits can help your children on their own study path and also provide valuable common ground and conversation opportunities, particularly in the teenage years. But to successfully handle the increased pressure and demands study brings to the family dynamic, everyone needs to be on the same page.” So what can parents do to make a success of further study while keeping up with their parental responsibilities? Oppenheim says there are 5 important facets to making it work: DO YOUR RESEARCH Choose an academic institution that caters to your needs as a parent, such as those offering part-time and distance studies. Attending lectures on the weekend or from the comfort of your own home gives greater flexibility, especially for parents who work full-time. Smaller academic institutions also tend to offer greater individual support and flexibility, both of which are invaluable to a busy parent. HAVE A PLAN B IN PLACE FOR EVERY EVENTUALITY Arrange for back-up childcare for those times when you are absolutely unavailable, for instance when you have an exam or presentation scheduled, just in case your original plans fall through. BE HONEST WITH YOUR CHILDREN Explain what you are studying and why, and show your children the value of a life-long-learning philosophy. School-age children often take great pleasure in having learning as a common interest with parents. Sitting together for study-time is both good bonding-time and a great way to model good study habits for your children. MENTALLY COMPARTMENTALISE People are complex. An individual may be a mother, a worker, a student, a spouse and a friend all at the same time. However, it can be daunting to have your head-space filled up with all of your roles at the same time. Careful scheduling can help avoid this. Carve out blocks of time for each of your responsibilities, and don’t allow guilt or distraction from one area to intrude when you are focusing on another area. GET SUPPORT Taking on tertiary studies as a parent will be challenging and time-consuming and can feel isolating and overwhelming. Speak to fellow students with children, join an online parenting forum and seek out others who are going through the same experience. Simply verbalising your challenges can be helpful, but chances are there may also be some useful advice in response. “When you are in the middle of an exam period and your little one has a cold and wants to be held all night, and your boss is drowning you in work, it can feel overwhelming and never-ending. But it is important to remind yourself that your studies have an end-date,” says Oppenheim. “Visualise your journey: In one week I will have finished my first set of exams; in 6 months I will have finished my research proposal; in two years I will be walking across the stage at my graduation. Studying is not going to be easy; but it is most definitely going to be worth it.”

July 19, 2016

Auditory Processing – Another Buzz Word?

Auditory processing has become quite a buzz word amongst school teachers and therapists recently. And rightly so, as it is often under-identified or misdiagnosed as attention deficit disorder or bad behaviour, due to poor listening skills. What is Auditory Processing? Auditory processing is “what the brain does with what the ear hears” (Katz, 1994). In short, it is the ability of the brain to identify, localise, attend, remember and respond to auditory stimuli, generally the spoken word. Central auditory processing disorders (CAPD) or auditory processing disorders (APD) are a pattern of disorders whereby certain of the skills that make up auditory processing skills are relatively weak, thereby affecting listening behaviours. How Do You Know If It Is Auditory Processing, Or Just ‘Not Listening’? Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD or ADHD) often present with similar symptoms. The primary symptoms for ADD tend to be inattentiveness, distractibility, hyperactivity, restlessness and impulsivity. The primary symptoms for auditory processing disorder (APD) tend to be difficulty hearing in background noise, difficulty following oral instructions, poor listening skills, academic difficulties, distractibility and inattentiveness.[i] How Is Auditory Processing Assessed? Auditory processing is generally assessed by an audiologist (hearing healthcare professional). The audiologist would begin by assessing the outer, middle and inner ear structure and function to make sure that the hearing levels themselves are within normal limits, and there is no ear wax or middle ear infection preventing your child from listening! Thereafter, the audiologist runs a series of tests. Your child wears a set of headphones and responds to auditory tests. Other tests involve more direct interaction with the audiologist. The results are scored and compared against normative data for children of the same age group. Relative strengths and relative weaknesses are identified. The following subtests typically make up an auditory processing assessment: Auditory memory or sequencing for stories, sentences, words and digits Auditory discrimination between similar sounding words (chat/fat) Auditory closure for words that are missing a portion or are distorted Auditory analysis which involves breaking a word down into parts Auditory synthesis which involves building a word up by parts Speech in noise testing to test the child’s ability to ignore competing background noise Dichotic listening which involves listening to words or sentences presented to each ear at the same time Certain children present with patterns of strengths or weaknesses for certain skills. Depending on the pattern of presentation, this may result in certain difficulties in the classroom environment. Can Auditory Processing Weaknesses Be Treated? Treatment of auditory processing weaknesses is typically tailor-made for your child, depending on the pattern of weaknesses or strengths identified. Speech therapists are typically involved to provide auditory processing therapy, alternatively a home program of exercises may be suggested. Certain classroom modifications may be recommended to the teacher. If the weakness is significant, then assistive listening devices like an FM system may be helpful for some children. What can parents do to help? If you suspect that your child may be presenting with an auditory processing weakness, you can arrange for auditory processing testing to be conducted by a local audiologist . Testing is typically conducted on primary school-aged children age 6-11, but testing can be conducted on teenagers, depending on the tests available at your audiologist. The audiologist will be able to provide further information, specific to your child’s presentation.

July 11, 2016

Dyslexia: Fact or Fiction?

Megan struggles to read. She is eight years old and everyone in her class seems to read better than her. Megan tries really hard but it never gets easier. She feels silly. Mom thinks Megan has dyslexia. According to popular belief, dyslexia is a disorder which causes kids to struggle with reading, spelling, writing and studying. Many believe that dyslexia is a neurological disorder in the brain that causes information to be processed and interpreted differently. Some people even believe that dyslexia is genetic. Road to Reading Susan du Plessis, director of Edublox Reading and Learning Clinic, says that if the term ‘dyslexia’ is only used to indicate a reading problem, it’s used correctly, but she doesn’t subscribe to the theory that it’s a neurological disorder. Susan shares this view with many others in both the fields of medicine and education. Many kids are labeled dyslexic from a very early age, long before they’ve even mastered the basic foundations required for reading. Can any child be labeled a ‘poor reader’ if he hasn’t been taught correctly or mastered specific steps on the road to reading? Let’s look at the sport of ice hockey. Before you kit your child out with the protective gear required by the sport and expect him to make the team, he first needs to learn how to ice skate, both forward and backward. He must also learn to turn and stop. Once he has mastered this step, he can move on to learning to control the puck with the stick, to pass and receive a pass, and to shoot. Only when these skills are well practiced and achieved, and he also knows the rules of the game, can he possibly make the team. “It’s exactly the same with reading,” explains Susan. “Without a good foundation and mastering the individual steps, children simply don’t learn to read well.” Steps to Reading Learning to read is a process. In order for a child to master this complex task, he or she needs to master the following skills: Language This vital first step begins at birth. Before any child can learn to read, he or she must have a good grasp of language. It’s the step that fits in at the same level as the ‘learning to skate’ section in our analogy on playing ice hockey. Before any child can learn to read, he must have a good command of language. Cognitive skills The next step on the road to reading starts when your child is two or three years old. Cognitive skills are mental skills that are used to acquire knowledge. Learning difficulties, like dyslexia, are often linked to weak cognitive skills. Concentration, perception, memory and logical thinking are four important cognitive skills needed for reading. Concentration: Children need to be taught to focus their attention and keep it focused for a period of time. Concentration is both an ‘act of will’ and a skill. Skills need to be taught and like other skills, concentration can be improved with regular practice. Perception: Perception is the ability to identify, recognise and interpret something, usually through the senses of sight or hearing. Two important perceptual skills for reading are directionality and form discrimination. Directionality relates to the direction of objects ‘in relation to self’ while form discrimination is the ability to perceive differences in the shape of objects. In reading, both these skills are essential — from learning the letters of the alphabet to syllables and then recognising whole words. Memory: There are many different kinds of memory and each is an important foundational skill for reading and spelling. Visual memory is particularly important, because a child must remember the visual appearance of words and letter sequence in order to read them. Logical thinking: Logical thinking is the ability ‘think head’ in sequence or steps in a way that makes sense or logically follows the previous step. This is an important skill for reading comprehension, because by using logical thinking skills, a child can anticipate what happens next. Susan says that weak cognitive skills can be strengthened and normal cognitive skills can be enhanced to increase ease and performance in learning. “Specific brain-training exercises can strengthen these weaknesses leading to increased performance in reading, spelling and learning,” she states. Just like the ice hockey player who is proud of his achievement when he finally makes the team, so your child, with some extra help in the right areas, can be a great reader — and proud of it too.

July 4, 2016

Make every day fun!

It is almost school holidays again, and to prevent your children from complaining that they are bored or from spending all their time in front of the television, you need to be creative and plan ahead. Here are a few suggestions to inspire you. Monday: Museums and maestro’s Visit a museum – preferably one that will interest your children – or find out what is being performed at your local theatre. (Many museums and theatres offer fun, interactive holiday programmes for children.) If nothing is happening in your area, why not encourage your children to create, practise and perform their own play? Tuesday: Try it at home Holiday fun doesn’t have to be expensive. Bake cupcakes, make playdough, tie-dye a t-shirt, or dig out all your craft materials and let your children unleash their creativity! Wednesday: Will you dare? Older children will enjoy skating or testing their fear of heights by trying wall climbing or zip lining, while younger ones will enjoy the challenge of the jungle gym at a play centre. You can also visit a theme park, which will undoubtedly offer something to challenge everyone. Thursday: Treat some animals Our country teems with places where you can see and even pet all kinds of animals – from the ordinary to the peculiar! Is there an aquarium, zoo, snake park, crocodile farm or bird paradise in your back yard? Go visit it! Better yet, give of your time and help out at an animal shelter – you can walk or play with the animals, or assist with other tasks that need doing. Friday: Find out more about your town Load the children in the car and go explore the nooks and crannies of your town. You can also explore your area on foot (find out if there are any fun day trips) or by bike (why not pack a picnic basket?). End the day with a movie marathon – let everyone choose their favourite movie, make buckets of popcorn, get comfortable on the couch and relax! Impak is a curriculum provider for home, tutor and school education. Visit www.impak.co.za for more information.

June 27, 2016

Handwriting Problems

Handwriting is the most obvious feature of “the second R,” and is a means to an end. Students who can write legibly and with reasonable speed are not deterred by weak handwriting skills from expressing themselves. Thus it is obvious that handwriting should become routine as rapidly and efficiently as possible. It should not be stressed at the expense of more important skills, such as those necessary to speak, listen, read, spell, or compose well. What is a Handwriting Problem? A handwriting problem exists when a student writes illegibly or extremely slowly. Everyone occasionally produces some illegible letters, but some students do so frequently enough that understanding what they have written is difficult; at this point, the difficulty would be considered a problem. Also, most children write quite slowly when they are first learning to print or write in cursive; slow handwriting should be considered a problem, however, when a student’s writing speed interfered with his or her other work. Problems with handwriting are also known as dysgraphia, a term coined from the Greek words dys meaning ill or difficult and graphein meaning to write, and is used to describe a severe problem with handwriting. Synonyms for dysgraphia include motor agraphia, developmental motor agraphia, special writing disability, specific handwriting disability, specific learning disability in handwriting. Problems Related to Handwriting Though IQ is not related to handwriting, spelling apparently is, according to Introduction to Learning Disabilities by Hallahan et al. Students with poor handwriting are likely to have poor spelling skills. Two ways in which handwriting may contribute to misspellings are: Handwriting errors may make a word look like another word; Slow, laboured writing of letters may cause a student to forget the word he or she is trying to spell. The first problem is one of legibility and the second is one of speed. Handwriting skill is also related to some perceptual and perceptual-motor skills. Wedell found that young students with handwriting problems had greater difficulties with position in space, drew poorly when drawing required crossing from one side of their bodies to the other, and did not benefit from handwriting tasks as much as other students. In her book Learning Disabilities: Theories, Diagnosis, and Teaching Strategies, Janet Lerner states that some of the underlying shortcomings that interfere with handwriting performance are (1.) poor motor skills, (2) faulty visual perception of letters and words, and (3.) difficulty in retaining visual impressions. The student’s problem may also be in cross-modal transfer from the visual to motor modalities.

June 9, 2016

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