Attention from a distance and shifting

May 16, 2002

I have to be brief, sorry:

Attention from a distance:

Had the same trouble. Conquered it using this principle--Imagine coming up

to your husband and saying, " Honey, can you do... " Does he turn his head?

Does he want to look? Now imagine you are in the bedroom. You wear a

slinky negligee. You are promising a reward. He knows it. You know it.

You say, " Honey.... " Does he turn to look? (If he doesn't, divorce him!

;-) )

Our kids are no different. If they learn that hearing their name means they

get something great, they will learn to turn to their name. If they

associate hearing their name with getting a demand or request, they won't.

When you lose or haven't achieved response to name, look for what you are

associating with their name first, before you rule out comprehension. It

may actually be that they understand TOO much!

Shifting --This problem isa stimulus control issue and will happen at

several levels often in the child's acquisition. What it means is that a

child understands a cognitive concept (color, shape), but doesn't know when

to answer it. In other words, it is not linked solidly to the appropriate

natural cue--the phrases " What color " and " What shape. " To overcome this

with my child, I made several fluency charts. One was a bunch of circles of

different colors. We do a few quick (20 second) bursts a day where the

teacher randomly touches a circle and specifically uses the cue " What

color? " We also have a chart of randomly depicted shapes (all known shapes

and known colors, mind you). We randomly touch a shape and specifically use

the cue " What shape? " THEN (and here is the secret to getting the stimulus

control), we have a third chart of the random shapes, randomly colored in

(all the previously fluently mastered colors). Now we go right down the row

randomly alternating our stimulus cues " What color, what shape, what shape,

what color, etc " . That is how we get stimulus control. We also have size

charts to do the same. Hope this helps. t Burk , Professional Mom

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