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Infant Math?

Yup!  Dr. Makoto Shichida of the Educational Institute in Tokyo has found that it is possible to stimulate your child’s brain and develop “photographic memory” skills.  Through the use of flash cards, the child’s right brain can be stimulated, allowing quick absorption of information. Answers rise from the subconscious, where they are calculated faster than a calculator, and letting answers “appear” on the tv screen of children’s minds.

Dr. Shichida discovered this connection while studying a young woman with extraordinary calculation skills.  However, these abilities can be developed in ordinary children through training using dot cards (where dots stand in for numbers).  A positive side effect is, that training the calculation abilities in a child, stimulates the whole “image brain” and improves the “photographic memory” skills for all future learning as well.

 

How to:

Flash the cards – one card per second.  The speed triggers the right brain.

Brief sessions, though frequent is fine

It should stay fun – don’t force them or they will successfully resist

Parents should also have fun – stay relaxed about the process. Try not to be result oriented!

 

Other Flash Cards

Another approach is that of Dr. Glenn Doman of the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential.  He claims to be more uses fact flash cards as a play/learning resource.  He calls his cards “Bit Off Intelligence Cards” or “Bits” for short.  His methods are largely the same, though he focuses more on fact cards (picture cards with facts on the back for parents to present), and the use of repetition to stimulate left brain activity.

 

Making your own “bits”:

-They should be large.   Doman recommends 11x11 inches, but letter paper size (8 and 1/2 x 11) will also work.  Poster board or cardstock are good choices for durability.

-Collect a variety of pictures, and accompanying facts

-Paste the picture on to the front of your cards

-Place an identifying label on the back of the card, so you know what baby is looking at, plus the facts

-Laminate or cover them with contact paper

 

Basic guidelines for use:

Each set should be all on one subject

Pictures should be large and clear without confusing backgrounds

Keep sessions brief

Show cards quickly, one per second

Give one fact per card at a time

Try to gauge the child’s interest, and stop before they become distracted

 

For parents:

·        Practice your presentation in a mirror, to be sure the child can see everything

·        Ensure good lighting so the cards are easily seen!

·        Turn off distractions such as radio, tv, stereo and phones

·        Make sure your child is in a receptive mood before you start – if they are preoccupied with something else, wait

·        Don’t use the cards with children who are sick

·        Hold the cards 18 inches (1 and ½ feet) from the child at eye level

·        Keep the cards as steady as possible

·        Always introduce the “bits” you are offering to show, and ask the child if they would like to see them

·        Be lively and create a positive experience for your child.  This will encourage your child to participate and enjoy learning.

 

Recommendations:

·        Show sets of bits three times a day for ten days

·        Add new cards and retire old ones to keep it fresh

·        If a child looks the other way during a presentation, they may be looking for new information.

 

The Alphabet

·        Break it into three sections

·        Leave half an hour between sessions, or at least have a pure play break for a bit

·        Then do phonemes – what the letters sound like – using alphabet word cards

 

 Warning:  (Well…)Children learn quickly, so you’ll need to keep up with their growing appetite for new information!

Have fun!

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