Helping a child who has trouble listening to Read Alouds

[Tracee]

We are starting week 6 in LHFHG and will be starting with Peter Rabbit. Because we stopped and started so many times in the beginning of HOD, I gave up with the first book of our Read Alouds and decided to start with the second when we got to that point.

I know that it is normal for it to be a little difficult for an active 6 year old boy to sit and listen, but my ds has an auditory processing issue and an excellent visual memory. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to help him along while I'm reading the story? I ordered a Peter Rabbit coloring book, even though he doesn't really like to color. He loves to draw, but I can't have him do that while we are reading, because he starts concentrating and blocking everything else out. For the bible read alouds, I've been using props for example; toy men for Jacob, Abraham, and Moses, play food for quail and manna. I was just wondering if anyone had any other suggestions?

I'm trying to build this skill in him, but I don't want to overwhelm him, and I want to be realistic with what he is capable of doing.

[Tansy]

My dd has the same diagnosis.

We started by taking little bites out of stories at a time reading a paragraph, then 2 then 3 then just recently we adding the illustrations. Her therapist suggested we start Illustrating on a white board, a piece of paper, etc, as you read the story. It really helps. It gives her a visual reference to help hang the heard memory onto. Were not talking fancy btw were talking stick figures *ok* anyone can do it... Now she can listen to a whole short story and loves loves loves the picture I draw. She is allowed to use it to retell the story.

Also for a long time I did not correct her re-telling, but after she was done I used her words, and put it back in the right order. Going over and over that stories have a Beginning, Middle and End. Till she now tells stories in order. Now were working on supporting details and all the other stuff.

Feel free to just read him a we bit and get his narration then read a wee bit and get his narration. Small bites and give him time to process. That is where the illustration comes in handy! You read then you draw what you read.. then he tells. That takes time! keeps you from expecting to much to soon.. he has time to process have an ah ha moment by looking at picture and retell the story. I'm oly doing this 3x a week not every time esp. if its a on going story and the characters haven't changed to much.

Also have you considered giving him metal work outs? little 2 min recall workouts. With numbers and words. This really helps lay down a pathway in the brain of how to process auditory stuff. The more you do it the more that path way gets grooved into his brain. Its really helped my dd If your interested in learning how PM me.

[rainsong]

I just replied to something similiar on another thread, we used illustrating a lot but since that does not work for your child you could try:

color copy the little character on the front of the book to make a stick puppet
have the child lie on the floor with eyes closed and listen, tell them to make a "movie" in thier mind as you read
have them act out the story as you read

I have 2 kids who are very visual so we had to work hard on this one! Alos moving read aloud time to bedtime helped in the past as well, for my boys were calmer then.

[Tracee]

Thank you so much Tansy and Rainsong. Tansy, I'm going to be sending you a message as soon as I get a chance.

Rainsong, that is exactly what I'm going to do. The coloring book that I ordered has all the characters. I'll just have to sit down and color them myself and turn them into stick puppets. Great idea! I'm going to try bedtime also.


Thanks so much,
Tracy

[my3sons]

You've had great advice here already, so I'll just add it helps my very active ds to m-o-v-e before sitting down to read. We either did the active Bible Study box or marched big time around the room while singing the Corresponding Music together before sitting down to read. It helped get the wiggles out. Also, during Reddy Fox, my ds rarely answered questions correctly. As we moved on to the second and third books in Storytime, things improved greatly. Technically, it's like your sweetie is on the first book yet even though he's hearing Peter Rabbit, because of the stopping/starting earlier. I think it sounds like he's responding quite normally at the start of Storytime. That business of learning the habit of listening attentively is a big deal - it truly takes some time. You've received some excellent advice and have some great things to try though! I just thought I'd share our experience, in the hopes it may help somehow.

In Christ,
Julie