Good afternoon BReaders
Following on from our exciting topic 'Working Memory' ...is this week's subscriber question?
What has been your experience with using POD and BR methods with complex students?
First what defines a complex student? Well, they may already have a diagnosis associated with a learning difficulty, you may have already tried everything, they typically progress slowly and they need a lot of ongoing learning support....
Second, POD and BR do work for these students particularly to disarm pre-conditioned learning responses (BR) and to target sequential skills that are often particularly difficult for complex students (using POD software as prescribed).
Do they need more and do they hang around?...Yes and Yes!!! Always rule out any physical issues such as vision and hearing problems first. Review learning goals, assessments/ reports that have already been formulated/ completed. What do these tell you? For instance, a low verbal IQ may indicate working memory issues.
Apply the same BR method for reading (e.g. reading in 2's and 3's) to try and chunk learning goals into manageable parts i.e. 'cut out the middle man'!
For example, times tables can be rehearsed as 'one times three equals three' or alternatively the BR way by saying, looking and pointing at the answer:
1 x 3 = 3 (one three is three)
2 x 3 = 6 (two threes are six)
3 x 3 = 9 (three threes are nine)
Remember - BR and POD do not claim to improve working memory. POD is neural specific software for 'reading foundation skills' and the BR method is about working with a student's working memory capacity to make reading happen!*
Did you know that the method most supported in the literature to improve working memory is to learn a musical instrument! Read more about this on our Crackbook...I mean Facebook page. Don't forget to like and share as notifications make me feel happy**
* We need for a big objective fMRI study or similar to prove otherwise, any philanthropists out there? universities? research students?
** We do not recommend using FB or any other illicit substance for instant gratification.......all the above is my (very well) educated opinion only....
Have a great week!
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Kind Regards
Yavanna Grogan
Speech Pathologist