How do you increase digit spans?

[Guest guest]

I've read some conflicting information about digit spans but am

interested in learning more about HOW people increase them. Janice I

know you said to get a white board but when I've tried doing it with my

son he gets frustrated, doesn't want to continue and certainly does not

increase his span by practicing at the same number he already can do

and failing at the one up from that. So my question to those of you

who practice digit spans is how if they fail say at 5, do you increase

to 6? Or 6 to 7 etc.

BTW, I can not afford NACD's evaluation fee with my current financial

situation so that is not an option at this time.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

McCann

[Guest guest]

,

Don't know the digit span part but generally, for realistic home

therapy ideas there is a great folder on this board. Hope this helps:)

L

>

> I've read some conflicting information about digit spans but am

> interested in learning more about HOW people increase them. Janice

I

> know you said to get a white board but when I've tried doing it

with my

> son he gets frustrated, doesn't want to continue and certainly does

not

> increase his span by practicing at the same number he already can

do

> and failing at the one up from that. So my question to those of

you

> who practice digit spans is how if they fail say at 5, do you

increase

> to 6? Or 6 to 7 etc.

>

> BTW, I can not afford NACD's evaluation fee with my current

financial

> situation so that is not an option at this time.

>

> Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

> McCann

>

[Guest guest]

Just try having someone quiz you at your max -- it is frustrating and

stressful! We are having a similar problem right now -- 4's are no

problem, and 5's can be tough. My son gets very distracted during

this activity, so ANYTHING can throw him off his game. NACD said if

he gets a 5 right he doesn't have to do anymore, but he still doesn't

give me his full attention. Try to give him a lot of the ones he can

do and sprinkle in the ones that are one digit up. And do this

activity frequently but for a short period of time. Our original

program had it on four times per day for two minutes each time. Try

not to go on too long -- there are definitely diminishing returns on

this one.

If digits are boring, try using words. They can be in a category as

long as there is not an obvious connection. (e.g. don't do peanut

butter, jelly; you can do jelly, cake) For us, the words are

easier, so it may be a good way to ease up to a higher span.

We also do reverse digit spans with words at one digit lower. It's a

different skill, but also very useful. My son happens to be good at

this, so we often move on to this when the others aren't going well.

Yet another way is to try Auditory Touch Sequences -- you give a

series of body parts and he has to touch them in the right order

instead of saying them. If he gets it wrong, you are supposed to do

the whole sequence with him hand over hand. My son could not even do

this when we started with NACD -- at all! He improved a lot with

practice. Perhaps the tactile nature of this might help.

Hope that helps! If we get any new auditory activities next time

around, I will post.

in NJ

>

> I've read some conflicting information about digit spans but am

> interested in learning more about HOW people increase them. Janice

I

> know you said to get a white board but when I've tried doing it

with my

> son he gets frustrated, doesn't want to continue and certainly does

not

> increase his span by practicing at the same number he already can

do

> and failing at the one up from that. So my question to those of

you

> who practice digit spans is how if they fail say at 5, do you

increase

> to 6? Or 6 to 7 etc.

>

> BTW, I can not afford NACD's evaluation fee with my current

financial

> situation so that is not an option at this time.

>

> Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

> McCann

>

[Guest guest]

you are exactly right it IS frustrating! I have been trying to

raise mine along with Nick's. I think we're BOTH frustrated. The

idea of using other things besides numbers is very helpful, thank

you. I just couldn't see how staying at one level and getting an

occassional one more digit was going to help him proceed.

Thanks again,

>

> Just try having someone quiz you at your max -- it is frustrating

and

> stressful! We are having a similar problem right now -- 4's are no

> problem, and 5's can be tough. My son gets very distracted during

> this activity, so ANYTHING can throw him off his game. NACD said

if

> he gets a 5 right he doesn't have to do anymore, but he still

doesn't

> give me his full attention. Try to give him a lot of the ones he

can

> do and sprinkle in the ones that are one digit up. And do this

> activity frequently but for a short period of time. Our original

> program had it on four times per day for two minutes each time.

Try

> not to go on too long -- there are definitely diminishing returns

on

> this one.

>

> If digits are boring, try using words. They can be in a category

as

> long as there is not an obvious connection. (e.g. don't do peanut

> butter, jelly; you can do jelly, cake) For us, the words are

> easier, so it may be a good way to ease up to a higher span.

>

> We also do reverse digit spans with words at one digit lower. It's

a

> different skill, but also very useful. My son happens to be good

at

> this, so we often move on to this when the others aren't going well.

>

> Yet another way is to try Auditory Touch Sequences -- you give a

> series of body parts and he has to touch them in the right order

> instead of saying them. If he gets it wrong, you are supposed to

do

> the whole sequence with him hand over hand. My son could not even

do

> this when we started with NACD -- at all! He improved a lot with

> practice. Perhaps the tactile nature of this might help.

>

> Hope that helps! If we get any new auditory activities next time

> around, I will post.

>

> in NJ

>

[Guest guest]

With regards to digit spans,

Digit spans are HARD! I try to do very short sessions and make them very

upbeat. Most of the digits we work with are at the level that Mark CAN do.

Let's say my child has a baseline digit span of 5. This is how I would approach

it:

7 2 0 4 [first digit span, do a step easier then baseline, if he gets it right,

go a step higher]

9 1 4 6 3 [if he gets it right, applaud with all of your vigor..... HORRAY!!!

if wrong, give praise and really get the child 'involved' do a NEW digit

span.... NEVER have them do the one they got wrong again.... they will forever

get it wrong!]

8 0 9 5 2 [stay at the baseline, if he gets it right, try one up!]

6 1 7 5 9 2 [try one up, if he gets it right, do another at the 6, if he gets it

wrong go back down to 5] If wrong, I would continue to do a couple of 5's and

then end the session, if right.... I would scream YIPPIE with all of my might

and really freak Mark out! Then I would say, okay, let's end it with an easy

one. Usually by this time, he's saying.... NO, let's do another 6! I CAN DO

IT!

I always try to end the session on a really positive note... always with

'hi-fives' and 'way-ta-go' as the higher the intensity, the better we get the

child 'plugged-in' and turned on. In addition, the child tends to increase

their baselines faster with a lot of positive encouragement. Now, most of the

time, your child will stay at his baseline. It takes a long time to move the

baseline up. Remember that increasing a digit of one is equivalent to

increasing developmentally one entire year! So, that is very hard to do on a

consistent basis. Thus we must be extremely patient, make it as fun as possible

(if that is even possible with digit spans!) and continue to do the work.

The more intensity you work with, the better the results, in my opinion. It is

hard to get the energy to keep the intensity high especially when you need to

digit spans 3 or 4 times a day but the more intensity, the faster those digit

spans go up! (and the faster you get to be done with them forever!)

Good luck and don't give up on the dreaded digit spans. They are ugly but they

do really change processing abilities!

Janice

Mother of Mark, 13

[sPAM][ ] Re: How do you increase digit spans?

Just try having someone quiz you at your max -- it is frustrating and

stressful! We are having a similar problem right now -- 4's are no

problem, and 5's can be tough. My son gets very distracted during

this activity, so ANYTHING can throw him off his game. NACD said if

he gets a 5 right he doesn't have to do anymore, but he still doesn't

give me his full attention. Try to give him a lot of the ones he can

do and sprinkle in the ones that are one digit up. And do this

activity frequently but for a short period of time. Our original

program had it on four times per day for two minutes each time. Try

not to go on too long -- there are definitely diminishing returns on

this one.

If digits are boring, try using words. They can be in a category as

long as there is not an obvious connection. (e.g. don't do peanut

butter, jelly; you can do jelly, cake) For us, the words are

easier, so it may be a good way to ease up to a higher span.

We also do reverse digit spans with words at one digit lower. It's a

different skill, but also very useful. My son happens to be good at

this, so we often move on to this when the others aren't going well.

Yet another way is to try Auditory Touch Sequences -- you give a

series of body parts and he has to touch them in the right order

instead of saying them. If he gets it wrong, you are supposed to do

the whole sequence with him hand over hand. My son could not even do

this when we started with NACD -- at all! He improved a lot with

practice. Perhaps the tactile nature of this might help.

Hope that helps! If we get any new auditory activities next time

around, I will post.

in NJ

>

> I've read some conflicting information about digit spans but am

> interested in learning more about HOW people increase them. Janice

I

> know you said to get a white board but when I've tried doing it

with my

> son he gets frustrated, doesn't want to continue and certainly does

not

> increase his span by practicing at the same number he already can

do

> and failing at the one up from that. So my question to those of

you

> who practice digit spans is how if they fail say at 5, do you

increase

> to 6? Or 6 to 7 etc.

>

> BTW, I can not afford NACD's evaluation fee with my current

financial

> situation so that is not an option at this time.

>

> Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

> McCann

>

[Guest guest]

I'll also chime in on this one...the key is to remember that you

aren't trying to teach the exact sequence of numbers, but to increase

their short term memory. For example, 1,3,5,2 child says 1,5,3,2

you could say 'good try, now listen'...and give a different sequence.

If your child is bored with numbers, as said, use words. I

find that silly words work well around here. For example: zee, zoo,

zip, zak. -or- yak, blip, moop, ching. They do well with this.

You can also do words that are of high interest to your child...names

of superheros, candy, treats, equipment, whatever makes your child

tick.

I think our time on this one is 4x day 1 min each time.

Another one of our auditory programs is auditory direction sequence -

like simon says. You give a series of directions...touch your nose,

clap, touch mommy's arm. -or- knock on the door, touch the floor,

jump. My kids love this one - be creative, but be warned that

initially it is easy to get them confused if you have them running

around to do what you asked. You gradually add in another 'to do' as

they can process more. I believe this one is 3x day 2 min each time.

I keep a timer right in front of us and set it to the amount of time

that NACD recommends and away we go. It is good for me and them as

they know this program will end (LOL) and I don't push the limit by

losing track of time trying to get just one more in....wich will

backfire in my house.

Remember to speak clearly and put about 1 second between each thing

you say. Don't speak quickly or in sing-song.

Best of luck to you.

Stephanee

(who was previously at her wits end, got it together, and is now

pressing onward!)

> >

> > Just try having someone quiz you at your max -- it is frustrating

> and

> > stressful! We are having a similar problem right now -- 4's are

no

> > problem, and 5's can be tough. My son gets very distracted

during

> > this activity, so ANYTHING can throw him off his game. NACD said

> if

> > he gets a 5 right he doesn't have to do anymore, but he still

> doesn't

> > give me his full attention. Try to give him a lot of the ones he

> can

> > do and sprinkle in the ones that are one digit up. And do this

> > activity frequently but for a short period of time. Our original

> > program had it on four times per day for two minutes each time.

> Try

> > not to go on too long -- there are definitely diminishing returns

> on

> > this one.

> >

> > If digits are boring, try using words. They can be in a category

> as

> > long as there is not an obvious connection. (e.g. don't do

peanut

> > butter, jelly; you can do jelly, cake) For us, the words are

> > easier, so it may be a good way to ease up to a higher span.

> >

> > We also do reverse digit spans with words at one digit lower.

It's

> a

> > different skill, but also very useful. My son happens to be good

> at

> > this, so we often move on to this when the others aren't going

well.

> >

> > Yet another way is to try Auditory Touch Sequences -- you give a

> > series of body parts and he has to touch them in the right order

> > instead of saying them. If he gets it wrong, you are supposed to

> do

> > the whole sequence with him hand over hand. My son could not

even

> do

> > this when we started with NACD -- at all! He improved a lot with

> > practice. Perhaps the tactile nature of this might help.

> >

> > Hope that helps! If we get any new auditory activities next time

> > around, I will post.

> >

> > in NJ

> >

>