A free newsletter by BJ Madewell
DIAGNOSIS ADD ADHD Now What?
Published 10th, 20th & 30th of each month
PLEASE SEE DISCLAIMER AT THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT!
HIGHLIGHTING
FOR SUCCESS
August 30, 2002
Purpose: to present choices to consider AFTER a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD.
FORWARDING
TO OTHERS IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED
Published 10th, 20th & 30th of each month
** PLEASE SEE DISCLAIMER AT THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT! **
HIGHLIGHTING FOR SUCCESS
One of the accommodations frequently recommended for students with learning and/or attention problems is highlighting. There are numerous ways to use this strategy to enhance learning for ALL students - not just those with "problems learning."
Here are some suggestions for using highlighting that I personally have found effective with my K-5th grade students over the last 30 + years.
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTING STRATEGIES
Word finds are more "fun" when students are encouraged to use highlighters. Bonus - they are easier for teachers to check as well.
Highlight the directions of any written assignment in a workbook or on a worksheet. Bonus - ensures the students had to at least "look at the directions." I also use this as a check when a student claims "I don't know what to do. <whine, whine> I ask them to highlight the directions and then see me. Most of the time, students are able to figure out the directions. I then give praise for following directions.
Students
highlight words they are unsure of in their textbooks. Later they meet
with a study-buddy or myself to figure out the word's meaning. (Note --there are
highlighters you can purchase that "rub off". Also highlighting tape/markers
can
be purchased which won't harm those expensive textbooks. - (see below for places
to purchase).
Encourage students to highlight difficult (or easy) parts of spelling words. Highlighting draws a person's attention - thus can be very useful when studying spelling words -- i.e. highlight all irregular vowel patterns, digraphs, or whatever the lesson is accentuating. Young readers delight in finding all the silent e's on a worksheet.
If you are a user of workbooks &/or commercially made worksheets this is a great method. - After checking for comprehension and understanding, instruct students to highlight answers to specific questions. I usually have students "find the right answer to items missed, and highlight it'. Checking a question wrong and handing the paper back for corrections is a useful technique but having the student highlight the answer insures the student did in fact reread the selection rather than copy from another student or simply pick another answer from a multiple choice question.
Good readers have stated that they make "mental notes" as they read unknown words. Poor readers probably need highlighters to accentuate such unknown words for further study. Even good readers don't like to STOP reading and go look up the meaning of a word. Efficient readers will "make a note" to find out what that word means later. Highlighting encourages poor readers to expand their vocabulary just like the efficient reader does without being told.
For math computation, highlighters are GREAT to help students pay attention to computation signs, steps to follow to solve problems, key words that might indicate the operation to use for word problems, etc.
WHY HIGHLIGHTING IS HELPFUL
As a student performs the physical act of highlighting a word or selection, it sends a "wake-up and pay attention" message to the brain. The kinesthetic movement is helpful for those kinesthetic learners as well.
Our brains tend to filter out "things that are seemingly unimportant" and pay attention to "things that are seemingly important". Highlighting tells the brain "THIS IS IMPORTANT."
Generally speaking, when emerging readers read, they skip over or ignore words they don't know or don't understand. Highlighting such words as they read cues them to go back later and decipher the meaning of the selection if they are unable to use context clues to figure out the word as they read past the unknown word.
This is a powerful strategy. Students can complete the reading selection and hopefully decipher the gist of the selection and then reread specific selections they misunderstood.
Brain
research tells us that adding color to printed material increases the odds that
the information will be stored in long-term memory and more readily recalled.
When you explain the WHY of using highlighting, it encourages students to use this method more willingly.
Places to purchase rub off highlighters and highlighting tape.
Office Plus Office Max Office Depot Wal-Mart CHADD
IT'S YOUR CHOICE
Consider
getting some "rub off" highlighters, highlighting tape and regular
highlighters
and "GIVE IT A WHIRL".
PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
DISCLAIMER
This information is for educational purposes only. Much of then information is from classes and workshops I've taken during my 25+ years of working with ADD & ADHD students - sprinkled with my own comments, thoughts and insights
Some information is acquired from the INTERNET. Be aware that not all information on the WWW is accurate. Use your own judgment. This information is not intended to replace information from your doctor, therapist, lawyer, psychologist, nutritionist or psychiatrist.
Consult your child's (or your own) doctor for additional input.
Editor: BJ Madewell
Wichita, KS area
316-733-9532
FAX not available
Email ADDchoices@aol.com or ADDchoices@yahoo.com
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Please fwd to others who may
benefit.
BJ
Madewell
