My son’s teacher informed me that my son has been having problems listening to oral instructions. He also doesn’t some of his classwork. (Chris has been diagnosed with P.D.D. (Pervasive Developemental Disorder,this is a form of autism), since Kindergarten. He is a bright student; however, he seems to wonder off, like in daydreaming. I sit with him during homework time. I would like to get some feedback on how I can help him focus on his work. I am helping him with his Reading Comprehension as well. Thanks! 8)
Simple approach
There is a very simple approach that can be used - have him say the instructions back to her (or to you)! Two things happen here: if he knows he is expected to repeat the instructions, he will be more likely to listen. And if he isn’t really understanding the instructions, you will know. He may be more visual, or it may be that the teacher is just using words he doesn’t understand. In addition to asking him to repeat the instructions (in his own words), I would check any more difficult words and see if he knows what they mean. If even one word is unclear, the instruction becomes useless to him. If he is used to not understanding the instructions, of course, he will stop listening.
I always try to start simple.
Good luck!
–- Steve
If his problems are specific to listening, I would suspect an auditory processing deficit more than ADD, although you can have both (my son has been diagnosed with both). A audiologist specializing in APD could diagnose/evaluate him.
How are his receptive language skills? For my son that was a big thing with listening. However, I was just speaking to a Dad whose son was just diagnosed with APD. His issue with listening seems to be mostly speech in noise—can’t focus with noise. Different sets of problems producing similar effects but with different treatments.
Beth