I can’t say this is a “proven” technique that has been researched, but as an adult with NLD who successfully returned to school and began to figure out what worked for me and what didn’t, here is a suggestion:Allow your child to ask as many questions as necessary ALONG THE WAY to learn the material the way he or she needs to learn it. What I discovered as I tried to understand math and algebra concepts that seemed confusing the first, second, etc. times around, was that having someone simply explain them was an exercise in frustration. Why? Because the primary problem (for me, at least) is that I cannot “hold” the numbers or the rules in my head while I’m working on them. What I mean is, trying to remember symbols, rules and numbers while trying to manipulate them at the same time, is extremely taxing for me. Therefore, being told to “wait, and I’ll explain THAT (whatever I didn’t understand and asked about) in a minute” was the WORST thing that could happen. Telling me to “wait” is the same as saying “add one more thing that you don’t understand to your list of things you already can’t remember, and ask later if you don’t understand, but of course now you will be focused on remembering to ask and you’re not listening to me.” It was distracting and increased my anxiety and frustration to the point where I could not move ahead. I finally got my tutor (in my case, my husband who is an engineer…probably not the best tutoring choice!G) to slow down and to understand that if *I* ask the questions, I can start plugging in the information into my leaky memory, and begin to build a more solid foundation. What is so obvious and logical to “normals” in solving math problems isn’t always so obvious to me, until I can ask my tedious but necessary questions. I MUST ask questions, and I MUST understand each little piece of information, or I do not make the progress I should. One thing you may find with your child’s teachers, or even with yourself, is that your child asks so many questions you may think it is a stalling tactic. It could be, but then again, the child may truly need to ask in order to weave together a more solid memory for abstract thinking. I suggest you give your child the benefit of the doubt, and go along with the questioning. See if it helps. I’m guessing it will. Also, it may help to have her work the same problem over and over again, well past the time when she understands it. Overlearning is very helpful, and that IS a proven technique. Another research based suggestion is to demonstrate everything you can in concrete ways…let her touch and see as many concepts as you can. For a research methods class I was required to take, my husband used small packets of M&Ms to help me understand statistical cocepts. We went through the whole series of definitions and ideas about random sampling, etc. with M&Ms as a teaching tool. (It worked!) Good luck to you. If you don’t have Sue Thompson’s book on NLD, please buy it now. It is a wonderful resource you need in order to understand your child. It will help the teachers as well, and possibly even the professionals involved in her care. JJI am looking for teaching strategies for my 8th grade child who has
: NLD. Basic math is still a struggle. How can his teacher help him
: progress? Does anyone have any practical experience teaching math
: to a gifted middle student with a significant non-verbal learning
: disability? I would enjoy hearing your techniques and strategies.