1. A M ind at a Tim e
A r o a d m a p f o r p a r e n t s a n d e d u c at o r s
t o h e l p r e c o g n iz e h o w m a n y kinds o f
y o u n g m in d s t h e r e a r e a n d t o r e a l iz e
t h at w e a r e in a p o s it io n t o h e l p strengthen
their strengths a n d in d o in g s o , p r e s e r v e
t h e ir h o p e s f o r t h e f u t u r e .

2. The M ind ’s possibilities
 P l a n e t e a r t h is in h a b it e d b y p e o p l e
w h o h a v e a l l kinds of minds. T h e b r a in o f
e a c h h u m a n is u n iq u e .
 S o m e a r e w ir e d t o c r e a t e symphonies
a n d s o n n e t s , w h il e o t h e r s a r e a b l e t o
d e s ig n airplanes a n d y e t o t h e r s a r e sport
c h a m p io n s .
 It is t a k e n f o r g r a n t e d in a d u l t
s o c ie t y t h a t w e c a n n o t a l l b e
generalists s k il l e d in e v e r y a r e a o f
l e a r n in g a n d m a s t e r y .

3.  N e v e r t h e l e s s ,w e a p p l y t r e m e n d o u s
p r e s s u r e o n o u r c h il d r e n t o b e g o o d
a t ‘everything’.
 E v e r y d a y t h e y a r e e x p e c t e d t o s h in e
in read ing, math, writing, speaking, spel ing,
l
memorization, comprehension, social ization,
athl etics…
 F e w , if a n y c h il d r e n m a s t e r a l l o f
t h e s e ‘trades’. And none of us adults can.
 In o n e w a y o r t h e o t h e r , a l l m in d s
h a v e t h e ir specialties a n d t h e ir frailties.

4.  E a c h o f u s is e n d o w e d w it h highly complex,
inborn circuitry – c r e a t in g in n u m e r a b l e
b r a n c h in g p a t h w a y s o f o p t io n s a n d
o bs tacles .
 W h il e s o m e o f u s h a v e b r a in s t h a t c a n
h a n d l e a lot o f in f o r m a t io n a t o n c e ,
o t h e r s h a v e b r a in s t h a t p r o c e s s
l it t l e in f o r m a t io n w it h more accuracy.
 H o p e f u l l y , w e d is c o v e r a n d e n g a g e in
g o o d matches b e t w e e n o u r k in d o f m in d
a n d o u r p u r s u it s in l if e .

5.  O u r a b il it ie s a n d in a b il it ie s a r e tested
a n d challenged t h r o u g h o u t o u r s c h o o l
years .
 S o m e p r ic e , m o d e s t o r s u b s t a n t ia l ,
m u s t b e p a id a n y t im e a m in d is forced t o
p e r f o r m in a m a n n e r t h a t it is n o t
w ir e d t o u n d e r s t a n d .
 In m o s t s c h o o l in g , t h is e n d s u p in
in s t r u c t io n t h a t u s e s t h e ‘one size fits all’
method .

6. H ow L earning Works
 T h e m o s t b a s ic in s t r u m e n t f o r l e a r n in g
is s o m e t h in g c a l l e d a ‘neurodevelopmental’
f u n c t io n .
 O u r o w n m in d s a n d t h o s e o f o u r
c h il d r e n a r e l ik e tool chests – f il l e d w it h
f u n c t io n s t o m a s t e r s u b t r a c t io n ,
r e c it a t io n o r r id in g a c y c l e .
 As y o u c a n s u r m is e , t h e b r a in ’s t o o l b o x
is v a s t – a n d o n t o p o f t h a t , t h e r a n g e
o f d if f e r e n t c o m b in a t io n s o f f u n c t io n s
c a l l e d u p o n t o a c c o m p l is h a c a d e m ic
t a s k s is s im p l y mind boggling.

7.  In v ie w o f a l l t h e s e f u n c t io n s , it
s h o u l d n o t s u r p r is e u s t h a t breakdowns
o r s p e c if ic weaknesses a r e
c o mmo n place.
 T h e s e a r e k n o w n a s neurodevelopmental
dysfunctions. O f t e n , t h e s e d o n o t
s e r io u s l y o b s t r u c t r o a d s t o s u c c e s s ,
b u t s o m e t im e s t h e y d o !
 As a d u l t s – p a r e n t s a n d e d u c a t o r s ,
b e in g a w a r e a n d a l e r t t o t h e s e
s y m p t o m s c a n h e l p liberate s t u d e n t

8. What’s on your ‘M ind ’
 S o m e c h il d r e n h a v e d if f ic u l t y w r it in g ,
e v e n t h o u g h t h e y h a v e lots t o s a y .
T h e y j u s t c a n ’t s e e m t o f o r m l e t t e r s
q u ic k l y e n o u g h t o k e e p u p w it h t h e flow
o f id e a s a n d w o r d s . S o , t h e ir w r it in g is
d r a m a t ic a l l y in f e r io r t o t h e richness o f
t h e ir t h in k in g a n d s p e a k in g .
 W h e n k id s w r it e , t h e ir b r a in s a s s ig n
specific m u s c l e s t o s p e c if ic a s p e c t s o f
l e t t e r f o r m a t io n , c e r t a in m u s c l e s
a r e s u p p o s e d t o h a n d l e v e r t ic a l
m o v e m e n t s ,o t h e r s c r e a t e r o t a r y
m o v e m e n t s , w h il e o t h e r s o p e r a t e t o
s t a b il is e t h e p e n c il s o t h a t it w il l n o t
fall o n th e flo o r.

9.  T h e s e k id s e n d u r e a g o n iz in g d if f ic u l t y
w it h s u c h m o t o r im p l e m e n t a t io n – t h e y
s im p l y c a n n o t a s s ig n t h e c o r r e c t
m u s c l e s consistently !
 T h e r e f o r e , w r it in g l o o m s a s a
t o r m e n t in g p r o b l e m f o r t h e m . This is a
s pecific neurod evel opmental d ysfunction.
 Al l t o o o f t e n , in m o s t s c h o o l in g
s y s t e m s , s u c h d y s f u n c t io n s g o
undetected- a n d s t u d e n t s a r e b r a n d e d a s
‘ f a il u r e s ’, o r ‘n o t t o o b r ig h t ’.

10.  If t h e s e c h il d r e n a r e n o t p r o v id e d
‘matches’ f o r t h e ir s p e c if ic w ir in g , t h e n
t h e e n t ir e s c h o o l in g y e a r s c a n t u r n a
o t h e r w is e ‘bright and creative’ c h il d in t o a
‘problem’ c h il d .
 W e n e e d t o r e c o g n iz e t h a t n o t a l l
c h il d r e n h a v e a l l t h e ir w ir e s
f u n c t io n in g in c o r r e c t s y n c all t h e t im e .
 Th e n w e n e e d t o u n d e r s t a n d t h a t
h o mes an d s ch o o ls s h o uld be th e
f ir s t p l a c e s w h e r e c h il d r e n g e t a s
m a n y o f t h e ir w ir e s in s y n c s o t h a t
t h e ir m in d s c a n c e l e b r a t e success m o r e
t im e s t h a n d e s p a ir !

11. The 8 system s
 It is h e l p f u l t o t h in k o f t h e w e l l b e in g o f
t h e m in d in ‘8 manageable categories’ o r n e u r o -
d evelo pmen tal s ys tems .
 T h e y h a v e t o w o r k together if l e a r n in g is
t o o c c u r , j u s t a s t h e c a r d io v a s c u l a r
s y s t e m h a s t o t e a m u p w it h t h e
pulmo n ary s ys tem to pro mo te th e
d e l iv e r y o f o x y g e n t o v a r io u s p a r t s o f
our bod y.
 At a n y p o in t , t h e strength o f f u n c t io n s
w it h in e a c h s y s t e m , d ir e c t l y in f l u e n c e s
p e r f o r m a n c e in a n d o u t o f s c h o o l .

12. The 8 System s
At
tention Control
System
Social Thinking Mem ory Syst
em
System
The Neurodevelopmental
System s Language System
Higher Thinking
System
Motor
System Spatial Or ing
der
System
Sequential Ordering
System

13. K eeping this in ‘M ind ’…
 P a r e n t s a n d t e a c h e r s e x p e r ie n c e
s a t is f a c t io n w a t c h in g c h il d r e n ’s
n e u r o d e v e l o p m e n t a l s y s t e m s expand
in t h e ir c a p a b il it ie s o v e r d a y s , m o n t h s
a n d y e a r s - s p e c ia l l y w h e n t h e
f u n c t io n s a r e p u t t o g o o d u s e , exercised
like limber muscles.
 C a r in g a d u l t s h a v e t o r e a l is e t h a t a
s y s t e m deteriorates drastically when it is
underutilised !

14. H ow a M ind ’s Profile com es to be…
 What s hapes a child’s profile?
 Can you influence the proces s ?
 M u l t ip l e f o r c e s in t e r a c t t o
d e t e r m in e a c h il d ’s s t r e n g t h s a n d
s h o r t c o m in g s – a n d parents (f ir s t )
a n d educators (n e x t )a r e in a p r e t t y
g o o d p o s it io n t o in f l u e n c e m o s t –
but n o t all – o f th es e fo rc es .

15. Genes
 Ma n y s t r e n g t h s a n d w e a k n e s s e s
a p p e a r t o b e in h e r it e d – e it h e r
completely o r in part.
 In t h e b e s t o f a l l t h e w o r l d s , s h a r in g
a s p e c t s o f y o u r c h il d ’s p r o f il e c a n
m a k e y o u a m o r e sympathetic p a r e n t .
 B u t w it h d u e r e s p e c t t o g e n e s , t h e y
m a y b e p o w e r f u l b u t t h e y d o n ’t
p r e v e n t u s f r o m w o r k in g o n o u r w e a k
s p o t s , especial y if we d ecid e they are worth
l
working on.

16. Fam ily life and Stress level
 C l e a r l y w h e n f a m il ie s f e e l t h e y a r e
buried b e n e a t h t h e stresses a n d strains o f
d a il y e x is t e n c e , it m a y b e h a r d t o
f o s t e r a stimulating intellectual life t h r o u g h
s h a r e d e x p e r ie n c e s a n d h ig h l e v e l
d is c u s s io n s a t t h e d in n e r t a b l e
r e g a r d in g c u r r e n t e v e n t s .
 Socio economic r e a l it ie s e x e r t p o w e r f u l
in f l u e n c e s o n a c h il d ’s d e v e l o p m e n t .
P o v e r t y h a s it s r is k s , a s d o e s b e in g
over privileged o r overindulged.

17. C ultural factors
 A s t u d e n t ’s cultural background m a y h e l p
d e t e r m in e w h ic h
n euro d evelo pmen tal s tren gth s get
s t r o n g e r a n d w h ic h o n e s d o n o t .
 In s o m e c u l t u r a l s e t t in g s a t h l e t ic
p r o w e s s is c o n s id e r e d valuable, in
o t h e r s , s p o r t s a r e d e e m e d trivial
pastimes.
 Wh e t h e r o r n o t a t e e n a g e r r e a d s
n o v e l s , r e p a ir s j e e p s , a t t e n d s
o p e r a ’s o r h u n t s , v iv id l y r e f l e c t s t h e
c u l t u r e in w h ic h h e o r s h e is g r o w in g
u p . T h e s e a c t iv it ie s p r o f o u n d l y

18. Friend s
 F r ie n d s p l a y a dominant r o l e in s h a p in g
t h e b r a in s o f p e e r s . C h il d r e n w h o
h a v e n o intellectual in t e r e s t s b e c o m e
n e g a t iv e r o l e m o d e l s f o r o n e
an o th er.
 L e a r n in g a n d s u c c e e d in g a t s c h o o l
m a y b e p e r c e iv e d a s s o m e k in d o f social
taboo.
 O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , s t r o n g in f l u e n c e s
f r o m p e e r s w h o a r e a c t iv e l y in v o l v e d
in s o m e positive o u t c o m e c a n b e catalysts
f o r e v e n t h e m o s t r e t ic e n t s t u d e n t .

19. H ealth / Em otions
 N u m e r o u s m e d ic a l f a c t o r s c a n foster
o r impede b r a in d e v e l o p m e n t d u r in g
th e s ch o o l years .
 Nutrition, certain illnesses and physical trauma
a l l m a y p l a y a r o l e in s h a p in g a
p r o f il e .
 S t u d e n t s w it h anxiety o r depressed
f e e l in g s o f t e n l o s e a l l in t e r e s t a n d
b e c o m e in h ib it e d a b o u t p e r f o r m in g in
s ch o o l.

20. Ed ucational experience
 T h e q u a l it y o f a c h il d ’s teaching m o s t
c e r t a in l y a f f e c t s h is o r h e r m in d
p r o f il e .
 In f a c t , r e c e n t s t u d ie s u s in g
s o p h is t ic a t e d b r a in s c a n s h a v e
s h o w n v iv id l y t h a t g o o d in s t r u c t io n
c a n a c t u a l l y r e s u l t in positive c h a n g e s
in b r a in s t r u c t u r e .
 It is p o s s ib l e t o s e e in c r e a s e s in b r a in
t is s u e w h e n p a r t s o f t h e b r a in g e t
properly stimulated a f t e r h a v in g b e e n

21. H ow lifestyles m ay affect learning styles
 In c r e a s in g l y o v e r t h e y e a r s , p a r e n t s
a n d e d u c a t o r s h a v e b e e n t r y in g t o
w a d e t h r o u g h t h e in f l u e n c e s o f modern
living.
 R a p id l y p a c e d e n t e r t a in m e n t c a n
m a k e s c h o o l c o n t e n t s e e m l ik e a
colossal bore !
 As id e f r o m t h e v io l e n c e t h a t m a y
m o d e l im p u l s iv e a c t in g o u t
b e h a v io u r s , t h e r e is t h e passivity
in v o l v e d in w a t c h in g m o s t T V

22.  In a c t iv e in f o r m a t io n u p t a k e w h il e
l y in g o n y o u r b a c k a n d c o n s u m in g
j u n k f o o d e c l ip s e s o p p o r t u n it ie s f o r
creative thinking, brainstorming, and the
development of hobbies.
 T a k e f o r e g c a n n e d l a u g h t e r d u r in g
s it u a t io n a l c o m e d y – im a g in e b e in g
t o l d w h e n s o m e t h in g is f u n n y – t h e
ultimate affront t o l a n g u a g e p r o c e s s in g
a n d h ig h e r t h in k in g .

23.  L if e s t y l e is s u e s a l s o a r is e w h e n a
c h il d b e c o m e s overly programmed.
 S c h o o l s t h a t a r e highly and tightly
structured s o t h a t t h e r e is l it t l e t im e f o r
o r ig in a l t h in k in g c a n s h o r t c ir c u it
b r a in s t o r m in g in s t u d e n t s .
 T h is is e s p e c ia l l y t h e c a s e w h e n a
c h il d is a l s o h e a v il y l a d e n w it h
scheduled activities a f t e r s c h o o l a n d o n
weekend s.
 As p a r e n t s , w e h a v e a n o b l ig a t io n t o
k e e p t h in g s in c h e c k – t o g a u g e
w h e t h e r a c u l t u r a l p h e n o m e n o n is

24. The Intake controls
 M u c h in f o r m a t io n , b o t h valuable and
worthless, o r b it s a r o u n d t h e m in d s o f
o u r k id s in s c h o o l .
 What are they supposed to do with it?
 How can they manage the dail d ata d el
y uge?
 What needs to occur for a mind to choose the right
information to process at the right time and then to
extract meaning from it?

25.  In t a k e is o n l y v a l u a b l e if it is
r e m e m b e r e d a n d retrieved a t the
r ig h t t im e . T h is is w h e r e o u r ‘Memory’
k ic k s in .
 A f l a w e d ‘information filing system’ c a n
r e n d e r e v e n t h e m o s t in t u it iv e
s t u d e n t in e p t .
 So me s tud en ts h ave ph en o men al
m u s ic a l m e m o r y , o t h e r s a r e g r e a t
w it h f a c e s a n d n a m e s a n d y e t o t h e r s
a r e t r iv ia m a s t e r s . But no one – not one at
all – has it all.

26. L earning to ‘Rem em ber’
 O u r m in d ’s s t o r a g e c a n b e d iv id e d in t o
‘s h o r t t e r m ’ ‘a c t iv e ’ a n d ‘l o n g t e r m ’
memory.
 Short term memory a l l o w s f o r t h e v e r y
b r ie f r e t e n t io n (u s u a l l y a b o u t 2
s e c o n d s )o f n e w in f o r m a t io n .
 Active memory is t h e m e m o r y y o u o p e r a t e
w h e n y o u t e m p o r a r il y h o l d in m in d a l l
t h e d if f e r e n t c o m p o n e n t s o f w h a t
y o u a r e t r y in g t o d o r ig h t n o w .
 An d long term memory is a t t h e o t h e r e n d
o f th e s pectrum – th e w areh o us e fo r
mo re o r les s perman en t k n o w led ge.

27. Short term m em ory
 S h o r t t e r m m e m o r y is learning’s front
entrance. As c h u n k s o f d a t a e n t e r o u r
m in d s , w e c a n s e n d t h e m t o o u r l o n g
t e r m m e m o r y f o r l a t e r u s e ,u s e t h e m
r ig h t a w a y o r d e l e t e t h e m . T o e x t e n d
t h e l if e o f d a t a in s h o r t t e r m m e m o r y
– yo u c an :
 Whisper it under your breadth
 Form mental pictures of it
 Put it into word s ( recod e it )
 T h e s p a c e in s h o r t t e r m m e m o r y is absurdly tight
(m o s t a d u l t s c a n r e m e m b e r o n l y 7 d ig it s if
g iv e n a s e r ie s o f n u m b e r s t o r e p e a t
im m e d ia t e l y - m o s t e l e m e n t a r y c h il d r e n c a n
remember o n ly 4 o r 5 )

28. Active working m em ory
 Ac t iv e w o r k in g m e m o r y is t h e m e m o r y
y o u u s e w h e n y o u h e a d f o r t h e k it c h e n
t o g e t a p l a s t ic b a g . B u t if y o u a r r iv e
t h e r e a n d h a v e no idea w h a t y o u w e r e
d o in g in t h e k it c h e n , y o u h a v e
e x p e r ie n c e d s o m e h u m b l in g l im it a t io n s
o f y o u r a c t iv e w o r k in g m e m o r y .
 Ac t iv e w o r k in g m e m o r y is t h e p l a c e
w h e r e t h e m u l t ip l e in t e n t io n s o r
c o m p o n e n t s o f a n y a c t iv it y a r e h e l d in
p l a c e long enough to compl ete that activity !
 As s u c h – it p l a y s a n e x t r e m e l y
im p o r t a n t r o l e in productivity and learning in

29.  Ac t iv e w o r k in g m e m o r y l e t s a c h il d
remember t h e s t u f f a t t h e t o p o f t h e p a g e
w h il e r e a d in g t h e l a s t f e w s e n t e n c e s
o f t h a t p a g e (not to be mistaken for
comprehension )A f a u l t y a c t iv e w o r k in g
m e m o r y m e a n s t h a t a c h il d m a y o f t e n
e n d u p losing h e r p l a c e in t h e m id d l e o f a
math pro blem.
 Pa r e n t s /e d u c a t o r s h a v e t o
e n c o u r a g e s u c h c h il d r e n t o write down a s
m u c h a s p o s s ib l e . T h e s e a r e a l s o k id s
w h o n e e d t o underline im p o r t a n t p o in t s
w h il e r e a d in g a n d t h e n r e v ie w t h e s e a t
t h e e n d o f e a c h p a g e – p o s s ib l y e v e n
dictating t h e m in t o a t a p e r e c o r d e r .

30.  Ac t iv e w o r k in g m e m o r y a l s o g e t s
a f f e c t e d b y anxiety. If a c h il d is f e e l in g
s a d o r p r e o c c u p ie d , t h e r e m a y n o t b e
r o o m f o r m u c h e l s e in h e r m in d ’s
w o r k in g m e m o r y . For eg – if a child ’s parent has
gone out of town, or if parents are having marital problems,
the active working memory can fil up with worries and not
l
leave much room for acad emic ingred ients.
 It is a l s o p o s s ib l e t o h a v e g o o d a c t iv e
w o r k in g m e m o r y in s o m e s u b j e c t s a n d
n o t in o t h e r s .

31. L ong term m em ory
 L o n g t e r m m e m o r y is a seemingly limitless
repository f o r p r e s e r v in g k n o w l e d g e ,
s k il l s , a n d l if e e x p e r ie n c e s .
 It s m a s s iv e s t o r a g e v a u l t s c a n b e
d r a w n u p o n t h r o u g h o u t l if e . It m a y b e
t h a t w e d o n ’t f o r g e t t h in g s , b u t w e
f o r g e t where we put them !! (tip of the tongue
phenomenon )
 F o r t h a t r e a s o n ,l o n g t e r m m e m o r y
c o n s is t s o f t w o s t a g e s – filing and
access !!

32. Filing inform ation
 W h e n a s t u d e n t f a il s a q u iz b e c a u s e
s h e h a s t r o u b l e r e m e m b e r in g t h e
p a r t s a n d n a m e s o f t h e d ig e s t iv e
s y s t e m , t h e r e is a s t r o n g l ik e l ih o o d
s h e w a s n ’t v e r y systematic when she first
stored it in t o h e r l o n g t e r m m e m o r y .
(match of l anguage of l earning to wiring of profil of e
chil ! )
d
 T h e a c t o f f il in g in f o r m a t io n f o r l a t e r
u s e is c a l l e d consolidation and it is with the
‘Language’ system that we do this best.

33. T h e l a n g u a g e in g r e d ie n t s o f l e a r n in g
in c l u d e , a m o n g o t h e r t h in g s –
 The ease with which a brain detects differences
between the forty four or so different language sounds
 The ability to understand, remember vocabulary
 The capacity to express thought while speaking and on
paper
 And the speed of comprehension in daily use.
It is n o t s u r p r is in g t h e n , t h a t c h il d r e n
w h o h a v e e v e n t h e mildest l a n g u a g e
in e f f ic ie n c ie s a r e a t a d is a d v a n t a g e
t h r o u g h o u t t h e ir s c h o o l s y e a r s .

34.  Robert Frost, in commenting on his trade , once
wrote,
“A poem…begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a
homesickness, a lovesickness…It finds the thought, and the
thought finds the words”
 Frost was describing a miraculous and mysterious
process, namely the constant back and forth
exchange between words and thoughts.
 The establishing of this flow is one of school’s most
daunting demands.

35.  Language even helps provide some internal control
over a child’s behaviour, it is known that talking
through conflicts or temptations, using inner voices,
often prevents a child from being rash or lashing
out.
 Verbal demands intrude on less obvious academic
territories as well. For eg, using words bolsters
mathematical understanding, especially when
combined with visualisation.
 Language even gets into the game
when it comes to sports – understanding
a coach’s rapid fire commands makes demands on our
language systems.

36. Automatic versus Literate Language
 Automatic English is the English spoken at the bus
stop, in the staff room, and at the mall. “Hey, like,
I’m gonna chill out instead of goin’ to the party, like,
whatever yaar”. It is the English of everyday
banter and interpersonal dealings.
 Literate language, on the other hand, includes
sophisticated classroom talk as well as academic
reading and writing; it’s the verbal ‘craftsmanship’
and ‘showmanship’ that is exhibited when one is
studying or expounding upon concepts like “due
process” or ‘energy resources”.

37.  Often, then, children with language problems start
tuning out of the academic program and look
as if they have attention deficits.
 Attention needs to be nurtured and such children’s
attention controls are tuned off by language.
 Children with literate language dysfunction may
initially go undetected but the discrepancies
become increasingly conspicuous in middle and
secondary school.

38. Concrete versus Abstract Language
 Concrete language has meaning that comes
directly from our senses. It portrays things we
can picture, feel, smell or hear. The words “cat”,
“perfume”, “spiciness” and “noisy”
are all concrete words.
 Abstract language, on the other hand, is language
that can’t be deciphered directly through a sensory
pathway. It includes words like “elite”,”irony”,
“symbolism” and “sportsmanship” – terms
resistant to instant visualization.

39.  As children advance through school, an increasing
share of the language inflow is abstract, disconnected
from immediate sensory transmission. Thus,
students experience severe academic stress as
words and sentences become less concrete.
 Mounting levels of abstract terminology pervade the
sciences, literature, and mathematics. That
commonly leads to a decline in the grades of
many students with language dysfunctions.
 Students can be encouraged to keep a
personal dictionary of the tough abstract terms and
review them periodically.

40.  Effective oral language serves an abundance of
purposes. For one thing, it correlates highly with
writing skill.
 Quite understandably, “If you don’t talk so good,
it might be you’d not write too good neither.”
 Children with expressive language problems come up
with communication barriers at home and at school.
They need plenty of practice. They need to build
up their language ‘muscles’.

41. Keeping a watchful eye…
 Oral language needs to blossom progressively in all
children – and we can help it along through rich
verbal interactions.
 Children should be encouraged to elaborate,
speak in full sentences, avoiding conversational
deterrents like,”stuff’,”thing” and “whatever”.
 Parents should be mindful to what extent a child’s
entertainment and recreational life is monopolized by
non verbal activities.

42.  Children need to see their parents reading, and
they need to be read to as early as possible.
 Children can benefit from language oriented out-of-
school entertainment such as scrabble, crossword
puzzles and word building games.
 Keeping a diary is another good way to promote
language skills.
 All students need to work on their summarization
skills - since this works as a perfect bridge between
memory and language.

43.  O v e r w h e l m in g d a t a n o w s u g g e s t s t h a t
l a n g u a g e a n d a t t e n t io n a r e
in t r in s ic a l l y l in k e d .
 An d a l a c k o f a t t e n t io n c o n t r o l m a y
m a s q u e r a d e a s laziness or attitude.
 On c e w e ar e ab le t o o v er c o m e o u r
l a n g u a g e d y s f u n c t io n , w e
a u t o m a t ic a l l y s e e o u r s u c c e s s in o t h e r
areas .
 As c o n c e r n e d a d u l t s , p a r e n t s o r
e d u c a t o r s , w e n e e d t o r e a l is e t h a t o u r
f o c u s s h o u l d r e m a in o n l o c a t in g t h e right
match f o r t h e m in d .
 T h is w il l e n s u r e m o r e o c c a s io n s f o r
s u c c e s s – a n d p r o v id in g t o o l s a n d
t e c h n iq u e s f o r o v e r c o m in g

44. Finally… ..M ind it !!