Encyclopedic knowledge.

I am reading the book "How to give your baby encyclopedic knowledge" by Glen Doman, Janet Doman and Susan Aisen.

hmm... As I read, I was comparing it with the Shichida method and reality. In this book, it shows some very smart kids who have gone through the program at the Institue. In the Shichida method in Singapore, both the parent and child will attend the class once a week, one hour each lesson. For the lesson at the Institute, it's the mother who will attend the class once per week, 4 hours per lesson. And then they will go home and teach their children.

It seems like the children who has undergone through this program, has similar results as you see during the preview at the Shichida method. The children can be an all-rounder - being good in their studies, in sports, in music, in multiple languages, and also have high EQ. hmm...

After reading this book, I feel that Glen Doman has a very big and warm heart... He's very dedicated to nurturing kids from very young age, as well as, brain injured children.

Maths Dots progression.

Aloysius is now into problem solving in maths. I will give him a problem and give him two cards to choose. He will stare at the answer :). There's a thin line between "problem solving" and "testing". Testing is not advisable, cos it will make it stressful for both the mother and the child. For a more challenging problem solving, one can use more than 2 cards.

We are still using the dots. I think it's still early to introduce the numerals to him. I have just finished even numbers and odd numbers with him after finishing the multiple steps equations for several weeks. He will still stare at the dots cards :) Yeah! hmm... What's next?? Any idea?? Prime numbers?? I gotta go and revise my maths now... :P

I was told to read page 130 of the book "How to teach your baby Maths" by Glen Doman. hmm... there are a few ideas on "what's next" :). I have finished some patterns. Today, I have done "multiples of 2". We shall continue with multiples of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 :)

Improvement needed...

For the past many weeks, I have been doing 6 equations in one session with Aloysius. I thought this is the input period, so why not do more if I can... I started with 3 equations initially, and he seems to be very interested and wanted more, so I gave him more :).

hmm... recently, he dun seem to be interested in the cards. I wonder why...

Is it becos I am stressed and he can feel it?? Babies are very smart and they can feel what the mother feel very fast... I have been revising my Shichida books. Stress in the mother will hinder in opening their right brain. I am trying my best to be relax with the flashcards sessions.. I have reduced the number of sessions now..

Or is it that I flashed too many equations in one session?? I just revised the book on "How to teach your baby Math" by Glen Doman. It is recommended not to do more than 3 equations in one single session... But I do not know the reason why, cos it's not explained in the book. Perhaps I have to read more about it...

GD's Chinese Program - Part 1.

If you are doing only the Chinese program, do read what I have written under "GD's English Program - Part 1.

Here, I will write about combining the Chinese with the English program.

You can do the Chinese program back to back with the English program. Babies usually like Chinese more than English, cos Chinese characters are more interesting... Babies younger than 3 years old mainly use their right brain (according to Shichida). Hence, the words are just images to them. When you read the words to them, they will be able to relate the words and the name to the "image".

Prepare 3 sets of 5 Chinese cards - ChA, ChB, ChC. When combined with English, there will be 10 cards per session. If combine with English and Maths, there will be 15 cards in each session. You can have more cards in each session. Always remember to stop before your baby wants to stop! Glen Doman keep stressing this in his books... Every babies are different and their mothers know them best...

Same as the English, flash the first 3 sets for 5 days, up to maximum of 3 times per day. For Aloysius, he got bored of the cards before the 5 days. If your child is bored, you might need to start retiring and replacing with new cards sooner. Subsequently, retire a card and replace with a new one daily.

Be consistent in the program, and very soon, your baby will be able to read. Trust your baby :).

GD's English Reading Program - Part 1.

For the English set, there are 880+ cards inside the set, separated into Volume 1 and Volume 2. I am talking about the set in Singapore. The words are customised to the local context.


How to start??

From GD's books, it's better that we start with the most familiar words. The most familiar words to a baby so far will be from the category "Members of the Family".
Do 3 sets of 5 cards in a day (total 15 cards) - Set A, Set B, Set C. Each set consists of 5 cards from a category.

From the category "Members of the Family", there are 4 verbs - love, hug, smile, kiss. Take out one verb and 4 family members from the category to form a set. Remember not to flash grandpa and grandma togather. Cos it will be too broing to the baby. Firstly, they sound the same and look the same. Baby might not be interested in the flashcards and look away. There are 3 blank cards, which can be used to write baby's name :).

The next most familiar words will be from "Parts of the body". You can select 5 cards from this category to form a set. Remember not to flash hair, head and hand togather.
Then select another category which you think may consist of the most familiar words to your baby.

The rule of thumb is to flash the cards when the baby is in a happy mood, and the mother is also in the happy mood. If the mother is stressed, the baby might feel the stress, and relate flashcards equal to stress in learning... Use your most joyous and most enthusiastic voice to read out the cards to the baby. Be relaxed. I find the best time is in the morning after feeding and bathing baby.

Flash set A, then put aside for 15 minutes to half an hour. Then flash Set B, then rest 15 minutes to half an hour, then flash Set C. The maximum for each set is 3 times in a day. The minimum is once :). Do not get stressed up if you cannot achieve 3 times in a day, which is 9 sessions per day. For me, I can achieve between 3 to 6 sessions per day, and I am happy to have 3 sessions a day. The 4th, 5th and 6th session are bonus. Shuffle the cards for every session.
Flash the first SetA, SetB and SetC for first 5 days. On Day 6, start to retire cards. Retire one card and replace with a new card for each set of Set A, Set B and Set C. Altogather, retire 3 cards per day. Watch your baby. If your baby is bored and looked away, you will have to review the session. Perhaps change more cards daily... That's what I did with Aloysius. hmm... I cannot imagine having to make my own cards... I might not be able to keep up with the pace that he's going...

hmm... It's pretty difficult for me to explain how to hold the cards though. Most importantly, flash as fast as you can, each card about 1 second or less. Flash from back to front. Read out the card only when the new card reach the front, not during the changing of cards. Look at the baby during the flashing of cards. Lastly, practice before showing your flashcards sessions either in front of the mirror or with your hubby :) haha... For me, I started to practice with my hubby during my pregnancy :).

In GD's book, 5 sets is recommended. hmm... I am following 3 sets of cards a day, else it's really a lot of preparation work.

Oh yes, before I forget, respect your baby by asking him/her first before you start the flashcards sessions. It will become a habit. I have been doing this since I started. Now, when I say "Aloysius, do you want to see flashcards?" He will look at me if he's interested. I will put it aside when he cries... :) He knows what will come next after I asked this question. I also make sure I have eye contact with him. Never flash the cards when the baby is hungry, uncomfortable or tired. After each session, praise your baby or give him a hug.

Remember, learning is joyous to babies. They are keen and happy learners :).

If you do feel that babies are pitiful to start learning how to read at such a young age, I will urge you not to start any reading program, cos it will cultivate the linkage that learning is equal to stress. I will urge you to read through Glen Doman's book "How to teach your baby to read" thoroughly first. If you already believe that babies want to learn and are happy when learning, you can jump straight into the chapter on how to flash.

If your baby do look away halfway during the session, just continue to say out the words. Sometimes, Aloysius will look at my mouth.. haha.. perhaps he's learning my mouth's movements... Let baby decide which card he wanna look at. Trust your baby :).

I hope these tips have helped you :) Hope you will enjoy your flashcards sessions :)

After the 220 single words, I will start on the couplets :). I haven't learnt that yet.. Will write again when Aloysius reached that stage :)

Glen Doman Visual cards.

Visual cards:

For the English and Chinese sets, there are 21 black and white visual cards in each set. These are cards for newborn till about 3-4 months. These visual cards, togather with the checker board, will help babies to see better and see greater details effectively. To use these cards, read "How Smart is Your Baby" page 100 - 103.

For Aloysius, he finished these visual cards at 7 weeks old. Then I started to paste the 3rd stage visual cards around the house. When I carry him to walk around the house, I will tell him the shape while he's looking at them. Telling him the cards is for his auditory development. And him seeing the cards is for his visual development. So far, till now, he's still interested in the cards in the third stage :). The stages are as follow:

First stage (#1 - #7) (solid shapes): Round, Square, Triangle, Rectangle, Pentagon, Diamond, Heart.

Second Stage (#8 - #14) (complex shape): Moon, Vertical, Horizontal, star, sun, spiral.

Third Stage (#15 - #21) (objects): Tree, Ball, Bottle, Wave, Boat, Fish, Hand.


How to start flashing these visual cards??

Week 1 to Week 3:

Use the 7 cards from stage one (#1 - #7). Each day, flash one card, as many as 10 times per day. When you flash, say the name of the shape loud and clear to the baby. Every day, for 3 weeks, flash a different cards.

Week 4:

Choose one old card (#1 - #7) and one new card (#8 - #14). Now show both of these cards at each session for one day. Repeat this process each day, showing a different old (#1 - #7) card and a different new card (#8 - #14) every day for one week.

Week 5:

Retire cards #1 - #7 used in the first 4 weeks. Replace the retired cards with seven new cards from stage 3 (#15 - #21). Now each session has two cards, one from week 4 (#8 - #14) and one from stage 3 (#15 - #21).


After Week 5, you can play the cards with your baby. For me, I paste them (#15 -#21) around my house. Every morning, I will carry Aloysius around the house and let him look at the cards. Then I will say out the name of the card to him... "This is wave, wave." "This is a sun, sun". I will either say it in English or in Chinese.

GD's Rules for Effective Teaching

1. Teach your baby because you think it is a great idea and a provilege for you and for your baby.

2. Talk clearly, loudly, and with great enthusiasm.

3. Relax and enjoy yourself.

4. Trust your baby in your attitude, manner, and actions.

5. Provide new information constantly.

6. Don't bore your baby with old materials over and over again.

7. Be organized and purposeful in your teaching.

8. Make everything easy to see.

9. Eiminate visual, auditory, and tactile distractions when you teach.

10. Teach your baby only at times when he is happy, rested, and well-fed.

11. Always stop before your baby wants to stop.

12. Trust that your baby knows the things you have taugt him.

13. Be on your baby's side - bet on him.

14. Be willing to change your approach. Make eavh day new and exciting.

15. Don't test your baby.