The Exceptional Child

How do you help a child who can hear, but just doesn’t listen?

You know your child can hear. But he just doesn’t seem to listen. And his teachers say this is a problem in class.

Your child may have a spoken language disability, where his brain does not take in and process language easily. Because so much of life—and of school—relies on the spoken word, a child with this type of disability can have a very hard time.

You can help your child if you:

• Reduce distractions. Don’t tell your child something as he’s rushing out the door. He’ll be too distracted to listen. When you need to say something important, walk close to him. Gently hold his shoulders and ask him to look at you while you talk.
• Ask for an “instant replay.” When you are finished, ask your child to repeat what you just said.
• Develop the writing habit. If your child has to do a project with several steps, have him write them down. Provide colorful self-stick notes and a large calendar.

Reprinted with permission from the April 2008 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2008 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Jane Utley Adelizzi and Diane B. Goss, Parenting Children with Learning Disabilties, ISBN: 0-89789-772-2 (Bergin & Garvey, part of Greenwood Publishing Group, 1-800-225-5800, www.greenwood.com).