How to start showing flash cards? Glenn Doman’s method
I love the explanation Laurie Tiemens, the great moderator of the TeachYourBabyToRead group posted on June 12, 2007:
“First off, let me recommend to you to do one set only the first week. That means showing one set of words three times a day. Get the feel of that and see how it fits in your life. Then add a second set if you feel you can handle it, get used to that, and see if you can handle another and so forth. Do that until you get to the point where you don’t think you can add any more sets without being stressed. Obviously, the more sets you can do the better it is for your child but only if it is done consistently and joyfully. Even one set done well can benefit your child immensely. I only did one or two sets (changing with my circumstances at the time) and my 4yo is reading beautifully.
The 3 sessions a day of showing the same set of words should be SEPARATED by at least 30 minutes.
Now, when you start here is what I recommend.
Day 1: Show Word 1 three times a day.
Day 2: Show Words 1 and 2 three times a day.
Day 3: Show Words 1, 2, and 3 three times a day.
Day 4: Show Words 1, 2, 3, and 4 three times a day.
Day 5: Show Words 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 three times a day.
Day 6: Retire Word 1. Show Words 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 three times a day.
Day 7: Retire Word 2. Show Words 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 three times a day.
At this point each word that you retire you have shown 15 times.
During the second week if you choose you may add another set of words. Just start it as you did your first set. Then you should have 2 completely different sets of words in which you add and retire one word per day. You keep adding sets as you feel you can. If you get up to 5 sets of cards then that is the 25 words to which Doman is referring. Each one of those words is shown to your child a total of 15 times before they are retired.
If you find that she’s interested in more than 5 words then you can add 2 words at a time. Just be sure to retire them after showing them 15 times total. I find it’s extremely helpful to write the date on the back of the card on which I start showing the word.
Now, that being said, please keep in mind that it is imperative to adjust the number of words to your child’s interest. The number five is just an average number that Glenn Doman used for use in communicating the method. But he does say to adjust it to your child. If your child starts looking away before you finish, stop immediately and make a note of how many she was interested in before turning away. Next time show her one or two LESS than that number. So you may end up showing your child 10 in each set. If you are showing 5 sets a day you would be showing 50 words total with each word being seen 15 times.
Clear as mud? LOL
It is confusing at first. That’s one reason why I recommend starting more slowly that the book recommends. Never fear, though. You’ll get the hang of it real quick.
– Laurie – homeschooling mom to 10 kiddos.”