More and more children have trouble concentrating, controlling their own behavior and reactions. These problems also apply to children diagnosed with ADHD or autism. This translates into learning difficulties
and problems in social relations. Innovative pedagogical therapy using an interactive floor can be helpful. What is innovative special pedagogy about?
The child’s school results, and then his life and professional successes depend on the level of development of executive functions responsible for whether we can consciously manage our goal-oriented activities. It turns out that in the learning process they play a more important role than the level of intelligence.
Using Teaching aids for Revalidation Classes
The executive functions training is already conducted by the Integration Kindergarten of the Elephant Ray Foundation in Wroclaw. Classes are held in groups of four. – Preschoolers have a lot of motivation to work because the training is conducted on a Magic Carpet, i.e. an interactive floor using a multimedia program containing exercises and tasks in the form of games. The program combines new technologies that attract today’s young generation with physical activity and teamwork. This makes such teaching aids significantly diversify the course of classes.
The Executive Stimulation Development Program is not only fun but also a well-defined concept of working with a child that focuses on his resources, not deficits. The teacher gives no instructions, does not suggest what to do. Is a supportive person. Special education suggests that properly asked questions stimulate children to look for their own paths to solve the problem. All the proposed exercises assume the cooperation of a group that works together. Children themselves must discover the principle, set a goal, and step by step determine the best way to solve the task.
Thanks to the training of executive functions, the child becomes more and more independent and increasingly influences his actions and controls what he does. He begins to be reflective and aware of his feelings and plans. In addition, working with this program allows you to maintain the child’s natural curiosity, does not inhibit the need for movement, supports the development of social competences and inspires you to explore the world and yourself.
Special Pedagogy and Therapy of Children with Developmental Challenges
Children with special educational needs also participate in classes using teaching aids for revalidation classes, including autism, intellectual disability or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Training of executive functions can be carried out as part of educational activities that stimulate development as well as therapeutic, corrective and compensatory or rehabilitation classes. Therapeutic classes are preceded by a diagnosis. The teacher monitors the course of therapy and its effects using special sheets.
– We notice an improvement in social functioning
and cognitive development in children participating in the classes. Hania with Down syndrome has developed cognitive flexibility, learns by imitation, watching others but online Quran classes in USA can also be helpful. Antek from the autism spectrum discovers and adheres to principles himself, learns how to understand and use symbols, and is a step towards better communication
and social relations. Peter with high hyperactivity after a few months of therapy is
able to inhibit impulsive reactions at the right time, for example, wait for his turn while he disturbed his colleagues before, which was an additional reason for conflicts – sums up Beta Waclawowicz, teacher, co-author of the program.
Thanks to the development of neuropsychology, we know more and more about the brain and its impact on human behavior, which makes it easier to determine the cause of a child’s difficulties and has an impact on the selection of methods and tools for therapeutic work – The Executive Function Stimulation Development Program is an interesting proposition for every kindergarten, school, psychological and pedagogical counseling center or a therapeutic center because by working with this method, we can interact with the source of the problem, and not just deal with the symptoms – says Dr. Adriana Pietraszkiewicz from the Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Center of the Elephant Ray Foundation in Wroclaw.
