Glen Doman: Early Development Techniques

Most modern parents believe that from the very first days of a child's life, it is necessary to develop comprehensively. Today, there are many pedagogical systems developed by both foreign and domestic specialists aimed at the early development of the child.

In this article, we will talk about one of them, popular for several decades, authored by a neurosurgeon from the US Glen Doman. The author's methodology, which contributes to the earlier development of children, is now widely used throughout the world. It deals with both healthy children and those with any developmental problems.

Who is Doman?

Before we start to consider the technique, let us say a few words about its author - Glen Doman. In 1940, he successfully graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, after which he worked for a short time in the hospital as a physiotherapist. All World War II, he served in the infantry, passing the path from the rank and file to the company commander.

Returning to peaceful life, he resumed medical practice, and later engaged in the rehabilitation of children with serious pathologies and diseases of the nervous system, as well as with various brain dysfunctions. In 1955 he created, and then for a long time, and directed the Philadelphia Institute for Human Development. As a result of many years of research and practical work with both sick and healthy children, many discoveries have been made and Glen Doman's development methodology has been created.

Basic provisions

In the development of the early development system, Doman and the staff of the institute headed by him relied on the following principles:

1. Only with constant work the human brain can grow and develop.
2. Child's intelligence best develops with intensive brain loading from the first days of life and up to three years.
3. A good physical development of a small person contributes to a more intense formation of the brain and motor intelligence.
4. In the phase of active growth, lasting from the moment of birth and up to 3-5 years, the child's brain is programmed for training and does not require additional motivation.

When to start?

Based on the basic assumptions developed by Glen Doman, the early development technique can be used starting from 3 months when the child is already reacting to objects. Begin classes with a demonstration of cards, which depict a variety of real objects - fruits, animals, toys, birds, transportation and others. Thanks to such activities, logical thinking, speech, attention, photographic and auditory memory develops. Parents, in the classes with children who used the technique of Glen Doman, reviews leave positive, as for the kid it is an exciting game, and not boring training. This technique is designed for children under the age of three, since later, Doman noted, the ability to assimilate new information is significantly reduced.

Motor intelligence

The more the child's brain is loaded, the faster it develops, Glen Doman found out as a result of the research. The method that he developed, proposes to develop the mental activity of the baby through the formation of "motor" intelligence, that is, by mastering a variety of motor skills. To "accelerate" the development of movements, Doman developed a special simulator - a track for crawling. This narrow space, on both sides limited by the sides. The width of the track should be such that the hips and forearms of the toddler touch the sides. All this is aimed at creating an imitation of the intrauterine space and awakening the "first reflex" in the child's memory, through which he was able to appear. Such a simulator allows the baby to actively crawl and "conquer" rather large distances by the 4 months, thereby developing his motor intelligence, the brain and the ability to perceive new information.

To make a similar design it is possible and from two ready book shelves, having covered walls and space between them a soft blanket or a rug. To interest the baby, at the end of the "path" you can install a bright toy.

The main tool

In parallel with the track-simulator for the early development of children using special cards.

They are made of a certain size and contain realistic images and inscriptions, which helps the child to perceive information and get the brain load necessary for development. It is enough for a kid to show cards with pictures of the concepts under study, and the rules they obey will be found by the child himself. As Glen Doman himself claimed, this technique, with proper application, can raise a child prodigy and genius.

Where can I get them?

If there is an interest and a desire to work with your child, you can:

• buy;
• Find kits on the Internet and print them out;
• Pick up pictures and make cards yourself.

But it's important to remember that if Glen Doman's technique is used, the cards should be with a white background, on which a large, and most importantly, as realistic image of the object is placed.

In the lower part, a word is written in red in large print, which means the object, object or phenomenon depicted in the picture.

Rules for creating

For those who decided to make Doman cards themselves, we will give their main parameters and characteristics:

1. Dimensions: 28 x 28 cm. As many parents note, a decrease of a couple of centimeters did not affect the class.
2. There is one image on each card.
3. Background - only white.
4. The image should be clear and as realistic as possible.
5. The name of the object depicted on the card is written under it in big red block letters. On the reverse side, we duplicate the inscription with a pencil. In the future, you can also write interesting facts and information.
6. The information offered should be new and unfamiliar to the child, otherwise it will quickly lose interest.

How to conduct classes?

How often and how much time classes will last, parents decide themselves, focusing on the physical and emotional state of the baby and his regime. It is worthwhile only when the child is calm and alert, sleeps and is full.

For classes, you need to pick up 5 cards pertaining to one topic and show the baby each for a few seconds while simultaneously pronouncing the subject title, Glen Doman recommends. The methodology provides, in three sessions, the replacement of one card from a set of a new one. Thus, all pictures will be replaced. About a week you can slowly get acquainted with the method itself, and with cards.

Starting from the second week, the following daily classes are recommended:

• Prepare 5 sets of words of the same or different subjects in advance;
• During each session, one set is shown once;
• The occupation time is about 10-15 seconds;
• Up to 15 demonstrations per day;
• Each set and card is shown to the child three times a day.

Learning to read

Glenn Doman's method of reading is based on the child's mechanical memorization of the whole word at once, rather than folding it from individual letters and syllables.

First, the child is shown and voiced individual words, then phrases, and then simple sentences. By the same principle as working with cards, reading books is built. For several days, an adult reads a book two or three times a day. At some point the child will have a desire to read the book himself. Since the child remembers the whole word, and does not add syllables from the letters, seeing it in the text, he learns and reproduces his sound.

Foreign languages

If your kid learns his or her native language without any difficulties, then Glen Doman's technique is English, and other foreign language will also help to master. Beginning to engage can be from two years of age.

Before you start learning a child with a foreign language, parents should adequately assess their level of possession. Well-established pronunciation and knowledge of grammatical bases will be sufficient to help the child learn a new language. If you doubt your own pronunciation or knowledge, it is better to find a teacher.

Regardless of whether there is an educator or not, it is possible to organize the following information flows for the child, which will help to study the chosen language:

• Songs and audioskazki, television broadcasts in this language, which can be included as a background in games or putting children from birth to two years. The child, most likely, will not look at the screen, but his brain will "write down" words and sounds.
• Starting from two years, when the child can already focus for a long time on the moving image, you can start watching animated films, fairy tales, theatrical performances for children in a foreign language. This will help the baby to relate situations, movements and objects with sounds and understand their meaning.
• From the age of three, you can teach your child to use teaching language interactive programs on a computer or other device.

Thanks to the tremendous work that Glen Doman has done, the method of early development of children has become very popular. Many parents take it as a basis and optimize for the age-specific features of the development and health of their baby, often combining with the elements of other systems. Remember that for a child this is a game, and it should be fun, interesting and exciting.