Hyperlexic children learn in unusual ways; there is no doubt about that. Understanding this unique learning process is the foundation for effectively teaching language and abstract concepts. Building on the strengths of hyperlexia is the most effective way to help the hyperlexic discover and enjoy using language. Throw away any preconceptions you have about how children learn language in general. Focus on how your child learns language, and jump off from there.
Parents and therapists have found many creative and successful ways to jump the language hurdles. These strategies are built on a three-step process:
Write, write, write, because the hyperlexic child will read, read, read.
If you live with a hyperlexic child or see one often, then you know that saying things over and over results in nothing but laryngitis and exasperation. Preschool hyperlexic children do not understand everything they read in a book or magazine or on the back of a cereal box. But if you write clear sentences aimed at their level of understanding, you will find they may pay more attention to your notes that to your voice.
It takes time and trouble to scrounge up a pencil and paper sometimes, but it is worth the effort. Take a few extra steps and save your voice. Don't wait until your child is in first grade to make use of the reading skill. Writing things down is a foundational strategy that can be applied in dozens of ways.
At three-and-a-half, Trent suddenly became anxious whenever separated from his mother. Experts recommend that you explain to the anxious child where you are going and when you will be back. For Trent's mother, this was a wasted effort. He wailed right through her patient explanations and clung to her neck. The turnaround came when she took an index card and wrote a brief sequence for Trent. When he was left with a baby-sitter, for instance, he could hold the card and read it periodically:
It worked! Trent's fears subsided, because through the written sequence, he understood what was going on.
Caleb clamored for his mother's attention on a busy Saturday. He wanted to play a game, and he wanted to do it now! His mother's response of "just a minute" was not working. She was willing to play the game but needed a few minutes for a phone call and several small tasks. As the volume and frequency of Caleb's requests increased, she realized she had to take time to write something down.
The list went on for quite a while. Caleb and his mother read the list together, and he was reassured that playing the game was on it. After that, Caleb waited patiently for the first few items to be completed. After the game, he even helps out with the rest of the day's activities.
Children who can read words and numbers can understand how a calendar works. Writing activities or special events in the squares of calendar helps a child visualize when these are going to happen. Your child can check off each day as it passes and point to the birthday party next Tuesday or the trip to Grandma's house next weekend. Reading becomes a way of helping your child be aware of the family's activities and to look forward to participating in them.
A list of rules is another good idea. You must relax your decorating standards a bit, but it will not be forever. Take a large piece of paper, such as of an easel pad, and write a list of ruled for your child. He or she may even like to help compose them. If so, be sure to include what your child says, carefully wording it so that it conforms to your goals. On child's list reads something like this:
The rules are stated positively, and some oar thrown in for fun. They all contribute to David's learning appropriate behavior that will make it easier for him to get along in general. David, in fact, quickly memorized the rules. When he was caught being mean to Tricia, for instance, his mother simply said "what is rule number three?" and David responded by putting his arms around his little sister. The visual reminder stayed taped to the dining room door for a long time, but Mommy spends a lot less time scolding David.
Patterns are everywhere, and hyperlexic children see them before most people. Grammar is full of inconsistent rules and verb forms that hyperlexics are not able to categorize and apply correctly. But they can learn those rules and verb forms through patterns.
Trent would hear his mother say, "Do you want some apple juice?" Rather than picking apart the sentence structure and pronouns, Trent memorized the whole phrase and stored it away for future use. Then when he wanted apple juice, he would say to his mother, "Do you want some apple juice?" After she saw what was going on, she learned to say back to him, "I want some apple juice," and so this memorized phrase replaced the inappropriate one. Once the pattern was established, Trent's parents could suggest substitutions, such as "I was some milk" or "I want a hamburger, please." Trend learned a basic skill that improved his interaction with other adults, as well.
If your child does not pick up on a pattern like this simply by hearing it a few times, write it down. If you child asks for juice by saying "do you want some apple juice?" get out a pad of paper or go to the chalkboard and write, "I want some apple juice, please." Ask your child to read it back to you, and then promptly respond by fulfilling the request. He or she will begin to see the usefulness of language.
Remember David, the boy who could not retrieve his cup from under the table? Probably his mother is annoyed that he had crawled under the table with the cup in the first place, but she has the perfect opportunity to model the concept of Where. She could take David to the table, squat down and say, "where is the cup? The cup is under the table." Asking a question and then giving the answer forms a pattern. She might give the same sequence several times until he can repeat it to her. If David does not catch on to the pattern through oral repetition, she could write a few questions and answers and ask him to read them, keeping David in view of the table and the cup during the process.
Once the patter is established, substitutions can be made. David's mother might put the cup on the table and say, "Where is the cup? The cup is on the table." Then she can take the cup away, put a book in its place, and say, "Where is the book? The book is on the table."
Help your child learn appropriate responses to common questions by modeling the questions and answers in a regular pattern. Listen to the things that other people say to your child and then practice those things. Work on simple interactions such as:
Then when some well-meaning person asks one of these common questions, your child will be able to answer appropriately instead of running across the room because of insecure feelings. By learning a pattern, your child will discover a functional language tool as well as an appropriate social skill.
Hyperlexic children respond well to a tangible and visual reward system. Use stickers, charts and small prizes to motivate them to appropriate behavior and learning achievements. Avoid taking away earned rewards as punishment. This often make the child anxious because it is too difficult to understand why something earned has been taken away.
When your child repeats that patter you have worked on so hard, be sure to let him or her know that you are pleased -- especially if you see the new skill being used in a social setting. Praise every new appropriate use of language, whether it is something your child says for the first time or something he or she finally responds to appropriately. Reinforce this achievement by providing another opportunity to demonstrate the skill soon.
Seamus's parents made a short list of behaviors that he needed to learn, such as not climbing on the furniture. This list was posted on the refrigerator. At the end of each day, they reviewed each item with Seamus. If he had in fact refrained from climbing on the furniture, he got a star to put in that square on the chart. When he collected a specified number of stars, he was entitled to a small toy or treat.
Just as you are deliberate in teaching "Where is the cup? The cup is on the table," be aware of less obvious dimensions of language that your child needs to learn. For instance, many hyperlexic children do not seem capable of imaginary play. Left to themselves, they generally do not choose to play store, have tea parties, or make up stories with little figures. So you need to get down on the floor with the plastic dishes and show your child how to do this. Imaginary play is important not only because it contributes to abstract thinking but because it gives your child appropriate skills for playing with other children.
Most likely, your child will not know what to say. She looks in the cup, does not see any tea and wonders what your are so excited about. But stay excited. Stir! Sip! Talk! Say how good the tea is and offer some to your child. Even go so far as to script the dialog and let your child read it and practice the social interaction with you. Whether it's GI Joe, Winnie the Pooh or Thomas the Tank Engine, pick up the characters and give your child some lines to say.
Be visual as much as possible to reinforce and clarify what your child hears. Model patterns of specific functional language patterns and then use substitutions to broaden the ways your child can apply them. Positively reward your child for the achievements he or she makes. And demonstrate the skills everyone needs to learn to be part of a group, whether playing with on other child or being in a classroom or facing a larger part of society.
Yes, it's hard to get your child's attention for very long. Rather than be frustrated that he or she cannot pay attention to you for 40 minutes, use the 90-second windows of opportunity. It's worth it.