Dear Ones,
I've been a bit quite lately, while DS13 is away at summer camp.
One of my 'self-enrichment units' has been to lear about 'TAG' - Teaching with Acoustical Guidance (not our usual use of TAG acronym)
http://www.tagteach.com/I've been watching videos of humans and other animals using 'acoustical signals' as part of learning communication at clickertraining.com
Anyway, I know that some of the kids here have pencil grips that put knots in our stomachs, and since my own favorite test subject is away at camp, (Humor Alert) I was wondering if any of the parents here are willing to run this intervention I dreamed up on my way to work this morning and report on how it went.
Ingredients:
1) clicker, as used for home versions of gameshows, can be found at most petstores.
2) pencil and paper and table
3) child who is somewhat motivated to learn a new pencil grip and explore this new way of learning a physical skill.
4) Parent who is willing to run through the following trial, and give feedback as to how it went.
Plan:
Tell child that you will be giving directions, and that you will click every time the child follows the directions correctly. Your directions have to be 5 words of less. If the child does anything other than correctly follow the directions (called TAGs) then remain calm but do not click.
Say: The first TAG is: 'Pick up the pencil with your thumb and first finger, like this (demonstrate)' Go ahead, try it.
Observe the child. If they pick up the pencil with their thumb and first finger, click. Then direct the child to put the pencil back down on the table. Repeat 3 or more times until the child seems comfortable and smooth.
Say: The next TAG is: 'Pick up the pencil about an inch below the point, like this (demonstrate)'
Observe the child. Click if they pick up the pencil in about the right spot. If they use their thumb and first finger, then you can go on to the next TAG after several clicks. If they pick up the pencil some other way, during the session, go back to first TAG, but without acting like they failed. It idea is to simulate an active learner who learns from the environment rather than a passive receptical for the teacher's instruction, so deviation from the path isn't a problem, it adds to the feeling of reinforcing the target.
If the child seems enthusiastic, continue, if not, drop the project for today (or forever)
The next TAG is: 'Pick up the pencil,swing it back and forth like a pendulum.'
Observe the child. If the pencil is picked up with the right fingers, at the right place, and swung back and forth - click. Continue a few more tries or go back to the parts that aren't correct and TAG them a few more times. When you feel like that child might be able to swing the pencil around without the pencil flying across the room, you are ready for the next step.
Say: The next TAG is 'Pick up the pencil and swing it all the way around until the pencil is laying over your hand, like this (demonstrate)'
Observe: Click everytime the child does this correctly.
Say: The next TAG is 'Pick up the pencil, swing it over, and add your pinky, ring and middle fingers for support, like this (demonstrate)'
Observe: Click if the child brings their fingers into a correct tripod pencil grip. Repeat until the child looks confident.
Say: The next TAG is 'Pick up the pencil, swing it into position, and write the letter 'A' '
Observe: Click if the child brings their fingers into a correct pencil grip and keeps them that way while they write a single letter. Don't worry about the legibility of the letter 'A.' Repeat until the child looks confident, replacing the pencil each time.
Say: The next TAG is 'Pick up the pencil, swing it into position, and write your name.'
Observe: Click if the child brings their fingers into a correct pencil grip and keeps them that way while they write their name.
Repeat. The child has learned a new way to hold the pencil.
Please read through this and see if you can figure out what I'm talking about. Let me know how long this takes to teach yourself, to teach your child, and how many sessions it takes to get through the whole thing. Let me know if you see the child switching over to the new pencil grip. Let me know if the child becomes interested in training you to learn a new skill with TAG and how that goes. Does if feel 'robotic' and 'impersonal?'
Thanks for reading this far,
Love and More Love,
Grinity
