Development of children by the method of Glenn Doman (video and cards)

The method of early development of Glen Doman is a great opportunity for parents who care about the development of their children from birth. The proposed exercises and classes can be carried out from 3 months of age. Moreover, there is no need to purchase tasks for a fabulous price - Doman's cards can be made by yourself. The technique was used in teaching children abroad and in Russia and has fully proved its effectiveness.

How was this technique created? What is the essence of the methodology and its uniqueness? How to apply it? You will find the answers in our article!

History of creation

The talented American neurosurgeon Glen Doman, together with his colleagues, was engaged in improving the methods of treatment and rehabilitation of children with brain disorders. Having devoted 15 years of his activity to the study of the mental processes of healthy and sick children, Glen Doman made some remarkable discoveries.

1. Firstly, he noted that healthy brain cells under the influence of exercises actively participated in the process of mental activity. This allowed the scientist to decide on the possibility of using the technique in the development of absolutely healthy children.
2. Secondly, Doman revealed that in case of visual, auditory and tactile irritation, the affected brain cells are able to recover faster than in the absence of the necessary activities. Thanks to this, it was possible to justify the use of the technique in working with sick children.

So the developed exercises gained recognition among scientists from different countries and began to be used by educators, psychologists, pediatricians, neurosurgeons. For several decades, they have been effectively used in various pre-school and rehabilitation institutions, developing centers. Recently, parents increasingly began to pay attention to this well-known technique.

We are engaged in the technique of Glen Doman

Focusing on the fact that children, first of all, begin to perceive information with the help of visual and auditory analyzers, Doman put this principle in the basis of his development.

The neurosurgeon offers to demonstrate the words written on separate cards to children. Words should be specific and have a special meaning for a preschooler: MOTHER, DAD, KASHA, KOT (these are the simplest words with which it is recommended to start learning). Then the exercises are a little complicated by the fact that the displayed words are divided into various categories (food, animals, vegetables, fruits, etc.) and are not aimed at the child’s emotional response, but at the development of their logical thinking.It is worth noting that words should be written in large red letters. On one card - one word.

In the future, as the child grows up and develops, he is shown cards with images of various animals, fruits, etc. The cards are accompanied by the corresponding inscriptions - the names of the displayed images. So in the baby, a relationship is formed between the visual image and the word. This, according to Doman, provides a smooth transition to reading. A child learns to perceive not whole letters, but whole words. At this point, he is already mastering some sounds, syllables and their combination.

(This is how Doman’s cards look. Clickable)

With numbers, the situation is slightly different. Doman believes that it is easier for children to perceive not a abstract pattern, but a specific amount. Therefore, according to his technique, it is necessary to demonstrate a certain number of points. They should also be shown in red.

Watch the video, this is how the lesson goes

Focusing on mental development, it is important to remember about physical development. For this, the scientist recommends gymnastics, dynamic physical exercises, and musical workouts. The more and more diverse the child moves, the better his physical development proceeds. And this to some extent affects the mental abilities of a preschooler, since these processes are interconnected.

How is the training going?

The baby must be put or put in a comfortable position (if he is already learned to sit) Draw his attention to yourself and begin to present him with a look of a card with words or numbers (we start on the principle of "from simple to complex"). One card is shown for 2-3 seconds at a distance of no more than 50-60 cm from the face, while clearly pronouncing the word or number of characters. The first series consists of five cards. It is necessary to consistently demonstrate them, without being distracted by explanations. Classes should be held about 3 times a day for 5 days. After that, one card from the series needs to be removed by adding a new one.

Cards from the same series should be shown in a new sequence each time!

Learning Tips

1. The first lesson is the most important thing. It is at this stage that it is important to arouse the trust of the child, to interest him. Therefore, choose the most suitable moment for your lesson and start! The cards of the first series must be demonstrated, accompanied by comments. For example: “This is a train. The train travels by rail "," This is a cow. The cow gives milk. " (After showing a card with a written word or picture, you can demonstrate the corresponding toy for clarity. Subsequently, you can confine yourself to the demonstration and the name (“Train”, “Cow”, “Beetle”). During the first few lessons, select cards from one series.)
2. Learning by the method of Doman should arouse interest in the child, motivate him. This is easy to understand by observing the behavior of a preschooler. If he is actively involved in the proposed game (namely, in a game form and you need to conduct classes!), If everything that happens causes him excitement and a desire to receive new information - you are on the right track.
3. As the baby learns and develops, classes can be slightly modified. For example, after showing a card with a word or image, invite the child to find the item (if possible). Children 3-4 years old can make a short story according to the words shown or draw pictures according to the words.
4. Some parents attach cards with words and images near the crib. This makes sense, but do not forget that it is much more interesting for a child to learn new things with loved ones. Therefore, do not be lazy to participate in classes. Your reaction to the process itself is also important for the baby. If you smile, praise him, he will quickly figure out how you can please and surprise.
5. Starting to engage in this technique with children of the first year of life, do not overdo it.For classes with newborns, a demonstration of the picture and pronunciation of the word is enough. The infant must learn to establish the relationship between the image and the word. In addition, the attention of infants is still unstable and scattered. Therefore, you do not need to strain the baby too much.
6. After the child is 9-12 months old, classes can be carried out as follows: the mother names the word or shows a picture with the written word, and the baby must find the correct image among several cards. You can also show the child a picture with the written word (for example, “eyes”) and ask him to show this part of the body.
7. Showing cards, it is advisable to group them in advance by category ("animals", "fruits", etc.). You can demonstrate in a different sequence. For your convenience, it is advisable to sign the cards on the back so as not to constantly look at the pictures. This may prevent the child from perceiving information and distracting him from the process.
8. No need to show the same cards more than 3 times a day. Do not be afraid to introduce new material if you do not observe the expected reaction of the baby. Perhaps he will like the new series of pictures more!

Thus, classes by the technique of Glenn Doman do not have specific and strict rules. The main thing is the desire of the mother to develop her baby and his interest in learning.

What else is important to know about the method of Doman?

The main idea, reflected in the development of Glenn Doman, is that the main educators of the child are his parents. It is they who must make clear to their child that they accept him for who he is and do everything to make him better. There is no need to impose pre-school activities if he does not want this or if he quickly gets tired of them. Everything has its time. Perhaps he will later show interest in the learning process.

If you started classes with the baby, then you need to conduct them regularly with a gradual complication. In most cases, children perceive this as a kind of game and are actively involved in the process. Your task is to motivate them to study, but do it in an easy and unobtrusive way so that preschool children do not lose interest.

An important point is that there is no need to check how the baby learned the material (naturally, we are talking about children 2-4 years old). If the child expresses a desire to share his successes, he will certainly do it!

We also read: A review of popular techniques for early child development with video tutorials and films

Where to get Glen Doman's cards?

Ready-made Doman cards can be purchased at bookstores or children's stores. Such kits are usually in demand, so they are by no means cheap.

You can also engage with a child at a computer (tablet) by watching a video with Glen Doman's cards. For you, we have made the “Video” section, where we constantly add new developing videos, including Doman’s cards - go to the VIDEO heading

Video example:

Video: Glen Doman Cards