Brain Coach Tips

Auditory Processing is known in neurodevelopmental circles as the best-kept secret in education, because until recently few people have known about it, yet it affects so many aspects of everyday life. We are talking here about your auditory short-term memory. This auditory deficit has reached epidemic proportion and now officially has its own label – CAPD, Central Auditory Processing Disorder. There are varying degrees of deficiency in auditory processing, and I contend that it is one of the root causes of many learning labels such as dyslexia, ADD and ADHD. At the very least it is intensifying a negative situation for children that are struggling whether they are gifted, typical or have diagnosed learning disabilities. Get you FREE Auditory Processing Test Kits.

Is your child struggling with math? Do you have a gifted child that needs to secure a good math foundation that will let them soar? Is your 5, 9, or 15-year old having trouble remembering their math facts? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, this is the answer for you! Dr. Jan will lead you through the foundation and cornerstone of math and it doesn't have to be drudgery. Get your free math facts proficiency checkup here. https://www.brainsprints.com/services/math-proficiency

This label, like other labels in our educational system, is a symptomatic label. That means if there are enough symptoms on a checklist, the label is given. As always in NeuroDevelopment, the question is: what is causing these symptoms to occur? Our society’s practices are the culprit again! In this episode, Jan Bedell, the Brain Coach, will provide a broader understanding of CAPD and its far-reaching effects. If you know someone that has trouble following directions, staying on task, reading with a phonics approach, or comprehending what is said and read, this podcast can offer some real answers. Many times the same symptoms that are associated with CAPD are also experienced by individuals that have or are suspected of having ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning struggles or disabilities. This podcast will discuss how low auditory processing presents challenges for every sector of our society. It will also include ways to improve the inefficiencies found in the symptoms of these labels. By learning how to improve these brain inefficiencies, you can greatly improve your child’s auditory processing!

Have you ever wondered if cursive is really necessary? Several studies have shown a neurological connection especially for young boys. The emphasis has been taken off the training of cursive in our public schools but the importance and even necessity are being discussed today. Dr. Jan visits with CursiveLogics' co-founder and helps you to understand the importance of cursive and what techniques might be the best and easiest way to teach it. Prisca also shares the interesting story of how CursiveLogic came to be.

Do you have children that are constantly in trouble? They don’t look at you when you talk to them. Following directions is a constant source of conflict. They don’t answer when spoken to. Sitting still and doing their school work is next to impossible. This may not be defiance! Dr. Jan has worked with clients using the NeuroDevelopmental Approach for over 20 years. She has seen the change in children when the root cause is addressed whether it is developmental or metabolic (chemistry of the body). Of course, we are all born with a sinful nature, but that is not always the source of the problem. If a child skips a NeuroDevelopmental step there may be an issue with how he sees, hears, or processes, but there is still hope! Before you go for a label like ADD, ADHD, let’s see if a drug-free solution can make the needed changes. We were fearfully and wonderfully made so we can still develop the pathways needed to complete these poor pathways in the brain.

In this enhancing giftedness episode, Dr. Jan Bedell, the Little Giant Steps’ Brain Coach, shares her experience with her gifted grandchildren in their multigenerational household. She explains that it is not simply about intelligence. Rather, an organized brain that processes well is what really releases the full potential of an individual no matter what their IQ. By learning how to help the brain’s processing speed and efficiency, you can help your gifted child release the full potential that lies on the inside. You will receive some tips to help you stay ahead of that gifted child without adding loads of extra work to your plate. These same brain-enhancing tips are not just for the gifted! They can be helpful for those who are typically developing or even for struggling learners. After all, we all have a brain!

Between birth and two years of age, a child’s brain grows at explosive rates. Learning to “input” information in the form of sensory involvement (auditory, visual, tactile, smells, and tastes) can accelerate brain growth. This causes the development/formation of proper neurological pathways, which resemble superhighways. When the networks of superhighways exist, the brain is able to take the most efficient route in accomplishing a task. You will learn to use those strategic moments in your day to help your infant be “homeschooled” from birth.

Hear how the Neurodevelopmental Approach eliminated this little guy's Dyslexia symptoms.

Listen in to CJ's testimony and how Jim found success after using the Neurodevelopmental Approach.

Aaron was a client in his teens. Take a minute to hear how the ND approach impacted his life.

A quick explanation of the Neurodevelopmental approach.

You can make life a lot easier for you and your children by knowing some simple activities to do with them from a very early age. Between birth and two years of age, a child’s brain grows at explosive rates. Learn to “input” or get information into those little brains through stimulation to all the senses - auditory, visual, tactile, smells, and tastes. This stimulation causes the development/formation of proper neurological pathways, which resemble superhighways. When the networks of superhighways exist, the brain is able to take the most efficient route in accomplishing a task. In Part 1 and Part 2, you will learn to use those strategic moments in your day to help your infant be “homeschooled” from birth.

Dr Jan will be joined by a colleague, Ruth Young. Ruth has been a NeuroDevelopmentalist for 15 years, is a pastor’s wife of 37 years, and an author of many article on the NeuroDevelopmental Approach and a great study guide, Release From Fear. Ruth was a victim of childhood abuse and knows firsthand the healing effects of the NeuroDevelopmental Approach in her own life as well as those in her practice. She will share how this approach can have an amazingly positive effect on those who have suffered traumas from any of the many causes, including adoption, abuse, neglect, fever, surgery, vaccinations, and pre-mature birth to mention a few.

Have you wondered if it is worth the battle to get your children to hold their pencil correctly? Is it truly that important? The answer is yes! Foundational skills and strategic hand muscle development are key to easily holding a pencil or eating utensils correctly. Whether you have a typical developing or gifted child, one with a learning struggle or a label such as dysgraphia, or even one with a syndrome or genetic challenge, this podcast will provide specific direction on how to make handwriting easier for your child.

Every child is unique and needs specialized attention, yet some seem to require more. Many struggles to progress through typical milestones and traditional curriculum and approaches don’t seem to help them much. Dr. Jan shares her dilemmas and struggles with her firstborn, Jenee’ and how God’s providence brought her to The NeuroDevelopmental Approach and changed both of their lives. You will be inspired that the same kinds of progress can happen for you with your child with labels like dyslexic, ADD, ADHD, autistic, developmentally delays as well as those with syndromes.

Spelling is an important skill for school and life. Many parents are baffled as to why some of their children are good spellers and others are not. This seems to occur even when children are taught with the same reading program. Some educational professionals advocate spelling using a phonetic approach. The challenge with this approach is that there are several ways to spell many of the English sounds. For instance, phonetically, you would spell the word for a small ship – soap or sope but only one is the correct spelling. Phonetically you could spell the pronoun for a girl as hir, hur or her. All would possess the correct phonetic sound. From the viewpoint of the NeuroDevelopmental Approach, one prerequisite to consistently spelling correctly is the ability to visualize (see in pictures). You also need the skill of visual discrimination, i.e. the ability to see slight differences in very similar words. These foundational skills can be easily developed with the right know-how. The good news is that it doesn’t take another spelling curriculum to do it!

For many years we have heard about teaching to your child's learning style. God has given us five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell because we need them all to experience His world. We just take in some information better through certain channels. You can't smell or hear a sunset. If one of our learning channels is not working well, we can not learn as efficiently. 1 of 5 US children struggles with learning difficulties. The good news is the brain can change with proper simulation. Tune in to learn how to shore up your child's learning foundation. Find out more about Developmental Foundations to give you specific access to activities that do shore up the foundation of brain function.

If you understand these three keys to learning – frequency, intensity, and duration – you can teach and your child can learn anything. Even the children that are struggling with learning or have special needs can accelerate function with these keys. Want to know the best way to teach math facts and other subject matter? The Brain Sprints’ Brain Coach, Jan Bedell, will share how to use these keys for success to make your home school efforts more productive in less time. For more information with a free consultation at https://www.brainsprints.com/freeconsultation/

Parents, knowing that their child is smart, often struggle with the child’s actions that are less than expected or age appropriate. They can misjudge the situation and think the child is just not trying when in fact there may be inefficiencies in the brain that cause the troubling behaviors. Learn in this episode several examples of smart children that were thought to be goofing off, not paying attention or just not trying. There were reasons behind the poor behavior that did not have a behavioral element. Ways to help these challenges and heal the relationship between the parents and the children can be found.Parents, knowing that their child is smart, often struggle with the child’s actions that are less than expected or age appropriate. They can misjudge the situation and think the child is just not trying when in fact there may be inefficiencies in the brain that cause the troubling behaviors. Learn in this episode several examples of smart children that were thought to be goofing off, not paying attention or just not trying. There were reasons behind the poor behavior that did not have a behavioral element. Ways to help these challenges and heal the relationship between the parents and the children can be found.

With so many learning and functional labels popping up in the educational field, many parents are confused by the pros and cons of getting a label for their child. So many labels come with recommendations for medication and many parents are wary of the side effects or long-term implications of labels and medications. From a NeuroDevelopmental perspective, looking for what causes these challenges is the first step. When you know the root cause, you can move toward finding a way to stimulate the brain so it changes. A changed brain produces changed abilities. Changed abilities causes changed behaviors. Many times labels like dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, dysgraphia, dyscalculia come with a vague list of recommendations that could be tried and often leave parents confused as to what to do next. Sometimes labels come with recommendations for expensive therapies. The Brain Coach Tip: these types of labels can and often should be avoided. Let's fix it instead!

The paradigm of Learning Styles Philosophy has been adopted by many in academia and by homeschool families. It promotes the notion that you should find the primary learning style of each student and then teach whatever you are teaching through that style. The NeuroDevelopmenatal Approach to life and learning promotes the idea that it is best to have brain efficiency in all areas to be most successful in academic pursuits. Brain inefficiencies in a tactile, auditory or visual channel can cause a student to choose a particular learning style or have a particular learning preference because of the shortcomings in another area. If there are several inefficiencies in the way the brain is taking in information, the student will most likely be labeled. The good news is that with the right kind of brain stimulation, learning struggles don’t have to last a lifetime. www.brainsprints.com

When emotions are over the top and you just can’t figure out what is setting them off. You might have a Drama Queen/King at your house. Looking for the root causes instead of just reacting is a productive way to look at this situation. Jan Bedell, the Brain Coach, is here to help you look through “neurodevelopmental eyes” at what might be the root cause of all this drama around your house. Joining Jan today is Ruth Young, a 10-year veteran NeuroDevelopmentalist, certified teacher, and home school mom of five. Ruth will be sharing her experience with a Drama Queen and the neurodevelopmental solutions she found that changed her daughter’s future.

In Part 2 of this two-part message, you will be equipped with a behavior modification strategy. The root cause of poor behavior could be the child’s choices, his sinful nature. Behavior modification is the topic of many books, ministries, and websites, so it can be confusing terrain for parents. Disciplining children, in general, is sometimes difficult. When you add learning issues or low auditory processing into the mix, additional challenging can arise. Extra thought and attention may be required in these instances. No matter what the state of the child, a behavior management system is necessary to curb the sin nature we were all born with. For your behavior system to be effective it has to do two things: 1) equip you with a way to stay calm and not get “hooked” by the child’s negative behavior, and 2) make it worthwhile for the child to be self-disciplined. In Creating a Positive Learning Environment Part 2, Dr. Jan shares a behavior management approach that is so effective that the child won’t ever want to suffer the consequence of their negative behavior ever again. It typically takes two weeks or less to get a good start on the process.

This label, like other labels in our educational system, is a symptomatic label. That means if there are enough symptoms on a checklist, the label is given. As always in NeuroDevelopment, the question is: what is causing these symptoms to occur? Our society’s practices are the culprit again! In this episode, Jan Bedell, the Brain Coach, will provide a broader understanding of CAPD and its far-reaching effects. If you know someone that has trouble following directions, staying on task, reading with a phonics approach, or comprehending what is said and read, this podcast can offer some real answers. Many times the same symptoms that are associated with CAPD are also experienced by individuals that have or are suspected of having ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning struggles or disabilities. This podcast will discuss how low auditory processing presents challenges for every sector of our society. It will also include ways to improve the inefficiencies found in the symptoms of these labels. By learning how to improve these brain inefficiencies, you can greatly improve your child’s auditory processing! www.brainsprints.com

In Part 1 of this two-part message, you will be challenged to think differently about a child’s behavior. You must get to the root cause of the matter. Is it the sin nature, are there metabolic issues caused by the inner chemistry of the body, or are there neurodevelopmental factors that contribute to poor behavior? Part 1 will explore metabolic and neurodevelopmental root causes which are beyond the child’s control. You will also be equipped with a way to change your interactions with your child from negative to positive. These are some of the first steps to creating a more positive learning and home environment. Examples of how to make handwriting, math, and reading a more positive part of your school day are included as well.