Experts' opinions on training using the Glen Doman method at home

When they talk about the early development of a child, they mean the intensive development of his abilities between the ages of 0 and 34 years. After scientists found out that the development of brain cells is 70% complete by the age of three, and 90% by the age of six or seven, it became clear how many opportunities we are missing by not using the innate potential of the baby.

One of the methods that promotes the early development of children is the Glen Doman method. This is one of the most famous programs for the early development of children in the mental and physical aspects. Glen Doman was sure that every child has a huge talent hidden in him, which can quickly develop and open up great chances for the child in the future. This is what an American neurophysiologist decided after studying in detail the developmental characteristics of children. Doman and his early development methods are a great contribution to the successful future of your child.

Who is Glen Doman?

Glen Doman is a physical therapist from the USA. In 1940, after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, he began to seriously study children's thinking, a stage of child development. After World War II, Doman resumed his research with assistants, founding the Institute for Human Development. In this institution, children were treated according to the doctor’s own method.

The specialist believed that children with developmental delays needed brain treatment. Poor memory, speech, imagination are only consequences of injury or illness.

In 1960, Glen Doman revolutionized the education and rehabilitation of children by publishing an article about his experience working with children suffering from brain damage. Since then, his technique has been popular in the States and abroad. His most famous books are “The Harmonious Development of a Child” and “How to Teach a Child to Read.”

Who is Glenn Doman

Doman was born in Philadelphia. In 1940, he trained as a physiotherapist, after which he began studying the brain in children. However, the outbreak of World War II and the attack on the Pearl Harbor military base prevented the scientist from continuing his research. Doman went to war, participated in more than one battle, later becoming a lieutenant and receiving a military award - the Cross “For Distinguished Service”. Returning from the front, Glenn Doman decided to continue the work he had once started. He founded the Institute for Achieving Human Potential, where he worked and conducted research until the end of his life.

Basic principles of the Doman technique

The doctor created the technique based on his experience of interacting with children who are developmentally delayed. However, it turned out that his methods are universal: completely healthy students also perceive information well using Doman’s method.

The brain of a small person develops in accordance with the characteristics of age. The doctor believed that up to the age of 3, it is necessary to give the child the maximum amount of useful knowledge and skills, and then support them with regular classes.

The basic principles of Glen Doman's technique are simple and reliable:

1. To succeed in early development, you need to make sure that your baby's brain is actively working in the period from 0 to 3 years (every day).
2. The development of the body is no less important than the development of the intellect. Motor exercises and skills affect a child's mind.
3. Until about 5 years old, the child independently motivates himself to explore the world; he does not need additional stimulation. After 5 years, parental help is required.
4. The brain requires regular daily exercise in order to develop, learn new things, and process large amounts of information.
5. Exercises are appropriate when the student is really interested in them. If the child does not show interest in classes, it is worth rescheduling them for several hours.

Doman believed that every child has a chance to prove himself and reveal his inner potential. But it is important not to miss the moment, to devote time to the child, to concentrate on his needs.

The method is humane: the teacher does not put pressure on the student, does not check the progress. The lesson ends before the child feels tired and bored. However, the implementation of the exercises is thought out in advance to the smallest detail: the adult is responsible for a constant flow of new knowledge, which must be absorbed by the baby every day.

Pros and cons of the technique

One of the arguments of opponents of the Doman technique is the fact that the baby simply mechanically remembers the information received; thinking and creative activity are not involved in the process. The scientist does not argue that the system is aimed at obtaining a large amount of knowledge, which will become the basis for research, reflection, and imagination. Many people do not understand why a child should be able to read if the text does not amuse him, does not make him think, and simply remains in his memory as an unnecessary thing. A healthy baby is filled with emotions and inventions; he either laughs, or is surprised, or says that he saw a spider the size of a table. When studying according to the Doman system, there will be no time or energy left for the development of emotions, imagination, and fantasy.

Psychologists and teachers believe that in classes the child should not be a passive spectator - he needs to work together with his mother. Showing cards is more like loading information into a computer than teaching a curious, live baby. He wants to take the card in his hands, touch it, chew it, try to tear it, but the cards only flash before his eyes. Not every child will like these lessons. It is possible to teach a child to read in this way, but he will not be able to understand the text or enjoy an interesting book or rhythmic poetry.

We should not forget that the system was developed for English-speaking countries. Spelling in Russian changed along with pronunciation, so each letter corresponds to its own sound. We write the same way we speak, with the exception of unstressed vowels, unpronounceable consonants and some other rules. A preschooler can write “sontse” or “karova”, but in general the text will be correct. English spelling has not changed for many centuries, and now a large number of words are written completely differently from how they are pronounced, you just have to memorize them. Perhaps for English, as well as for Japanese or Chinese, teaching whole words makes sense, but for a Russian person the traditional method is more convenient.

Among the advantages of the Doman system, one can note a fact that often receives very little attention: the child must develop physically. If you want to use a full range of gymnastics, be sure to consult your doctor. You don’t know what loads a baby’s spine can withstand, what it can and cannot do. Early intellectual development will also not hurt if the parents themselves approach the issue wisely. Do not show flashing words; it is better to put cards with drawn objects and captions, cubes with letters in the toys. When the baby’s brain is ready to perceive symbols, the child himself will become interested in incomprehensible icons, but for now let him examine, feel, throw, and chew educational toys.

What can you learn from Glen Doman's method?

1. Check . Cards with different numbers of dots are used.
2. Reading . Doman suggests showing your baby cards with large printed words starting at 3 months, saying them out loud.
3. Foreign languages ​​. Words are remembered according to the same principle as in their native language.
4. General knowledge about the world . Objects are divided into categories, showing them to the baby one by one so that he remembers them in accordance with the classification.

Reviews about the technique

Marina, Kyiv:

— My daughter is 10 months old. We started showing cards from a very tender age, from the cradle. I didn't believe that the results could be so stunning. We studied 4 topics: colors, food, household items, animals. My daughter recognizes all the familiar objects in the pictures and shows with her finger the word I named without a picture.

A month ago I started speaking my first words. We also did physical development according to Doman, and were able to make a mini-platform for patterning at home. From 2 months the baby was placed on a slide with sides, and at 6 months she crawled on her own. I want to order a full set of super cards in the store so that I can practice reading, counting, and maybe learn English.

Tatyana, Moscow:

— Doman cards have too many disadvantages. A child will not learn to read with the help of a picture and a word below. His eyes concentrate on an image, for example a bear, and not on the word “bear”. It's better to use video tutorials. You can buy the set on DVD and play it 15 times a day, as Doman advises.

On the disk, first the child will see a bear, and then a slide show: words on a white background. The images are voiced by professional speech therapists. Abroad, cards have long been abolished; it seems to me that specialists, not parents, should work with such material. And with the help of discs with lessons, the result will definitely be quick. Video recordings can also be shown to a sick child when he has a fever.

Irina, Ekaterinburg:

— My child is autistic. My son is 4 years old. There is almost no speech, social and communication skills are impaired. He goes to kindergarten, but it is very difficult for him there. At the same time, the child has an excellent memory, he knows a lot, but he can’t say it, and he doesn’t want to. In one year they learned the alphabet, they put almost no effort into it, they simply showed them an ABC book with bright pictures.

I recently read an article about the Doman system for children with autism and decided to study it myself. My priority goal was to teach him to read. We conduct lessons every day, but the number of cards has been reduced to 10 per day, since my son is in the garden until the evening. We study for 8 weeks. I can’t say that the results are amazing, but he started talking more. About 20 words have been added. We are still at the stage of reading individual words. We definitely won’t give up correction classes.

Ksenia, Peter:

— We are not working on the full version of Doman’s cards, but we bought a set of “A Primer from the Diaper” by Manichenko. We study every day, my daughter is 3 years old. She carries the books herself, leafs through them, and demands that the words be spoken to her. But we look not 3 books a day, as the author recommends, but 10 - 3 times a day. They almost gave up cards; my daughter is absolutely not interested in them.

I recently bought a collection of photographs with wild cats and sea animals. So they went slowly. Already knows a shark, a dolphin, distinguishes a panther, a cheetah, a lion, a tiger. But he works on them under pressure. You have to take the set for a walk, but you can’t fit it at home. But music lessons with CDs went very well. Varya watches educational cartoons avidly, every day, maybe 10 episodes at once, and sings songs. I think that the program should definitely be adapted to the child’s wishes; one instruction does not suit everyone.

How to apply the technique at home

The principles of the Doman technique are clear and do not require special preparation. Here is a list of the main rules.

1. Work with your child without the slightest coercion. The kid doesn’t want to study and throws the cards aside - which means the exercises need to be rescheduled for a more appropriate time.
2. Try to offer cards when children are in a good mood: they have slept, eaten, rested, and have not experienced stress before.
3. If you start practicing according to the Doman method, get ready that the exercises need to be done daily, 2 times a day (preferably 3).
4. Show cards for 10-15 seconds, no more. The process is aimed at quick memorization, without immersion.
5. During the lesson, slowly say what is written on the card. Do not swallow sounds, take care of clear pronunciation.
6. The exercise scheme is as follows: on the first day, work with your child on the first completed set. The next day, repeat and add a second set (that works out to 6 sets per day). On the fifth day you will have to conduct 15 small classes. The volume of information will already be quite large, so from each pack you will need to exclude one card that has already been worked out.

Summing up

Of course, Glen Doman's method as a means of raising a brilliant child has a right to exist. However, as with everything else, young parents should not succumb to fanaticism regarding the early education of their child. Having decided at all costs to train your baby using the Doman method, you should follow some simple tips:

• Combine early training according to Doman with other development methods.
• Be sure to leave time for the baby to play with toys and role-playing games.
• Do not lose emotional contact with the child, develop his creative potential.
• Don’t forget about traditional nursery rhymes, finger games, songs, and poems.
• Focus on the child's interest. If you're tired, we clean it up and give you the opportunity to rest and get distracted.

With such an integrated approach, reasonable parents can not only raise a little genius, but also make the child’s childhood interesting and truly happy.

How to teach a child to read using the Doman method?

Glen Doman proposed an extraordinary, rather controversial way of teaching. In his opinion, at 10-12 months it is time to prepare the child to read words. To successfully master letters and syllables, it is enough for a child to grasp the general laws of reading and fix in memory the visual appearance of the lexeme as a whole.

The lesson proceeds as follows: the parent sequentially shows the child cards with pre-printed words. The letters should be red as mentioned above as this color automatically attracts attention.

While reading, remember the basic rules:

1. It is recommended to compile sets of words on main topics. When creating sets, rely on the child’s age and his needs: very young children should make a list of words listing family members, simple objects, living creatures that surround the children (mom, dad, dog, ball).
2. Record the pace at which your baby’s vocabulary is enriched. When he masters basic vocabulary, move on to a more complex level of the Doman technique - cards with phrases or sentences.
3. Always start by memorizing nouns. At school they begin to study grammar with them, because objects and persons are the basis of a sentence. Then you can move on to verbs, adjectives, and other types of words.
4. Breaks between classes should be at least 30 minutes so that the child has the opportunity to be distracted and switch attention. During rest, the brain processes what it sees and stores it in memory.

Popular books by the author

Glen Doman is the author of several best-selling books for adult family members, school and kindergarten teachers. Each book claims that all children are born geniuses, and the lever for discovering the abilities of a little prodigy is in the hands of the parents. In his works, the famous American neurophysiologist Glen Doman gives simple and effective advice on the early development of children in educational centers and at home. We advise you to pay attention to the following publications.

Harmonious development of the child

Glen Doman set himself a goal: to show parents that their children are capable of more. In games with newborns, according to the famous innovator, special attention should be paid to physical development. The ban on motor experiments leads to delays in the intellectual sphere. The book contains a lot of useful information on how to help a newborn develop harmoniously, without threatening the health of the baby and the nervous system of the mother, ahead of his peers physically and intellectually. With the help of talkers you can positively influence the development of speech.

How to teach your child to read, or a quiet, gentle revolution

This book by Doman was published in the author's homeland in 1964. It was first published in Russian in 2004. As a preface, the author wrote a short lecture for parents about damage to the child’s brain of various etiologies. He described how the child feels and what means parents should choose to help their newborn.

Next, Doman talks in detail about his method of teaching infants to read. The book will be useful to all parents, even if you are not going to use the author’s method with your baby from the cradle.

On a note! The book “How to Teach Your Child to Read...” was purchased by about two million Americans. For many years, the editors have received enthusiastic letters from grateful parents whose children mastered literacy at the age of 1 to 4–5 years.

How smart is your baby (or is your child a genius)

“The first few years of life are a critical time for learning important survival skills. If you miss it, your child will not be prepared for the difficulties and vicissitudes of adulthood.” So says Glen Doman and the co-authors of his book “How Smart Is Your Baby?” This journalistic work is intended for curious, caring and active parents who are trying to figure out whether everything is fine with their baby and whether he is developing correctly. Using muttering cards, you can develop speech more successfully. They promote correct pronunciation of sounds and allow you to quickly learn to speak.

What to do if your child has brain damage

This brochure is intended for absolutely all families with children. It doesn't matter whether your baby is healthy or not, it is a must read for all parents. Glen Doman explains in a simple, accessible way what brain damage is, how to avoid and correct it. No medical terminology, complex experiments, examination results. After reading the book by American neurophysiologist Glen Doman, you will be able to look at your baby with different eyes and work effectively and systematically to eliminate even the most complex developmental defects in the child.

On a note! Glen Doman's books can be purchased in print or downloaded online in PDF format for free.

How to teach a child to count using the Doman method?

Children do not master abstract concepts; arithmetic operations must be demonstrated literally, visually. When explaining numbers, you should show cards with a specific number of dots.

When studying counting, 100 large cards (28 by 28 cm or larger) with different numbers of red dots are used. The technique of performing the exercises is similar to the technique used during reading.

1. The child is shown the card for 15 seconds.
2. It is recommended to work with 5 cards 3 times a day, increasing their number.
3. You need to add 2 new cards and remove 2 old ones when the child gets used to the material he has mastered.

It is expected that in the future the child will be able to orally solve complex examples, immediately imagining the number of points, not numbers.

How to exercise correctly

In order for classes using Doman cards to be truly useful for a child, you need to follow the author’s recommendations for organizing classes. First, decide on the topic of the block. Focus on the age and physical condition of the baby. You need to study each block thoroughly, without jumping from one to another chaotically.

How to work with cards

The principle of working with cards for any Doman program you choose is identical. The child looks at images, words, remembers what he sees, and independently draws conclusions about new information.

Let's take a closer look at the methodology for teaching reading. The set contains more than 1000 words. Talking cards are divided by topic. For example, verbs: eats, drinks, sits, smells, draws, and so on. Body parts: nose, eyes, mouth, torso. The words are written in red block letters. The size of the cards is 10x15, the font should be thick: 1.5 cm, the height of the letters is 7.5 cm.

First, parents choose a topic familiar to the child for teaching reading: home, family, toys, animals. There are no images of objects on the cards, only words. You need to print the material in advance on a printer or do it yourself on sheets of cardboard using a felt-tip pen.

When the set of cards according to the list is ready, start studying. Show your child 5 words one after another, fixing them at a close distance in front of your eyes for 1–2 seconds. Say what is written on the card in a loud, clear voice. But you cannot obscure the image from the student. Make cheat sheets for mom on the back of the sheet. Repeat the lesson 3 times a day. After each 10-second lesson, praise the child for perseverance, attention, and interest. This is how the first day of training will go.

The next day, repeat yesterday’s material and add 5 more new cards. Spend 3 lessons with old words, 3 with new ones. Thus, the second day contains 6 lessons of 10 seconds. Consistently within a week, reach 25 cards and 15 impressions per day. Then gradually remove one card at a time from the studied set and add new material from the next topic. Don't forget about prepositions.

Important! Teaching reading according to Doman is based on the optimal principle: from simple to complex. First, the child gets acquainted with simple words, then with phrases, then with sentences.

If you plan to give your preschooler encyclopedic knowledge, you will need the following sets of cards:

1. Biology. The set includes: birds, wild animals, mammals, rodents and so on. You can study them in a row or link them to the “Geography” block, discussing with your child the habitat of animals.
2. Art.
   These are paintings and biographies, portraits of great artists. Make a list of reproductions yourself, download in Word format and print. Black and white versions of paintings cannot be used; images must be in color.
3. Geography. Show your child the continents, cities, and capitals of the world.
4. Languages. The same word is shown in different languages.
5. Human anatomy.
   Tell your child how many body parts a person has, what they look like and what they are called.
6. Story. The block includes biography of great personalities, their names and portraits.

The list of topics for classes can be continued endlessly. When your child has studied 1000 cards in different blocks, go deeper into one topic. For example, learn more about dolphins: where they live, how they reproduce, what they eat. To do this, prepare a separate block of images of 100 cards and show them 3 times a day. You can also choose several game options.

Example of a daily program

Viewing 25 cards per day is distributed as follows:

1. 3 times a day: in the morning, at lunch, in the evening - the child repeats 5 familiar cards.
2. In between repetitions, mom shows new cards: 5 words from each set, 3 times each.
3. As a result, the child looks at pictures of words 15 times a day for 5-10 seconds.

The dosage and duration of classes are adjusted according to the child’s wishes. As the material is mastered, the color of the letters changes to black and the font becomes smaller.

On a note! In Russia, Doman’s method of global reading was adjusted by teacher Manichenko. The domestic author of the literacy teaching system agrees with the American neurophysiologist that reading whole words is more physiological for humans. After all, people do not think in alphabetical signs, but in images. The Doman-Manichenko didactics for Russian parents was transformed into the “Reading from the Cradle” program.

As practice shows, the “Reading from the Diaper” technique is gaining popularity in our country.

Development of intelligence using Doman cards

Glen Doman writes that it is still useless to explain the phenomena of the surrounding world to a small child, because he knows nothing about human nature or physics. First, you need to put into your head a theoretical base, encyclopedic knowledge, which in the future will allow children to draw their own conclusions about events.

Doman believed that understanding life is the main goal of developing intelligence. In order for a child to grow up erudite, you need to rely on memorizing important theoretical facts.

For adequate and quick perception of information, cards that meet the requirements are required.

• no more than 1 item is depicted on the card;
• the child has not seen what is depicted before;
• parents clearly say the name of the subject; large card;
• You can easily determine from the picture what is shown.

You can show your child 10 cards 3 times a day, increasing their number to 120. When the child sees a card several dozen times, you can consider it to be completed and put it away for a while.

Among Doman's cards for the development of intelligence, you can find 10 categories:

• mathematics (different number of colored circles);
• language (words in different languages);
• literature (for example, a category with domestic classics);
• biology (animals, fish, birds);
• human anatomy (skull, skeleton, etc.);
• geography (cities and countries);
• history (statesmen);
• music (composers);
• art (artists, paintings);
• general knowledge (household items, etc.)

Obtaining encyclopedic knowledge on Doman

A child needs to be constantly developed, as Doman believed, the purpose of life is to gain knowledge. Information materials consist of so-called “bits of intelligence”, which represent some specific fact.

The author of the method believed that the explanations are not of particular interest and do not provide any benefit to the child, since his brain can only perceive pure facts - that same bit of information.

Cards for child development help to gain deep and versatile knowledge if:

• each element of the image is clearly visible;
• there is only one item shown on the map;
• the parent pronounces the name of each item;
• Previously, this image was unknown to the child;
• the map is quite large;
• it is clean, without image noise or dirt.

The formation of encyclopedic knowledge occurs as follows: the mother shows the child a card for 2 seconds, clearly pronouncing the name or description of the image.

Glen Doman believed that this technique is aimed at developing the speed of the nervous reaction. And if at first the child does not understand anything, then (subject to regular training) he develops faster memorization and photographic memory.

Initially, you need to show 10 cards three times a day, then little by little the number of cards shown increases to 120. As soon as the picture has been viewed 30 times, it should be replaced with a new one. Therefore, mom needs to keep a record of how long each card was shown.

Physical development according to the Doman method

Glen Doman rightly noted that the physical development of a child inevitably affects the mental one. For example, fine motor skills and coordination affect the ability to print and recognize letters and count.

If you want your baby to grow up smart and eager to learn, you will need to devote time to physical training. They stimulate the brain to work more productively.

Each age period requires a separate approach to early physical development. Let's consider the characteristics of each age.

From 0 to 2 months

It is worth paying attention to the development of general motor skills. The doctor helped retarded children develop the crawling reflex, believing that crawling helps the brain form new nerve cells that affect intellectual growth.

The child is placed on a crawling track - a simulator designed for daily exercise. It creates a simulation of a tunnel, and the child is forced to push off with his limbs to crawl forward while lying on his stomach. This is how children learn to crawl faster than their peers, which has a beneficial effect on physical education and, accordingly, intelligence.

The parent gives the baby a finger and helps lift the abs. The child is hanging on his finger. This exercise develops strength and balance.

Doman worked with children who suffered from birth injuries and were diagnosed with cerebral palsy and hearing problems. However, the American physiotherapist’s technique is also applicable to children without health problems.

From 2 to 7 months

As the child gets older, new exercises can be introduced. They are short and don't take much time.

1. Place the baby belly down on your shoulder and move around your axis (slowly, without sudden movements).
2. Turn your baby's stomach toward your neck and repeat the exercise (alternately on the right and left sides).
3. Turn the child to face you, pick him up and throw him in the air. Not very high, definitely above a crib or something soft.
4. Take the child by the wrists and begin to rotate around your axis. At the moment of rotation, the baby must see the adult’s face in order to feel support.

From 7 months to 1 year

1. Rocking the child, repeating rotations to develop balance.
2. Crawling on all fours - the more the better. Ideally, the child should move in this way for at least 4 hours a day.
3. Stretching on the crossbar with support from parents. Each time you should make your grip a little weaker, giving the child the opportunity to hang without help. 15-20 seconds - one approach, about 15 times a day in total.

From 1 year

1. Walk a few steps. At least 20 approaches per day.
2. Balance exercises. Tossing a child on different surfaces with a safety net.

Rules for conducting exercises

• parents need to always be nearby, looking after the child;
• the floor and objects touched by the baby must be clean;
• It is more convenient for children to exercise in a bodysuit that does not restrict movement;
• Place your child’s favorite bright toys around to stir up interest;
• Verbally encourage children's efforts.

Text of the book “Early Development Methodology by Glen Doman. From 0 to 4 years"

Compiled by E. A. Straube Methods of early development by Glen Doman. From 0 to 4 years

Children quickly grasp countless objects. Cicero

So, let us not waste time in vain, especially since the beginning of all sciences requires one memory, with which children are gifted to the highest degree.
Quintilian (42–118 AD) On the Education of the Orator

You have a baby! Of course, like all parents, you dream that he will grow up smart and inquisitive, capable and comprehensively developed, so that he will not have problems in learning and acquiring knowledge, because his success in the future depends on this. And you intend to make every effort to provide him with everything he needs for this.

Today, parents can take their child's development seriously. The possibilities that books, manuals, games and toys open up for them are endless. Almost all mothers and fathers are familiar with the term “early development,” but not everyone has an accurate idea of ​​its meaning. We hope that our book will help you figure this out.

What is early development

The term “early development” means the intensive development of the baby’s abilities, starting from his birth. Modern psychologists and teachers believe that 7 years is very late to begin a child’s education, because his brain is ready to perceive new information from the first seconds after birth. Therefore, parents are strongly recommended to start working with their child from the very first days of his life.

In accordance with fashion trends, a lot of developmental children's centers, clubs and entire schools have appeared that are ready to accept a child and teach him the basics of reading, mathematics, drawing and other useful things from the age of 6 months. This is where the parents were divided into 2 camps: some argue that newfangled trends are depriving the child of childhood, that he should play enough with toys, and only then start studying - after all, this is exactly how they and their parents were raised, and everyone grew up successful and successful. fully developed people.

Supporters of the second point of view enthusiastically accepted the new view and actively began to develop and educate infants, sometimes in the heat of the moment depriving them of that very “childhood.” Who is right? We invite you to find the “golden mean” yourself by understanding the essence of the proposed development methods and independently answering the questions of what they are intended for and how they work. In this case, you yourself will be able to develop your baby, without turning the process into boring lessons and duties, but, on the contrary, enjoying communication with each other.

• Each child is individual and develops at an individual pace. You can't compare him with other children.

• The goal of any early development method is not to “cram” as much knowledge and facts into a child as possible, but to teach him to obtain this knowledge - developing his mental and physical abilities.

• Training should bring mutual pleasure to both the baby and the mother, only in this case it will be successful.

Chapter 1 Early development according to the Doman method

Who is Glen Doman

It would not be an exaggeration to say that no early development method has caused as much controversy and contradictory judgments as Glen Doman’s system. Among the opinions about his development method, you can hear both enthusiastic reviews and severe criticism from teachers and parents.

Many people took on this work, received dubious results or did not receive them at all, saw the reluctance and resistance of children against this method of presenting information, and as a result, having become infected with the ideas of early development from Doman, they changed the method beyond recognition and received their own, such as the well-known to many Cecile Lupan.

So who is he, Glen Doman - the greatest Teacher who discovered a universal recipe for educating geniuses, or simply the author of a dubious methodology around which a stormy advertising campaign unfolded? Is it useful or harmful to work with a child using the Doman system?

It may seem strange to many that such a well-known technique for “raising geniuses” was originally rehabilitative. In the late forties of the 20th century, the American military neurosurgeon Glen Doman, working at the Philadelphia Institute, later called the Better Baby Institute (BBI), began treating children with brain injuries.

Using external stimuli, he tried to stimulate “reserve” brain cells that were not affected by the disease. In order for the children to begin to fixate their gaze, they were shown cards with red dots drawn on them, gradually increasing their number and intensity of activities. Then - words, pictures. The entire lesson took 5–10 seconds, but there were several dozen such lessons a day. The method worked.

The conclusions reached by Doman and his colleagues can be schematically described as follows: by stimulating one of the sense organs, you can achieve a sharp increase in brain activity as a whole.

As a neurophysiologist, Doman made a unique discovery: the brain develops only if it works. And the more intense the load on the baby’s brain in the first years of his life, the better his intelligence will develop. The more a baby is encouraged to move from birth, the faster the brain is formed, the more perfect and mature its cells will be, and the higher (in Doman’s terminology) its motor intelligence will be. This means that the baby will begin to crawl, sit, and walk independently much earlier than the generally accepted deadlines. And as soon as a child masters one or another motor skill, the next, higher, part of the brain begins to develop. Well, the faster the formation of the higher parts (and especially the cortex) of the brain occurs, the smarter and more savvy your baby will be.

The creative possibilities of children studying under the system of the Institute for Accelerated Child Development are so wide that Doman himself called them children of the Renaissance.

What does the Doman technique give to parents and children?

Subsequently, Doman tried to apply the system developed for patients in working with healthy children. With his works, he showed that human potential is enormous, that even at a very early age children can be taught a lot. At his institute, children two, three, four years old begin to read, master mathematics excellently, become real scholars, and at the same time are perfectly developed physically: they swim, run, and climb well.

No less important is another discovery of Doman: a child’s brain is programmed to learn from birth, and while its active growth continues (after three years it slows down significantly, and after six it practically stops), the child does not need any additional motivation for learning.

• Human potential is enormous; There is a lot that can be taught to children at a very young age.

• By stimulating one of the sense organs, you can achieve a sharp increase in brain activity as a whole.

• The brain develops only if it works.

• The more the baby is encouraged to move from birth, the faster the brain develops.

The main principle of the Doman method is the harmonious development of the child. This means that the development of intelligence occurs inextricably linked with physical development. Doman strives to “give children unlimited opportunities in life. And the achievement of this goal will be determined by what the child chooses for himself, who he decides to become, what he likes from a long list of possibilities.” But in order for him to choose, he needs to be provided with these opportunities. This is what the classes are designed to do: it is necessary to develop hearing, the ability to speak languages, plasticity and muscle strength - everything that can later become a favorite activity, a source of inspiration.

If you organize the process correctly, any child will enjoy learning everything you offer him.

This is the surest way to make your child happy and successful. He will learn to withstand heavy loads without serious losses, will be ready for the rhythm of modern life, and will realize that studying is a source of interesting discoveries and new opportunities.

Before you start classes

Working with a child using the Doman method is reminiscent of creating a complex computer program. Therefore, each piece of knowledge that the baby receives is called a “bit of information.”

• A child's brain is programmed to learn from birth.

• Studying is effective only during the period of brain growth. The human brain grows up to 7–7.5 years, but it grows most actively in the first three years.

• All babies have incredible abilities for languages.

• The faster the formation of the higher parts (and especially the cortex) of the brain occurs, the smarter and more savvy your baby will be.

Almost from birth, a child can be shown large cards with “bits of information.” Use word cards to teach reading. For teaching mathematics - cards on which the number is replaced by the corresponding number of dots. To obtain encyclopedic knowledge - cards with pictures. Such a card can depict an animal, an insect, or a work of art. The name of the item is written on the back, which is what the child must read. The more detailed (according to Doman - more informative) the explanation, the better. For example, the caption “large Galapagos tortoise” is preferable to “tortoise.”

Undoubtedly, Glen Doman's method is useful and, when properly organized, effective, although, like any method, this system has its drawbacks. However, you should not immediately abandon the method proposed by Doman. Remember the rule of the “golden mean”? This is precisely what must be observed, skillfully combining the elements of this system with other early development methods, with common sense, the characteristics of your child, as well as your lifestyle.

Glen Doman states: “If you show a child not just 10 random cards, but 10 cards belonging to a certain category, for ten seconds, you will thereby give him the opportunity to make 3,628,800 combinations from the knowledge he has acquired. Now he will not just remember ten bits of information for the rest of his life, but will master an entire system of knowledge.”

The Doman system is good because the child learns a large amount of information with ease, in a pleasant way for him, without violence, threats and similar “educational” delights. Parents can always find other ways to develop creativity and exploration.

Before you start, be sure to pay attention to a few important points.

• Classes using this method will require certain efforts and expenses from parents - after all, for a long time they will have to make thousands of cards with dots, words, images of animals, plants, and various objects.

• In the Doman system, the child is a passive object of learning. He sits, and his mother shows him one or another series of cards, telling him a strictly defined set of information about each. There is no dialogue and joint creativity with the child.

There is no need to abandon traditional “grandmother’s” methods. Let your child listen to as many fairy tales, songs, and poems as possible, and they do not always have to be accompanied by pictures, so that the child’s brain learns to independently complete the visual sequence to the text. This will help develop the baby’s speech and form text interpretation functions in time. Don’t forget about such ancient “developmental games” as traditional nursery rhymes, pestles, and finger games.

Scientists believe that we must not forget about the emotional and cognitive development of the child, since it is impossible to develop only one (in this case, visual) component. A “fact” must be touched, touched and licked, that is, examined with all the senses, and then, using its relationships with other “facts”, its place in the world must be determined.

• If you use only pictures with captions when teaching, as Doman recommends, the child does not develop textual thinking: the ability to independently read (or listen) and analyze the text, extract the necessary information from it.

• Doman compares the human brain to a computer, a very advanced one, endowed with a huge amount of memory, but still a computer that needs to be equipped with a good database to work successfully. But a child is not a computer, and he needs more than a certain amount of information.

So, if you decide to start training your child using the Glen Doman method, listen to the advice of specialists and experienced parents.

• There is no need to strictly follow all recommendations; Be sure to combine Doman’s methodological developments with other activities and educational games.

• Focus on the baby's reaction. Doman recommends showing the cards very quickly, holding each one for no more than 1-2 seconds. The brain of a small child works differently than that of an adult, and the baby seems to “photograph” the picture, and then processes the information received at rest. For children of the first – beginning of the second year of life, this is really true. But a one and a half to two year old baby will definitely let you know that this technique no longer suits him. Most likely, he will begin to take the album away from you, look at the pictures for a long time, and ask questions. Listen to your baby, and you will definitely understand exactly how to deal with him. Rely on your intuition, because any ready-made method is just a scheme from which you need to choose what seems useful and necessary specifically for your baby.

• Never do something that you don't like and that you think your child doesn't like.

• Do not take seriously Doman's assertion that a child's only need is to learn, and useless play is just a parent's way of “getting rid of” the baby. Psychologists have long proven that play for a child is a simulation of the world and an opportunity for self-expression.

• Work with your child for as long as you can. Don’t worry that you can’t fit into your daily routine showing several blocks of cards three times a day, most physical exercises, etc. It’s worth recalling that the technique was originally developed for children suffering from various diseases, and parents were ready to “live for the child.” Their purpose in life was to get them back on their feet. Is such sacrifice necessary for a healthy baby? Will parents be happy who have completely subordinated their lives to his education? And will this bring happiness to the child himself?

• When practicing according to the Doman method, use only what you can do. In any case, it will be better than nothing.

• Do not ask your child to give you answers, play with you, or read to you when he is not in the mood, just because it is time for the next “portion” of knowledge.

• The main thing is to try to talk with your child as much as possible on any topic. This is the key to your success.

• Provide your child with as many ways as possible to obtain information, not just cards. Let your baby have maps, books, a microscope, musical instruments and much more at his disposal that you can afford. The environment in which a child lives must be nurturing.

• The information you give to a small child should be based on the principle of “The child and his environment”, and its boundaries should be expanded depending on the age of the child. For example, you can show your child cards with household items, fruits and vegetables, plants of the area in which you live, domestic and wild animals that he can see or which are described in his books. Cards depicting what children are doing (walking, sitting, swimming, drinking from a bottle, smiling, sleeping) are very useful. You can make a series of cards that will depict representatives of various professions: painter, driver, fisherman, doctor, salesman, clown, etc. All this not only broadens the baby’s horizons, but also develops his speech. For ease of use, insert the cards into photo albums or folders with transparent pockets - files, and sign the pictures in large, clear letters. Then the baby will not only remember the pictures, but also gradually learn to read.

• Rejoice at every success of your child, even the slightest attempt to express himself, especially if this desire is noticed by you for the first time.

• Improve yourself, never stop there, look for answers to children's questions together with your baby, reason.

• Do not burden your child with useless information. To prevent obscure abstract facts from hanging in the air, it is good to combine such activities with reading your favorite books. For example, when reading Russian folk tales, prepare a series of cards with animals and plants that are mentioned in them, images of ancient household items (spinning wheels, spindles, rockers, bast shoes, etc.). If your child endlessly demands to reread “Aibolit”, it’s time to tell him what Africa is and show it on a geographical map, make and review the album “Beasts of Hot Countries”, in which there will be images of animals cured by Aibolit.

• Try to give your child not individual facts, but systematically organized information; present it from different sides, from different points of view, cover the same topic not only on cards, but also in games, posters, books, and other aids.

• Young children are much more capable of learning than anyone else.

• Young children are sure that the most wonderful gift for them is the attention that adults, especially mom and dad, give them completely.

• The best teachers are parents.

• They can teach their child absolutely everything that they themselves know, as long as this knowledge is true and based on facts.

• Do not give “knowledge tests”: testing reveals only what has not been learned.

• Learning is a game that ends before the child gets tired.

NOTES FROM EXPERIENCED PARENTS

Marina F

.: “My daughter and I started doing Doman training from the age of 3 months. We started with the development of physical abilities. Thanks to these exercises, the child was able to walk with support and crawl at 3 months; the child began to sit up at 4 months, and to walk on his own at 6.5 months. Moreover, opponents of such development only say that such activities are allegedly harmful to the child’s spine. I will say right away that all Doman’s exercises for this period of development are based on movement without stress on the spine. Thanks to these exercises, the muscles and ligaments of the spine are strengthened. But the question: “Why should a child crawl at 3 months or walk at 6 months?” – I don’t understand. Maybe it would be more logical to assume that it is harmful to swaddle a child and not allow him to move? And if a child can walk or crawl, he gets the opportunity to open new horizons for understanding the world around him. At least my child was delighted.

Then from 7 months we began to learn to read. It was an exciting game for a child. Again, I don’t understand those who ask: “Where is childhood?” Where are the necessary children's games? “Our training did not take more than half an hour a day, here is your answer - a whole day for other games. The result of the classes was that a child of 1 year 8 months read children's books on his own. Moreover, to avoid problems with long and unknown words, we, in addition to whole words, also learned all known syllables. From the age of 10 months they learned to count. Now my daughter is 2 years and 3 months old, we count to 100, do all the simple mathematical operations, and begin to study the multiplication table.

I will give the main argument why I am “for” Doman. Most children who are not prepared for school do not have time to master simple counting and mathematical operations by the end of the first grade, and then in the second grade - the multiplication table. The material is becoming more complex. Children are trying to understand the multiplication table without really knowing how to count. And the snowball begins: the child has not learned one thing, but he needs to learn something else. And so on until graduation. And initial knowledge polished to the ideal helps, and does not hinder, the assimilation of the school curriculum. In life, it will be easier for a child to understand other simple and complex things.”

Chapter 2 How to teach a child correctly

No need to be a professional

Most parents, having become familiar with Glen Doman's method in theory, are afraid to move on to the practical part and start classes with their child. There are several explanations for this.

Many are frightened by the statement that all instructions must be followed as precisely as possible - only in this case can the desired result be achieved.

Other parents, having become familiar with the Doman method, decide that it is too difficult to practice with their child: preparing for lessons takes too much effort and time, the lessons themselves require systematicity and a high pace, and this is quite difficult to achieve with a small child and many other responsibilities , which also need to be fulfilled.

At the age of 5, a child easily absorbs a huge amount of information. And the younger he is, the better he does it. If he is not even 2 years old, the learning process will proceed in the easiest and most effective way.

• A child under 5 years old is able to perceive information surprisingly quickly.

• All children are linguistic geniuses.

• Children under 5 years old are literally overflowing with vital energy.

In addition, many parents who do not have a pedagogical education are afraid of making a mistake, doing something wrong, thereby harming the child. They prefer to send the baby to development centers, where the children will be in the reliable hands of specialists.

Of course, such reasoning is not without common sense, but still there is no need to rush to abandon Doman’s technique. Please note the following facts.

From the first days of birth, a child needs the attention of his mother. Classes give your child not only knowledge, but also the much-needed communication between him and you. Besides, who better than a mother knows the needs and capabilities of her baby?

No matter how poorly (from your point of view) you teach your child to read, count and acquire other knowledge, it will still be more useful than if you do nothing at all. Classes using the Doman method are a win-win game in which you still win, no matter how poorly you play. The result will definitely be there, even if you put in a minimum of effort.

Children under 5 years old have a huge thirst for knowledge.

• The more information a child under 5 years old absorbs, the more he retains in his memory.

• Children under 5 years of age can learn anything you teach them if you do it sincerely, joyfully, and consistently based on facts. Moreover, they want to learn it.

• Children under 5 years old can learn as many foreign languages ​​as they are allowed to learn.

The more competently and confidently you act, the faster and easier it is to teach your child - this truth is known. First, let's look at the main thing that needs to be remembered about the child himself, and only then we will discuss the question of how exactly he should be taught.

To educate a child you need:

• parents' attitude and approach;

• volume and order of presentation of educational material.

Doman places great importance on three main areas of intellectual development - reading, mathematics and encyclopedic knowledge. The most important of these is reading. The ability to read is one of the highest functions of the human brain. Of all living beings, only human beings can read.

Moreover, reading is one of the most important skills needed in life, since all other education is based on it. Therefore, you should start with learning to read. Once you begin an appropriate training program, you will gradually begin to supplement it with a training program in encyclopedic knowledge.

Human intelligence is based on one's own knowledge. Without knowledge there can be no intelligence. Therefore, in parallel with the reading training program, you begin a program for teaching encyclopedic knowledge, using several sets of pre-prepared cards. Once your child has a good grasp of the facts, begin the math curriculum.

If you or your child are not interested, stop classes. Apparently you are doing something wrong.

At the same time, from the first days of birth, attention should be paid to the physical development of the child. As a result, the baby will grow up to be a harmoniously developed personality, and his abilities will allow him to achieve a lot in life.

Each time, reinforce the child’s learning process with a kiss or a gentle touch or a smile.

Strengths of the technique

1. Parents often give a positive assessment because they quickly notice the child’s interest and involvement in the process. Bright cards with large figures, words, and images really quickly capture the baby’s attention.
2. Also, Glen Doman's technique bears fruit because of the obligatory point - regularity. Exercises repeated day after day always help to raise the level of development of intelligence and physical culture.
3. The availability of educational materials is captivating. You can buy Doman cards or make them yourself at home, adding your own exercises or details of other techniques. Presentations, books, and discussions of Glen Doman’s methodology are available on the Internet, which allows you to receive feedback and collect the necessary information.
4. Early development of the baby has become a modern trend, so parents are interested in a method that would offer activities from infancy. The Doman system aims to satisfy this need. There is a chance to make a child smarter, more erudite, and more resilient than his peers, directing efforts towards the diversified development of his personality.
5. The technique promises to improve instant memory, memorizing the graphic appearance of words and numbers.
6. There is no pressure on the child’s psyche: no checks, coercion, strict control. The baby is free to act.

The essence of the technique

The secret of Doman's didactics lies in combining the patterns of pedagogical and physiological laws of knowledge acquisition. A special child is limited in the capabilities of his brain. He needs help.

Doman believed that training muscles and saturating the brain with new information should be carried out simultaneously. Therefore, he proposed combining active physical exercise with intellectual pursuits. Rehabilitation of children with developmental disabilities needs to begin from the cradle: the earlier, the better.

The program of the American neurophysiologist includes the following blocks:

Stimulation of physical development from birth

It's crawling down a slippery slide. The child should be on the track from 1–2 months for 3–4 hours a day. The baby rubs against the sides with its stomach, thighs, and forearms. Covers significant distances. This is an ideal environment for early physical development. Such children will certainly crawl well before six months, and will begin to walk and talk early.

Developing a sense of balance and balance

Mothers are encouraged to twist and turn the baby, turn it upside down, give it the opportunity to crawl on the floor, and climb over the cushions. Before the age of 3, you need to teach your child to swim.

On a note! Having mastered a lot of movements, a preschooler up to 6 years old goes through 7 stages of physical development. If you do not limit your children’s ability to climb, run, or crawl, then not only the body, but also the brain will develop harmoniously.

Intellectual activities from birth

Glen Doman believed that the human brain is a computer. It cannot be left idle. If the brain does not constantly receive new information, it stops functioning correctly. Therefore, the task of parents is to provide the child with intellectual food every day. You can do this in 30 seconds a day. For example, don’t name one cat breed, but show 10 cards with images of different cats. And the child himself will conclude that these animals have paws, a tail, they are shaggy, fluffy.

Lessons on reading and counting

These are basic skills. Doman said that children learn reading syllables much more difficult than perceiving whole words. Therefore, he suggested that parents teach their children to read and write from birth using cards. As a result, children remember the image of the word and can find and read it in the text. Gradually, words are replaced by phrases, sentences and books. Infants are taught counting using pictures of dots from 1 to 100.

If you connect all the blocks together, devote about 2 minutes a day to activities on the development of intelligence, and physical exercises the rest of the time, by the age of 3.5 years the child will reach the level of development of a six-year-old preschooler.

On a note! It is impossible to check the quality of classes with newborns. Mothers do not understand whether the child has learned the word on the card or not. During this period, it is important to maintain presence of mind and enthusiasm. The results will appear much later, when the baby easily masters the school curriculum.

Disadvantages and contradictions of the technique

1. It is difficult to consistently comply with the standards for creating educational cards (size of the card itself, letters, etc.)
2. Making the material requires effort and free time - for example, a separate card for each word from the story.
3. It is required to pay a lot of attention to the baby every day, which can be difficult for modern parents to organize.
4. Most schools cover sounds and letters first before moving on to reading. Children raised using the Doman method may have difficulty recognizing individual letters because they have learned to recognize the image of the word as a whole.
5. The American doctor’s method does not help develop a creative approach to life, imagination, analytical thinking, or fantasy. The child is well erudite, but does not understand how to apply knowledge, and feels confused when communicating with more savvy peers.
6. While reading new books, difficulties may arise in understanding previously unstudied lexemes. Reading in general becomes a labor-intensive process: the child automatically looks for words that are already familiar to him, and in their absence falls into a stupor.
7. There is quite a bit of free time left for leisure, ordinary children's games with friends. The child runs the risk of adapting poorly to society, the team: kindergarten group, class.

Disadvantages of the technique

• An excessively heavy load on a child’s brain can lead to negative consequences in the form of mental disorders, emotional swings, problems with society, and extreme sensitivity.
• The child’s lack of initiative, lack of creative and constructive processes in learning.
• The child often does not have enough time to communicate with friends, play games, or have hobbies.
• Not all senses work.
• When learning to read, words are memorized mechanically.
• According to the program, you need to accompany the readable text with images. In the future, it will be difficult for a child to learn to read texts without pictures; it will be difficult for him to understand the material he reads. This leads to a child’s lack of desire to do things that he is not interested in or is not good at.
• Lack of active gaming activity.