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Neurodevelopment Teaching Tip of the Month Dominance A Determining Factor in Learning June 2010 |
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By Jan Bedell, M.Ed., M.ND (Certified Neurodevelopmentalist) www.LittleGiantSteps.com Q: Where is all that information going that I teach my child each day? . 
Dominance is a huge determining factor in the brain's ability to store and retrieve information. In order to be neurologically efficient
(like a defragged computer), your brain must be neurologically organized one hemisphere must dominate and coordinate your entire body.
The determination for dominance starts with the hand. Hand dominance is genetically predetermined and should NOT be encouraged one way or the other. It should emerge by the time a child is 3 to 8 years of age. If an individual is right-handed, it is much more efficient for the right ear, eye, and foot to be dominant as well. If left-handed, it is best to be completely dominant on the left side. To be right-eared or right-eyed does not mean that you have better hearing or vision in your right; it means that your right directs which hemisphere of the brain information is stored. Reasoning is the job of the dominant hemisphere of the brain. When a person is neurologically organized (dominant all on one side), you have much more access to this vital skill. When you go to retrieve information, it is easily accessible. If you are mixed dominant, your sub-dominant ear or eye will file information in your sub-dominant hemisphere. The sub-dominant hemisphere is where music, creativity, and emotion take place. Information stored here is much more difficult to retrieve. Individuals with mixed dominance are typically more emotional, easily upset, and hard to calm down. When they are under stress or pressure, they often do not have access to information they know. These are the children that do not test well. Or they are the ones who baffle the parent because they know something perfectly one day, but the next day they do not recall ever being presented with the information. This can be extremely frustrating for both parent and child!
When a child is frustrated day after day, you will have a child with low self-esteem, long-term memory problems, and often emotional and behavioral problems as well. This happens because they are functioning using the sub-dominant (emotional) hemisphere of the brain. Symptoms of mixed dominance include: long-term memory problems inability to stay on task reading difficulties extensive number and letter reversals emotionality spelling difficulties obsessive-compulsive behaviors consistently poor testing ability inability to retain information For more information on learning issues, see my article on our website: http://www.littlegiantsteps.com/learning_disabilities_article.php. The information on dominance is discussed under the section headlined Storing. 570 Words To view more 'Teaching Tips' Articles please 'Log In' and visit the 'Achives' page. |
