Newsletter #45 for Internationally Adopting Parents
January 25, 2007
PAL Center Inc.

Copyright@2006-2007

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The review of a Russian movie "Italianetz" written by Dr. B. Gindis for our previous Newsletter #44 has found a very strong and positive response among our readers; a lot of people sent us messages of support and gratitude for "a passionate and thoughtful" review. We want to thank all our correspondents for your feedback and high rating of the review.
Among the responses there was a question: "Where are we able to see the movie "Italianetz"? Will it be in theaters or on video?" We can't say anything about videos, but here is a link to the information page where you can find out the location of the theater playing this movie in the US (19-25 of January) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450450/cinemashowtimes

Below are several articles from Accendo Academy that do not necessarily apply only to internationally adopted children, but rather to older children in general; they still may be of interest to parents struggling with typical for teens behavioral issues.

Are you doing enough to protect your troubled teen from media influence?
Discusses foundation principles of media literacy for troubled teens.

Your thrill-seeking child: leader or drug abuser?
Discusses thrill-seeking as an indicator of drug abuse in troubled teens.

Are teen boot camps effective? You may be surprised
In spite of recent media attention, "scared straight" boot camps are proving to be ineffective.

Q. Dr. Gindis, much of the discussion revolves around language and language remediation programs and reading skills. What about math? We understand that some of our daughter's difficulties in math are language-based, however, not all. Adopted at age 4 1/2, the focus has been on language skills. As a first grader she participated in "reading recovery" program at school, and it was very successful in bringing her up to standard and even exceeding standards in some aspects of reading/writing. She is now in grade 3 and is meeting or exceeding all standards except math. She is in the low math group. So, is there an equivalent approach or method offered to students who are struggling in math?

A. Language proficiency affects various domains of academic functioning differently. There is no question that strong language base is needed for math (in understanding of math problems, for example). Also, there is a specific "math language" (symbols, abbreviations, signs, etc.) that is to be mastered as well. And on top of these, there are individual differences that may affect performance in math. Your daughter may be more advanced in simultaneous (insight-like) verbal activities than in sequential (step-by-step) numerical activities. This may have little to do with the language mastery itself, just with the individual differences of someone's brain functioning. However, math - on the level of High School at a minimum - is accessible to any individual with the average cognitive skills regardless of his/her individual cognitive differences; sometimes only methods of teaching are to be adjusted and modified for some individuals.

In general you should teach your daughter certain algorithms of performing numerical sequential actions using her strong ability in verbal comprehension. One well-known method of remediation in this area is Lindamood-Bell methodology. There are other methods: Touch Math (see:http://www.touchmath.com/), specialized computer software (see: http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/), or specific multi-sensory methodologies, like "Finger Multiplication" (see: http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/59119.html).

All these and other remedial methodologies are helpful only if well understood and applied intensely and systematically.

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