The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland. It’s believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition?

There is so much more to know about conversation that you probably realize. You can watch or listen to talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking and ordinary conversations – certain rules apply in all circumstances when it comes to verbal interaction.

1. What Do You Know?
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker you have to practice what you’ve learned. Watching a friend, who’s a Toastmaster, taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn to keep up and share what we know.

2. Do You Listen To Yourself?
Listening is just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be more confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Are You Afraid Of Dropping A Clanger?
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter or mispronounce certain words even though we know their meanings, but rarely use it only to impress listeners.

In a group, don’t be afraid to ask if you’re saying the right word properly and if others are unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it’ll make everyone laugh and you’ll get away with it.

4. Maintain Eye Contact
There’s a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It’s important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group or to an individual.

5. Kidding around
Humor can do wonders to lift tension or boredom when communicating. You’ll get the attention the majority of the time and whoever you’re talking to will feel you’re approachable and human!

6. Don’t Be Afraid To Join In
Interact, mix and mingle with other people. You’ll get a lot of ideas, at the same time as learning what makes people tick.

7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice a speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch.

8. Say It With A Smile
A smile says so much, like eye contact. There’s no point grimacing or frowning in a gathering. You can better express what you’re saying when you smile.

9. Are You A Role Model?
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have really listened to and taken away golden nuggets of information. Take a mental note of how they emphasize what they’re saying and react to your feedback.

10. Preparation?
Of course we can’t prepare everything we’re going to say in a day! But we can prepare ourselves for how we deliver advice, or how we react to others. Being comfortable and confident in what we say will, in turn, inspire confidence in others.

It may sound tedious, but even though it’s your mouth that’s doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out what you know. Essentially, when learning to be an effective communicator, you need to know the very person closest to you: yourself.

ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects approximately five per cent of the world’s populaton.. Most children who suffer from the disorder suffer from attention problems as well as hyperactivity. Parents of children with ADHD are well aware that inattention and hyperactivity continue throughout the day. Keeping these children busy after school hours can be as difficult as keeping them safe during the school day.

The first step while choosing the right after school activity for your child is to understand how ADHD affects him. Is your child interested in sports? Is he put off by the fierce competitiveness, or does he find it hard to get along with teammates? Does your child vocalize his feelings, or is communication a problem?

For a child suffering from ADHD, physical exercise is always beneficial. Exercise takes up the extra energy and helps to stimulate the brain. Team activities teach social skills and discipline. But, if your child shys away from team sports, you may want to look at activities like dancing, cycling, swimming or gymnastics. Martial arts not only teach techniques of self-defense but also teach self-control and patience.

If your child shows aversion to sport and shows inclination towards the fine arts, you may need to look at some other options. Acting classes are a wonderful form of creative exercise. It also provides the child with ample opportunity to develop his social skills. Music, art or dance can  help the child to keep himself busy and entertained.

In case the child is not interested in any of the above, you may want him to join the Scouts or other community oriented clubs that take up social work. Cleaning a park, putting on a show, helping out in an old age home are various activities that may pique your child’s interest.

Whatever form of activity you choose, make sure that you monitor your child’s progress periodically. If you feel that there is no progress, you may need to change the activity. Anything that increases your child’s self-esteem is good. You may enlist the help of the coach or teacher to assess your child’s development.

There are certain activities that are detrimental to a child suffering from ADHD. Computer and video games are a definite NO. Since these games need no interaction, children will feel all the more isolated. These children also find it difficult to distinguish between the good and the bad messages.Games that need the child to sit and wait for his turn patiently tax his patience and will not be a success.

Although you would want children with ADHD to be as near to normal as possible, understanding their needs and limits will help you select the right after school activity – one that is fulfilling, tiring as well as challenging.

Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health reveal nearly four million children are born with learning disabilities.

Both parents and teachers are faced with many challenges when teaching children with learning disabilities. Effective teaching begins with three key components; knowledge, patience and the right approach.

Medical and scientific analysis demonstrates that learning disabilities and mental impairment occurs as early as the prenatal stage. Rather than, as thought by many, this has something to do with intellect; in truth it’s more about brain function.  There’s no cure for learning disabilities, but with care and expertise, a child can be taught how to cope with life.

The most common learning disabilities: -

• Dyslexia – difficulties with writing, spelling and language processing

• Dyscalculia – difficulty in learning or comprehending mathematics

• Dysgraphia – difficulty in writing by hand and other fine motor skills

• Dyspraxia – difficulty in the initiation, organization, and performance of actions

• ADHD/ADD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – primarily characterised by the existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity

There are also auditory and visual processing disorders.

Teaching children with learning disabilities requires patience. Following these tips can make teaching more productive and less frustrating for both teacher and child.

• At the start of any lesson set out the objectives and goals clearly to the child.  Explain clearly why it is important for them.

• Be specific.  State your expectations from assignments and projects.  If you are asking a question, encourage feedback of how the child interprets the question.   Thus avoiding any misunderstanding of the instructions or questions.

• Include chapter outlines and study guides in your subject handouts, to enable a child with a learning disability to reduce the weight of the course or subjects.

• Use different methods to help students cope. In a group situation consider breaking the group into several smaller groups, so children can grasp information clearly and respond appropriately.

• Make lessons interactive and creative.

• Don’t put undue demands on a child by asking them to do something you know would be difficult for them to do, like ten-page essays!  Try including creativity into projects, like including pictures in their written work.

• Too much is never a good thing.  For a child with a learning disability, avoid giving them too much to do, or giving too many instructions all at once.  They are not like other children that could accomplish things fast; they may need twice the amount of time given by regular students.

As a teacher, you are not only equipping your child educationally.  Some children with learning disabilities are overtly emotional.  By working closely with a child and reaching out to them mentally and emotionally, in time their self-esteem and confidence will be boosted and negative emotions will be eased.

When teaching children with learning disabilities, you should be aiming to set work that the child can comfortably finish; adapt to your child’s needs and impart information in a way that the child can retain.  Remember, you’re not only an academic educator, but also a guide and life coach to your child.

Today, it’s no longer uncommon to come across someone who has Down Syndrome. It’s a condition with no definitive cure, which is why individuals need to know more about the nature, risks and symptoms. Learning about the features and the syndrome itself can help you stay ahead and prevent complications.

Defining Down Syndrome
Down syndrome or Down’s syndrome is also known as trisomy 21. It’s a chromosomal disorder triggered by the presence of a portion or the entire extra 21st chromosome. The condition is named after John Langdon Down, a British doctor who described the syndrome back in 1866. The disorder was known as chromosome 21 trisomy by Jerome Lejeune in 1959.

Characteristics
A mixture of major and minor structural differences characterizes the condition. In most cases, Down syndrome is linked to problems with physical growth, facial appearance and cognitive ability.

Patients afflicted with Down syndrome usually have below average cognitive ability, ranging anywhere from mild to moderate developmental disabilities. There are also a few who have severe to profound mental disability. About 1 in every 800 to 1,000 births is found to have Down syndrome. Although the numbers are highly influenced by the mother’s age, other factors also have a role.

Physical Features
Several common physical features of the condition occur in individuals with a standard chromosome set too. Some of the inclusions may be a single transverse palmar crease, almond shape to the eyes due to the eyelid’s epicanthic fold, upslanting palpebral fissures, poor muscle tone, shorter limbs, bigger than usual space between the second and big toes and a protruding tongue. Some of the other health risks for patients include a heightened risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, congenital heart defects, obstructive sleep apnea, thyroid dysfunctions and repetitive ear infections.

Early childhood intervention, vocational training, common problem screening, medical treatment and a conducive family environment can prevent the arrest of development of Down syndrome among children. Proper care and education that leads to an improvement in quality of life are invaluable, even though some of the features of the condition cannot be controlled.

About the Chromosomes
A non-down’s baby inherits genetic information from the parents during conception through 46 chromosomes. 23 come from the mother, while 23 come from the father. In cases of Down syndrome, a baby can inherit an extra chromosome 21. The total chromosome count then becomes 47 instead of the usual 46. The extra genetic material leads to the developmental delays and physical features linked with Down syndrome.

There is no true known reason why Down syndrome occurs, and there are also no known ways to stop the chromosomal error that leads the condition. Women 35 years old and older, however, have a higher risk of bearing kids with the condition. Women aged 30 years have an estimated 1 in 900 chance of bearing a child with Down syndrome. Women aged 35 years have an estimated 1 in 350 chance of bearing a Down syndrome baby. Those aged 40 have a higher risk of about 1 in every 100.

Preparation
There is always a risk for parents to bear children with Down syndrome. The most important thing is that they stay prepared just in case the inevitable occurs. Early screening and diagnosis is key.