In Part 1(Get Your Children Into a State of Focused Concentration & They Can Learn Faster ) I invited you to use a technique that will get your kids into a positive learning state. This is the state your kids should get into any time they need to take in, store and recall information.

It will absolutely make time go fast, everything will be more fun and it will be easier to learn.

By the way, you can put Part 1 into action, can’t you?

Let me explain another powerful state for learning…the SLANT technique.

It is a strategy adapted by Dr Ed Ellis. With SLANT, your kids will discover how to pay attention, not just in their classes.

Here’s what you do:

• Sit up-in your chair
• Lean forward – this tells the speaker that you are interested. It also alerts your brain to be curious.
• Ask Questions – When you do this, you keep your mind engaged. Eg what will he tells us next? You also get clarity or you can have them repeat information that was said.
• Nod your head – This shows the speaker that you’re listening. It sends a message to the speaker and to your own brain as well.
• Talk to the speaker – According to research, learning happens in the same part of your brain where relationships and connections are made. (MacLean, 1990) So, talk to the speaker/ presenter/ teacher and build a relationship with them.

Model the SLANT technique to your kids and practise it frequently. This way they can access the best state for learning and your kids will learn more, in less time and with less effort.

How good does that sound? How great would your kids feel? Can you see them enjoying learning?

Bonus tip

• Have your kids sit close to the front of their class or when they need to listen to someone… they’ll pay greater attention.
• Remember:Your kids are watching and listening to everything you do…so model attentive behavior yourself.

OK, It’s Let’s Talk Time…

I invite you to practise this technique and let me know how you and your children find it. Will it be easy? Probably not at the beginning. As you are aware, making something a habit takes time. It needs to become part of your daily routine or rituals.

I also invite you to leave a comment below and share what has worked…what hasn’t.

Would you like your kids to learn techniques where time goes faster, where they can spend more time doing other things which they really enjoy, get better results on tests, study less and they’ll do better in school and enjoy it?

I was first introduced to this technique by Tad James, a certified Master Trainer in NLP. This technique absolutely works. I have used it extensively to empower both kids and adults so they are totally focused.

Let me explain…

We are all aware that all learning is dependent upon the state in which it occurs. (“State” refers to a mixture of posture, thoughts and feelings.) And that learning happens both consciously and unconsciously.

If your kids have a really solid state to take in, store and recall information at any time, especially at test time, then how great would that feel?

This is the state we want ourselves and our kids to be in when learning is occurring.

Let’s look at one way to get your children into the Learning State:

• Pick a spot on the wall… somewhere towards the ceiling so that your eyes bump up against your eyebrows.
• As you look at it, observe that you see things in your peripheral vision. Peripheral vision is a part of your vision that occurs outside the very center of your gaze.

[Before we continue, do this peripheral vision exercise1) Put both thumbs parallel to one another at arms length in front of you. 2) Then, continuing to look straight ahead at your spot on the wall, move your arms slowly apart until you can no longer see your thumbs from the corners of your eyes.

Notice the distance between your two thumbs. This is most likely 180 degrees. What you can see within that distance is known as your peripheral vision.]

• As you sit there with your attention in your peripheral vision, bring your eyes down and look at the person in front of you or someone you are going to focus on.

To explain how this works to your children, I invite your to use Tad’s explanation.

Think of your brain as having a trapdoor. Put your hand on your head. Now, go in and open up the trapdoor to your brain. The teacher pours all the info into your brain during a lesson or before you go to the next teacher. At the end of class, you close the trapdoor of your brain and go to the next class.

When it comes time for them to take the test, your kids open up their trapdoor to their brain. Then they pour all the information onto the test paper from their brain by going back into the learning state.

Here’s what I invite you to do NOW:

• Pick a spot on the wall…put one up high in your kid’s study area.
• Focus on it.
• Allow your awareness to extend into your peripheral vision.
• Drop your eyes down and focus on the teacher or someone you need to focus on.

This is the state your children should get into any time they need to take in, store and recall information. It will make time go fast, everything will be more fun and it will be easier to learn.

How cool would that be?

OK, It’s Let’s Talk Time…

I invite you to practise this technique and let me know how you and your children find it. Will it be easy? Probably not at the beginning. As you are aware, making something a habit takes time. It needs to become part of your daily routine or rituals.

I also invite you to leave a comment below and share what has worked..what hasn’t …You can do that, can’t you?