Questions about Audiblox: Sequencing

I just bought the Audiblox program and I've been working with my daughter for five days. Short-term memory is a huge problem, so I'm concerned with how she is supposed to remember the blocks. Does she need to assign something to help her to remember each color? Is that just a suggestion or a must to do the exercise properly? She's having trouble attaching meaning to colors and her fingers. I know the exercise says picture something on your finger, but she would rather say "yellow sun" or "blue sky." Will this affect the quality of the exercise?

If you've been doing Audiblox for five days you should be doing Sequencing exercise 3, which has nothing to do with using your fingers or teaching associations. No memory "tricks" should be used when doing Sequencing exercise 3.

Sequencing exercise 1, which appears in Level 3 and onwards, requires the learner to use his fingers and learn associations (please use the associations in the manual), but this should only be introduced once the learner knows and understands this exercise.

Read this article: Memory Training: A Key to Overcoming Learning Disabilities and Underachievement. Teaching the skill of memory is much more important than teaching memory techniques ("tricks"), so if your daughter finds it very difficult to learn the techniques, i.e. to use her fingers and learn and use the associations, don't be too concerned. With practice her memory will improve and you will be surprised how many blocks she will eventually be able to remember — with sustained practice.

Thanks so much for getting back to me and I won't stress over the color associations. I read the article and short-term memory is exactly what they pinpointed Sarah's issue to be when we had her tested. I started with the Standard Program. Now, I think you may have hit on my basic misunderstanding of the program — progression. I started at Level 1. It says the minimum number of lessons required is six. So, should I have done Sequencing exercise 1 until Sarah remembers as many as she can and then move on to exercise 2, then 3? Then continued on until we've done six sessions and move to Level 2? Am I on the right track...??

Level 1 of the Standard Program says you should do Sequencing exercise 3 (page 77), not Sequencing exercise 1. So, if you have been doing Sequencing exercise 1 instead of Sequencing exercise 3, just start over with Level 1. Your daughter would still have benefited, so it's not a big deal.

Level 1:

Sequencing exercise 3 for 10 minutes
Arrows exercise for 2 minutes
Pattern exercise 1 for 10 minutes
Spatial exercise for 1-2 minutes
Reading exercise for 10 minutes
Counting exercise 3 for 3 minutes
Crumple Papers exercise 2
Pattern exercise 3 for 5 minutes

You must do this whole lesson plan for a minimum of six sessions (more is better), before moving on to Level 2.

If you look at Level 2 you'll see that there are now two lesson plans, not only one lesson plan as in Level 1. Lesson 1 of Level 2 is exactly the same as the lesson plan of Level 1, but Lesson 2 is different. You must alternate between the two lesson plans.

Also look at Level 5, Lesson 1 of the Standard Program. You'll notice it says... Sequencing exercise 3. So, this exercise is part of your program from beginning to end. It is, indeed, an important exercise. However, what you will find is that where your daughter might initially be struggling to remember 8 or 9 blocks, remembering 24 or 30 blocks won't be difficult six months from now.

I have to laugh as I'm reading this. I really wish someone had done this program for me. Maybe I wouldn't have to read things over and over and also miss simple details. I thought it said for (to do sequencing exercise) 3 to 10 minutes, not exercise 3 for 10 minutes.

Thanks so much for your time and quick response. I will let you know how it goes!