The bits of intelligence that are so fashionable are actually based on a very simple and natural concept in humans, or at least as natural as seeing objects and recognizing them by name. Intelligence bits are units of information, visual information cards that constitute an early stimulation method, based on the repetitive display (and listening) of these bits.
The "creator" of the intelligence bits (although I am sure that this method was frequently used before as a game) was Glenn Doman, an American physiotherapist, and defined them as:
Information units that are presented to children in an appropriate way. Its concrete realization is found in the use of a very precise illustration or drawing or a good quality photograph accompanied by an auditory stimulus, which consists of stating out loud what it represents.
As we can see, it is a simple concept that many of you have probably used with your children without knowing that it was bits of intelligence.
In fact, These cards can be made by ourselves in a very simple way, taking advantage of drawings or photos of magazines, of packaging, with word and image processors, or simply with a folio or cardboard and marker pens to draw. In addition, there are custom token generators that can be used as bits.
Some files are simply formed by drawing or photography, which must be simple, without small details, easily recognizable, and others are accompanied by the written word. What matters is that the adult who shows the cards to the baby (or who lets him manipulate them) tells him what name he receives what appears on each card.
They are usually grouped by themes or categories, there are dedicated to animals, clothing, food, numbers or even traffic signs (here the symbolic language comes into play) ...
What triumphs of this "method" is the conjunction of two terms so valued today, stimulation and intelligence, and that sometimes leads us to think that our children will be early geniuses. And, even if not, the intelligence bits do entail some Benefits, which are not exclusive to the bits (can be achieved with other methods):
- The bits of intelligence help to improve the attention and concentration of the children in the tasks.
- They help develop and stimulate the brain, memory and learning.
- They contribute to the visual and auditory development of the child.
- Vocabulary learning
Regarding vocabulary learning, I am of the opinion that if you can't say a word a year and know how to say a year and a half, nothing happens. In fact, the differences in the acquisition of languages is very different in each child and does not mean that they will not know how to communicate when they grow up.
According to its "creator," the best time to implement this method is when the child does not exceed six years of age. It would be necessary to repeat the presentation of the same ten cards three times a day (in separate sessions with each other), for five days in a row, or stop before if we observe that the child gets tired.
The truth is that this repetitive sequencing does not seem too appealing to children, personally I prefer to use the "intelligence bits" or information cards as a game with children, and not as a method with a specific purpose. That really is already a lot, because playing is how you learn.
