Q.Is
there an age requirement for your student programs?
A.
We work with students from age 5 through to adulthood.
Many young adults lack basic reading skills and find
“upgrading” a difficult task.
Q.Are
the methods you use with students different from traditional
schooling or tutoring methods?
A.
Generally speaking, "Yes". First, we are
much more specialized and focused on a process. Coming
to The Reading Foundation is like coming to a specialist
after you have seen a general practitioner. Many students
come to us with significant learning issues despite
being very bright. By dealing with one issue at a
time with a specialized program, we ensure the building
blocks for future learning are properly placed. Our
programs are also different in terms of delivery.
If possible, we like
to immerse our students in a program for four hours
of one-on-one each day to bring them the fastest possible
gains in the shortest period of time. This has a significant
impact on both their learning and their confidence.
Q.What
would be a typical schedule if I were a student of
The Reading Foundation?
A. Students are first assessed
for their needs. If they enter the program, they receive
one-to-one instruction for four hours daily, either
mornings or afternoons. Morning sessions are from
8AM to Noon and afternoon sessions are from 12:30
to 4:30 PM. There are short breaks between each hour
and a 15 minute "recess" after two hours.
Students usually come for about four consecutive weeks
and can start the program on any Monday, provided
there are openings. The Reading Foundation is busiest
in the summer months in both Calgary and Vancouver.
Q.Isn't four hours a day too much
for students?
A.
This concern is expressed by most people when
they first hear about the "immersion model".
However, it has been our clinical experience
that students adjust very well to this routine.
The main reason for this is that they are experiencing
success every step of the way, which becomes
self-motivating. Within a few days, all students
adjust and in fact surprise their parents by
actually wanting to come to the clinic. Each
hour is also broken up into a number of activities,
so students get plenty of variety.
"You
must have a magic clock here. The
time goes so fast." - 10 year
old student
A.
No. Our experience is that homework assignments
during the intensive program become counter-productive.
However, parents are invited to observe and
are given strategies and materials for follow-up
once the student leaves the program.
