Learning Disabilities and
Sensory Integration TherapiesThe parent of a learning disabled child
who looks for private services can become overwhelmed at the choices
available. There are multiple theories and therapies which all promise
to address your need. How do we choose? How do we sort out which will be
truly beneficial to this particular child with this particular
difficulty?
It’s not easy. We must be wise and discerning. We must do our
homework.
The Old Schoolhouse wants to help you sort out the views and the
vendors in this arena. While we can’t diagnose your child or give a
specific learning prescription, we can endeavor to introduce you over
the months to some ideas and possibilities.
Several ads in magazines for Essential Learning Institute piqued my
curiosity. They stated that they could help parents deal with their
child’s special needs in the home setting. Eager to know more, I
contacted them and spoke with Robert Salzman, founder of the company,
and Faye Westover, Educational Service Director of ELI, and this month
we bring you parts of our discussion. Christine Field
TOS: Mr. Salzman, why was your company started?
Mr. Salzman: Essential Learning Institute was founded to help small
Christian and private Schools and Homeschooling families gain access to
quality Learning Disability programs at affordable prices. Most programs
available to smaller schools and home schoolers can be very expensive
costing between ten to fifteen thousand dollars. Either the programs are
administered over several years or special schools are established with
high additional annual tuitions. Often these programs are no more
effective than the special education programs in most school districts.
In 1990 Essential Learning Institute decided to invest in several of the
best computer-based sensory integration training programs available and
set up delivery systems that allowed the individual school or family to
access these programs on an individualized basis, thus spreading the
cost over many students and lowering the price per client.
Over the years we saw pain and frustration in students and their
families as a result of learning problems. Parents tried everything from
vitamins and eye training to expensive tutorial programs, usually to no
avail. From the moment we started ELI we saw and experienced incredible
success both within our Clinic and in our home therapy programs. As an
Educational Consultant to private and Christian schools and home
schooling families I am familiar with virtually everything in the
educational marketplace. Tragically, schools and families today are in
even worse straits then they were when we began almost 13 years ago. The
same educational programs are being administered using the same
ineffective methods as in the past and the LD and at risk student
numbers increase every year (54%) .This is what caused us to get
involved and to keep on through the years. There is nothing more
satisfying than to see a child who thought he couldn't do it, or felt he
was dumb or stupid, suddenly find himself reading and learning and
succeeding. Seeing students who had given up on themselves, unable to
even look the teacher in the eye, now functioning at grade level with
the whole world before them is very satisfying!. There is nothing like
it! We have thirteen successful years working with children, young
people and, yes, even adults (25% of our clients are over 18 some as old
as 64). The wonderful thing about it is we can count on one hand the
number of students we haven't been able to help, out of almost 1500. The
new programs now include additional components including online
curriculum and 24/7 tutorial assistance and much more. The good news is
Learning disabilities and learning differences can be corrected...we see
it all the time!
TOS: That is exciting, as more and more homeschoolers are choosing to
educate their special needs children at home. Others lack the confidence
to do so. What does ELI offer homeschoolers to help them tackle this
task?
Ms. Westover: Our program will allow us to correct the areas of
struggle, as well as place the student at the skill level where they can
best perform,
prescribe a full curriculum from now until graduation, maintain
report cards and transcripts as they complete the program, and
award
an accredited diploma once they complete the requirements for
graduation. Our curriculum is designed for independent study and
is
easily administered. It is an outstanding curriculum that prepares
students to succeed after graduation, whether they attend a
university or enter the workforce.
Our program is individualized to each student using both the LD
testing (described below) and the diagnostic testing which will enable
us to find exactly where the academic difficulties lie and address those
before moving the student on. Many times a student has missed key
foundational skills which effect their ability to succeed in more
strenuous work. Our testing allows us to find those areas and fill those
learning gaps.
TOS: We understand that a learning disability is often a processing
difficulty, whether visual processing or auditory processing or both.
Can you briefly describe each of these deficits?
Ms. Westover: To process information, one must first of all make
sense of what they see or hear, then process it properly, next store it
in memory, and later be able to retrieve it when necessary.
Visual processing basically means that the student has difficulty
processing what he/she sees and storing it in memory.
Auditory processing means that the student has difficulty processing
what he/she hears and storing it in memory.
TOS: And these are some of the issues addressed in your program,
which involves Sensory Integration Therapy. Can you give us a layman’s
definition of Sensory Integration Therapy?
Ms. Westover: Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) is a series of
neurological exercises that interlink the visual, auditory, and motor
pathways in the brain in order to aid the implanting of information. In
its simplest form, SIT stimulates the brain in one sensory mode, asks
for a recall of information from memory using a second sensory mode, and
then asks for a response using a third sensory mode. By going through
this simple, multimodality task, correctly sequenced and timed, the
brain proceeds to interlock the sensory pathways or “patterns” of neural
connections.
The connections that take place during learning increase, and within
a matter of minutes following training, new connections are in place.
These connections are the basis for memory retention of any skill.
Repetition of the skill reinforces it and places it more firmly into
long-term memory. SIT provides massive multisensory stimulation through
simple interlinking sequences to affect this learning process.
In this way, the brain is provided with so many positively reinforced
and correct neurological stimuli that it proceeds to select proper
learning pathways. Learning then takes place easily and fluidly.
TOS: What does your Testing Kit consist of? Can this be done in the
home by a parent?
Ms. Westover: There are several components, including a Learning
Efficiency Test, Diagnostic Screening Tests for Reading and Spelling,
Grade Level Equivalency test disk for Language Arts or Math (request and
choose)
. Our Testing Kit includes a
Video Training Tape for Testing Procedures,
Evaluator’s Quick Reference Guide Book
,
Sensory Integration Therapy Information,
a Cassette Tape on Learning Disabilities and
Notes, a Parent Evaluation Form, a Symptoms Checklist and a
Client Information Sheet.
Upon the return of these materials, parents receive a Multi-page
Evaluation Report including:
General Reports that summarize test
data in both graphic and narrative formats by explaining how the
student’s responses point to particular strengths and weaknesses,
Teacher Reports that explain barriers
the student may face in learning and make simple suggestions for
classroom accommodations and lesson modifications,
Parent Reports that recommend
activities for home, provide tips to help with schoolwork, and provide a
suggested reading list.
The ELS Recommendations Report suggests a specific therapeutic
course for each student,
the
Language Arts or Mathematics Grade Level
Equivalency Report determines the material mastered and not mastered
in the student’s particular grade level, and
we also provide
Telephone Support Service and Recommendations where staff are
ready and willing to walk you through the results of the testing reports
and offer suggestions and recommendations for the needs of your child.
TOS: After testing, you give a course of sensory integration therapy.
Is this primarily computer based? What exactly does the student DO? What
is the parent’s role?
Ms. Westover: Yes, the sensory integration is primarily computer
based. The student works on 7 main exercises on the computer – SHARE,
ECHO, WORD MATCH, CLUES, COPY-WRITE, QUICK PICK, and QUICK TALK. All
parts of the menu are designed to work on a specific learning skill, but
each is dependent upon the others for success. In addition, it is
recommended that the students do 4 worksheets to supplement each
session, do a short term recall exercise, and do a long term recall
exercise 3 weeks after completing a lesson.
Essential Learning Systems uses warm up exercises (SHARE) to enable
the student to see, hear and respond to the words that will be used in
the session. The four exercises in SHARE focus on specific modality
(visual, auditory, kinesthetic) combinations. This process is highly
effective for learning and developing language skills because the
exercises criss-cross various pathways and enable reflexive learning.
Following the warm up exercises, the student will do integration
tasks designed specifically to move the information from short to long
term memory thus helping them to automatically be able to decode and
encode this stored information through concept repetition.
The first integration task is ECHO, which implants the lesson words
while simultaneously practicing eye tracking. ECHO also helps students
recognize words through their visual and speech patterns.
Next is WORD MATCH, a sensory integration exercise that connects
lesson words with similar patterns, word definition, visual image, and
sentence. Students must take every part of a word – definition,
sentence, and graphic – and merge them into one comprehensive element.
Word Match is a visual and mental exercise and results in an auditory
clue providing links in memory. There are four versions of Word Match,
each with two variations.
CLUES is an exercise that practices visual and auditory closure
skills by showing and saying a “cloze” sentence. The student must use
context clues, auditory memory, and visual memory skills to correctly
complete the sentence. Clues was designed to combine auditory and visual
input from the computer.
QUICK PICK is a timed exercise that practices high-level auditory and
visual discrimination skills. In this exercise, the computer displays
three words on the screen and says one of them. The student must
discriminate between the auditory and visual similarities of the three
words to make the correct selection.
QUICK TALK is a test of endurance. This exercise can be likened to a
flash card drill; each word is quickly flashed upon the screen and the
student must read it aloud. Quick Talk requires close visual attention,
visual discrimination, knowledge of the lesson’s word patterns, and
quick motor response skills.
The WORKSHEETS included with ELS play an integral role in
consolidating the various sensory information acquired during the day’s
lesson.
Parents need to monitor the student as he/she does the exercises.
During SHARE, the parent will need to listen to the student read a list
of words three times. On some exercises, parents must watch and listen
to be sure the student is talking aloud with the computer. Help is
needed for the scoring of some of the supplementary worksheets.
TOS: How long does this take - the amount of time per day as well as
the expected duration of therapy?
Ms. Westover: The student works for 45 minutes to 1 hour per day, 4
consecutive days per week, for 9 months or a minimum of 130 sessions.
TOS: Are there certain types of disability for which this therapy is
most appropriate? What kinds of kids would NOT benefit from this?
Ms. Westover: We deal with about 95% of all learning difficulties
including visual and auditory processing, ADD, ADHD, and dyslexia.
Students with autism, aspergers, and ODD are enrolled with discretion.
TOS: You also offer complete curriculum for students in your program.
Can you tell us about that?
Ms. Westover In addition to the sensory integration therapy, we have
many different individualized curriculums available including
self-instructional textbooks, interactive CDs, and online curriculum.
The self-paced, individualized curriculum usually works best for
struggling students because it assures mastery before proceeding to
higher levels. It has been carefully compiled to introduce children to
concrete and abstract reasoning skills at appropriate age levels.
Vocabulary has been meticulously chosen to spiral from simple to
complex, and from concrete to abstract. Character traits such as
honesty, kindness, and loyalty are woven throughout the curriculum.
Parents can be assured of 1) a solid, back to basics education, 2) a
course of study individualized to meet a child’s specific needs and
learning capabilities, 3) a program incorporating character-building and
wisdom principles, and 4) a curriculum using advanced computer
technology to help ensure the finest education possible in today’s
high-tech society.
Because every struggling student has individual needs, following a
proper assessment, we select from a variety of curriculum. We generally
choose an individualized, self instructional, mastery based curriculum
such as the Accelerated Christian Education, Inc. publications. We also
have a number of other vendors we pick and choose from.
TOS: I want to thank you both for sharing with our readers about your
program. Your website, www.ldhope.com, is full of informative articles
about learning disabilities, as well as complete coverage of your
program and pricing.
This is one approach to dealing with learning disabilities in the
home. Parents of differently-abled children have many resources to
choose. Over the months in this Resource Room feature of The Old
Schoolhouse, we hope to bring you solid information about what is
available to help you make an informed choice. The presence of a
particular company or approach in this column does not mean it is
endorsed or recommended by TOS. The course of therapy is an
individualized decision for parents and must be entered into with great
thought, research and prayer. Our goal is to equip you with information
to help you make informed choices.
Until next time, press on .... and happy researching!
Copy of "SOLUTIONS FOR
STRUGGLING STUDENTS"