Brain Balance

Where every child learns what it feels like to succeed

Academic Training

 

Why use academic training?

 

Children with neurobehavioral and learning disabilities present with specific regions of neurological under-connectivity (see underlying imbalance). This often results in areas of specific academic weaknesses. The degree of academic weakness varies dependent on the regions effected and the severity of the disorder. Hence, some of these children struggle to get by while others just never seem to achieve their full potential.

 

 

Who will be working with my child?

 

Our teachers are certified in Special Education and are additionally trained to implement our specific protocols which are directed towards each child’s underlying academic weakness. They are dedicated and patient, helping each student succeed through positive re-enforcement. Our unique approach results in increased abilities, confidence and self esteem. This leads to increased motivation and continued academic  success.

 

Why is our training so effective?

 

The key to our success is identifying the root causes of the learning difficulties. This enables us to implement the most effective techniques that will facilitate academic achievement. While children exhibit specific areas of academic weakness one must keep in mind that their weakness is most often not due to lack of intelligence but rather an underlying imbalance or under-connectivity within specific regions or circuits in the brain. Therefore, while our academic training is child specific it is the Brain Balance Program in its entirety which helps the brain function more efficiently and builds areas which before functioned at a sub-optimal level. Once functioning at a higher level the child is now able to utilize concepts and skills, which in the past were difficult if not impossible to grasp.

 

We like to use the following analogy; picture your child’s brain initially as a stone and certain skills (academic and social) as water. For years learning was like pouring water on a stone, our program stimulates the brain causing it to act more like a sponge soaking up what it could not before.

 

How we test children

 

In order to determine areas of academic weakness we assess over 130 different academic functions. This includes standardized comprehensive evaluation of academic achievement in areas such as:

 

Word Reading: Assessing phonological awareness and decoding skills.

 

Reading Comprehension: Measuring your child’s ability to read and comprehend written passages through answering content questions.

 

Pseudo word Decoding: Measuring your child’s ability to apply phonetic decoding skills.

 

Numerical Operations: Evaluating the ability to identify and write numbers. Each child will solve simple equations involving all operations.

 

Math Reasoning: Evaluates the ability to reason mathematically. Your child will interpret graphs, solve word problems and identify patterns.

 

Spelling: Evaluates the ability to spell words.

 

Written Expression: Measures a child’s ability to demonstrate written word fluency, generate sentences and produce a paragraph or essay.

 

Listening Comprehension: Evaluates a child’s ability to listen for details.

 

Oral Language: Measures a child’s ability to generate stories as well as directions from visual or verbal cues.

 

 

The connection between eye function and academics

 

“ Twenty five percent of students in grades K-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to impede learning” (American Public Health Association)

 

We also carefully evaluate and train eye function. For success in school, children must have other equally important visual skills in addition to their visual acuity. They must be able to:

· coordinate their eye movements and follow a line of print without losing their place or skipping words.

· move fluently across the line with limited fixations and or regressions.

· easily find their place at the beginning of the next line and not skip lines.

· maintain clear focus as they read or make quick focusing and eye position changes (e.g. looking up to the black-board and back to their desks).

Moreover, they must be able to interpret and accurately process what they are seeing. If children have inadequate visual skills in any of these areas, they can experience great difficulty in school, especially while reading.

 

We utilize a state of the art, infrared, eye movement recording system with analysis software to evaluate reading skills. The system is designed to assess fundamental visual, perceptual and cognitive skills that are essential for fluent reading at adequate rates. This technology helps assess:

 

· Fixations – number of eye stops made while reading a 100-word passage

· Regressions – backward eye movements

· Span of Recognition – amount of text that is recognized during each eye stop.

· WPM – words read per minute

· Cross correlation – how well your eyes work together.

· Anomalies – irregular eye movements

 

 

How our training works

 

Based on the results of our comprehensive evaluation we tailor an individualized academic program. We teach according to each child’s specific needs in an effort to help them achieve their highest academic potential. Each program is directed towards improving specific regions of brain under-activity and resultant academic weaknesses from the subtle to the profound. Some of the children we work with need extensive academic assistance while others simply need an “extra boost”.

 

Each child will receive 36 sessions which will be directed towards specific math and reading skills. These sessions will be used in an effort to stimulate specific areas of neurological and academic weakness. Each session is presented in a fun and nurturing manner to facilitate the learning process. Your child will also be instructed on age appropriate study strategies and organizational skills. Supplemental home study is also utilized if needed.

 

Educators, parents and children alike will notice the benefit of our methods. Children build their academic skills while earning higher grades in school. The results are easy to see in academic achievement, focus, attention and organizational skills, as well as in improvement of your child’s confidence and self-esteem.