WINNING SYSTEMS 1 THE GUARANTEED SOLUTION YOU HAVE BEEN SEEKING. ACCELERATED READING Many children are handicapped for life by their poor reading. COMMON READING PROBLEMS -Pronunciation deficits -Avoidance of failure -Competition ACCELERATED READING SOLUTION -Eliminate the pronunciation deficit -Eliminate failure assignments in reading classes -Positive Motivation system POOR READING How can a child catch-up with the good readers? Your child needs to make up for a 2 to 6 year difference in pronunciation experience. Fortunately the solution is mostly a matter of numbers. Here's a numerical explanation of the problem and the solution. THE COMPETITION Early readers have had hundreds of hours of practice at pronouncing words. They can easily pronounce many thousands of words after seeing the printed symbols. Good readers easily consume the equivalent of 100 to 200 children's books per year. How many words is that? 100 thirty page children's books containing 10,000 words equals one million words per year. 200 thirty page children's books containing 10,000 words equals two million words per year. Example: How many years have the competition been good readers? 1yr 1,000,000 words recognized and pronounced 2yrs 2,000,000 words 3yrs 3,000,000 words 4yrs 4,000,000 words 5yrs 5,000,000 words ---------------------------- SOLUTION THE ACCELERATED READING CATCH UP 2 hours per day 5 days per week. 1yr 2,500,000 words - catch up 2yrs 5,000,000 words - still catching up with the competition 3yrs 7,500,000 words - going slightly ahead of the competition 4yrs 10,000,000 words - staying ahead of the competition ACCELERATED READING A 500 hour program to make up for a large part of the pronunciation gap. The program includes: -250 hours of Peterson Reading chorusing at 12,000 words per hour equals 2.5 million words pronounced. -250 hours of Accelerated Thinking to practice organizing, speaking and writing. --------------------- 99% SUCCESS The Accelerated Reading system solves 99% of reading problems in 12 months or less, 12 months part time or 9 months full time. Many parents say, "We have tried everything to solve the problem". "Why didn't it work?" Most parents and teachers have tried short "band-aid" programs to solve the reading problems. Parents continue to be vexed by the failures to read. They are looking for a "light bulb to go on". This seldom happens, but even if it does happen the child still has a massive pronunciation deficit to make up. ------------------------- PREVIOUS REMEDIAL EFFORTS WEREN'T LONG ENOUGH Let's look at the numerical problem and solution. -------------------------- SLOW SPEED REMEDIATION VS HIGH SPEED REMEDIATION Slow or intermittent remedial programs will add to the deficit. Slow speed remediation convinces the child that there will be no solution. They lose hope, some cry. Most hide their dismay. ------------------------ SOLUTION Accelerated Reading students experience success within a few hours. When you have replaced the years of avoided reading practices your child will be able to read. We have had 99% success with this solution. Children want to be readers. They are happy to read when they can be successful. To catch up, use a rapid pronunciation program. Use fast paced classes. Attend at least 5 days a week. Solve the problem in the minimum number of years. Use reward management to keep the child on task. ----------------------- Caution for parents: A SLOW REMEDIAL PROGRAM WILL NEVER ACCOMPLISH THE CATCHUP The struggling remedial student that has just learned to decode will keep avoiding reading. Without a intensive program they will never catch up with the competition. It is unfair to expect the delayed reader to ever catch up on their own. Your well-meaning admonishments and harassments to read continue to defeat the child's optimism. PROBLEMA POOR READERS are defeated by the competition The crippling effects of school failure become a lifelong burden that is almost impossible to lift. Poor readers are locked away from much of the kindness, affection and approval available to academically successful children. ---------------------- MORE QUESTIONS ANSWERED Q. Why does it work? A. Strict timing 555 classes Our students participate in learning rituals that: - reduce anxiety - reduce distraction - allow concentration - focus more on the input material. In each 45 minute 555 period students integrate and re-process the input material. 2250 words of input 225 Key words or notes 1025 words of tell-back or restating. 450 written words consolidated on 3 pages ------------------------ 555 STRICT TIMING Learning to listen then train to speak. Minimize group and self-criticism. Students use thinking processes and procedures. Grasp significance. Make educated decisions. Fluency becomes possible. Become an informed participant. -Students do writing that will earn them wider recognition. -------------------- A. PETERSON READING -Safe group -Positive group -Dynamic Group -Students like to be part of a group. Special Peterson Phrase Lists are used. We get around the avoidance of specialized vocabularies like: -Word recognition -Science terminology -Historical names and places -Business and medical languages Students say the sounds and then match the sounds with the shapes of words on supplemental Peterson Phrase lists. Repeating, chorusing, the meaningful phrases improves comprehension and retention. Children in Accelerated Reading experience significant success within a few hours. ------------------------ SHOULD EDUCATION BE EASY? Some students ask this Question "Why is this school so easy?". "It's so easy I'm not sure I am learning anything." A. Accelerated was designed to make learning easy. A. Strict timing and strict rules make school safe and easy. The massive 42 text curriculum is divided into small parts. There are thousands of 5 minute assignments. 45 5 minute assignments in the 4 hour morning. 225 5 minute assignments per week. 7080 5 minute assignments in 36 weeks. Each 5 minute assignment is scored immediately. Assignments gradually increase in difficulty. ------------------------ EASY PERFORMANCE 60 to 100 pages of writing per week including notes, rough drafts and finished papers. 1960 to 3600 pages in 36 weeks includes: -One 2 page research paper per week for 36 weeks -One documentary or book report weekly. -One practice mastery test per week. -One practice ACT/SAT test each week. -One AP essay per week copied or original. -One mastery test per semester. -One Standardized Test per month -4 off-campus field trips per week. ------------------ PRIORITIES TO MAKE GAINS: Strict timing Fast auditory inputs Verbal output practices Listening to students Students write over 2000 pages of notes and drafts each school year. -------------------- Newsletter Jan 2001 ACCELERATED READING Parents are apprehensive about all schools. Our procedures are different from what many parents have thought about reading. REASONS FOR SUCCESS Here are some of the reasons for our success. Accelerated Reading Motivating children with high speed successes. If students think they can do something they will. Accelerated Reading gives students many successes until they know they can read. --------------- NEWSLETTER JAN 2001 EARLY READING SUCCESS Reasons for early or successful reading. A child reading or listening to 100 children's books in a year has subvocalized or pronounced over a million words PER YEAR. Early readers have many years to practice word recognition skills. Talkative parents provide more models for vocabulary. Families that discuss current events stimulate early reading. Families without TV replace the time with reading and discussion. Those families usually have fluent readers. ------------------------ NEWSLETTER 8-25-99 HOW DOES THE BRAIN WORK LIKE THE INTERNET? I apologize in advance for this over-simplification. I may be using or misusing outdated "computer and internet jargon." Your brain has some similarity to the internet. Your brain has a much larger capacity than 100,000 computers. Use the largest number you have ever used. That number is probably not close to the number of gigabytes of storage capacity in your brain. "Hard drives?" "Virtual memory?" Your hard drives contain billions of web sites of different sizes. Your brain stores and retains all you hear and see in your files, web sites, and back up files. New experiences and all information inputs create more links between the sites. Memory patterns trigger auditory and visual searches by thousands of your "search engines". These engines find and discard the less usable information within milliseconds. Your search engines select the most correct answers to your queries much faster than a direct connect line to your service provider. The brain retrieves sound and pictures in scenarios. This enables you to talk and write the information to meet the needs of your listener or reader. What has this got to do with Accelerated Thinking? 1. P555 divides books, "new download files", into short 5 minute auditory inputs. This is a "small file" the memory can convert to usable visual scenarios without "locking up" and losing most of the input. Making simultaneous memory patterns creates webs and links needed for rapid memory. These links are visual and auditory. 2. The second 5 minutes, "tell-back", is an auditory review of the first 5 minutes. While you are speaking and listening the mind races through a "sorting" procedure or "learning procedure". The mind organizes the material for speaking and writing. It uses a software like an "outliner". 3. The third 5 minutes, "fast-write", condenses the original 1000 words of input into 10 to 20 short sentences, 150 words. Your hand "prints" them on the paper at 30 words per minute. During the fast-write "artificial intelligence" analyzes the "look" and meaning of the sentences. It usually substitutes a different and more appropriate ending to most of the sentences you started to write. Your "grammar" and "spellchecker" work simultaneously to arrange the words in understandable formats. MORE ABOUT THE MEMORY PATTERNS The memory pattern is a unique "map" or indexing of the material. Mapping enables you to "save" then "retrieve", re-assemble the input. The two word phrases you scribble on the memory pattern are connected with lines to create a "cluster". This cluster diagram creates supplemental "links" the links to guide your re-creation of the thoughts in your own personal order. You demonstrate your re-assembly with "output": -Restatements during the tellback. -Restatements during the fast-write. "Sorts and retrieving" The mind performs thousands of multiple assembly practices within milli-seconds. Each re-sorting and comparison with your memories results in minor variations. This massive number of placements and linkings of data makes the retrieval process possible and even relatively easy. The cumulative total of countless billions of linkings is essential to good decision making. Peterson Phrase lists -An essential starting point for learning new subjects. -Efficient rapid input of learning components. -Two or three word input of words combine to make meaningful phrases. Common usage phrases are more likely to be remembered. -Multiple word inputs get stored in multiple files in your brain. -Chorusing practices quickly train your mouth and voice muscles to make the correct output sounds. -Chorusing practices reduce time wasting regressions, questions, poor comprehension, and overwriting. ------------------------ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q. Why do you want students to write so much? A. We learn most when we are espousing our views. ------------------------ WRITING An opportunity to espouse a viewpoint without a problem. Let the ideas wash and be kept or discarded. ------------------- NEWSLETTER 8-25-99 This material was originally written by Carl Peterson as part of Interlocking Communications in 1966. It was revised for Accelerated Language 1989 and e-written in 1999 and 2001. ACCELERATED LANGUAGE THEORY Copying to learn is not a new idea. Man has been copying to learn since the beginning of time. Copying of manuscripts to learn was used by the Chinese in 5000 B.C. Ancient Greeks were copying manuscripts to learn in 2000 B.C. Copying of McGuffy's Reader was widely used as a learning method in frontier America, over 100 years ago. Newborn babies copy adults and peers to learn all kinds of behaviors. Accelerated Language lessons are a logical extension of our copying/word-processing procedures that have been successful for many years. The Problem - WRITING ANXIETY Many children freeze when asked to write a story, they don't know how to begin and they cannot accomplish the work assigned. ------------------------ THE CASE FOR COPYING Why does it work so well? Copying on a paper or word processor gets writing behavior started. Accelerated Language divides the overall writing task into small steps the student can easily perform. Students can accomplish the assignments and be taught in successive stages to write creatively as well. The results of a word processing copying or writing assignment can be easily measured, graded and rewarded by parents or teachers. Children learn by copying the behaviors being practiced around them. They have copied many behaviors since birth. 5 year old students can learn to use the computer to copy in our classrooms. Copying assignments can be performed without the supervision of parents. (Excessive supervision of homework by parents can create a dependency behavior where the student refuses to do homework independently without the help of the parents or teachers.) It is important to realize the copying is not just a time consuming task. The student is acquiring information, reading and rereading concepts and relationships. Continued exposure to innumerable correct spellings, punctuation, capitalization appropriate sentence construction and concise writing style provides models for the student's writing development. Students copying and word processing, verbally restate or "sub-vocalize" many words as they form the words on paper. Subvocalizing along with the visual and motor processing required adds substantially to the student's memory of the information copied. Copying requires extended attention to what could be a very tedious task. It is very useful as an assignment for students with short attention spans. Copying is a good assignment for students who read poorly or not at all. If students copy pages or a chapter from a textbook each night, you can be sure they have interacted with the material. Students may complain that copying is "boring", but that comment could be made about most homework assignments. Homework copying assignments require concerted effort, task completion and indicate positive steps in the direction of learning habits. ------------------------ CAUTION: Use good judgement when asking a student with excellent writing skills to copy. What you are after is the behavior of doing homework and writing. Make assignments which can be easily monitored and rewarded. Don't let students get upset with copying. Do continue suggesting that either copying/paraphrasing a book or writing their own material will receive rewards. ------------------------ COPYING IS A GOOD WAY TO LEARN TO BE AN ARTIST Copying to learn art has been used since primitive times. Example: American Indians are still copying designs that originated more than 20,000 years ago. Copying was very heavily used in early religious art. Many apprentice artists would spend most of their lives duplicating the art of the more popular artists of the time. Most art teachers expect their students to copy to learn their craft. Copying prolifically, allows the student to enlarge the variety or repertoire of objects the student can reproduce in socially acceptable forms. As the copying skills becomes more sophisticated, the student artist is more likely to try original variations of the work. Eventually the student may combine old shapes with new shapes perceived. Artists that copy are amazed how much detail they become aware of and can remember. Eventually the artist combines colors and textures in new combinations that may be quite unique in that culture. Many artists learn their art by craft by restoring the art works of the masters. Serious art students all over the world are to spend countless hours sketching and repeating all or component parts of famous paintings and sculpture. The drawing seems to become part of the memory of the artist so they don't have to look up the object every time they want to draw it. ------------------------ TACTILE MEMORY? Copying gets the artist away from and beyond symbolic (phoney) drawing (a happy face with sticks for arms and legs). The artist learns to understand and appreciate higher and higher levels of the communication arts. Example: A beginner draws a simple box for a house, later after copying, the artist is likely to add a garage, porch, window, etc. In the same way copying to read and write gets the child out of the ruts of primary books and into the limitless variety and nuance of sophisticated writing. Copying allows the time to become aware of mechanics and construction in writing and art. Everything is copied. We move objects and words around and internalize the material. Sometimes we spit it out in a new way. It will eventually be your own way. Copying allows close attention to how the author manipulates words. Artists usually look up pictures of the object to be painted or drawn. Example: They may examine the animals to see the different way the hair flows on a collie vs other breeds. They may refer to other art to understand the needs for structural support in chair design. Some of us have talent but most of us don't make much use of it. Experience with art or writing, can't be beat. None of us draw or write exactly alike. Writing and painting becomes your signature. Experts can easily recognize the distinctive way you use color lines and shapes, the look of the page etc. Teachers learn how students assemble their reports. COPYING TO SPEAK The best speakers are able to copy the best performance techniques of widely admired performers. Eventually they develop slight changes and combinations of words that combine the better procedures of several performers. ------------------------ Newsletter 2001 COPYING RESULTS? The disastrous pattern of writing avoidance can be reversed with strong intervention in the classroom. Parents must use the "Winning System's Motivation Program advocated by Accelerated Schools. (Ask for a free copy). Observations: A high percentage of students entering our school have had very unsuccessful writing experiences. Many have been writing far below their intellectual level. Some have been easily distracted in class and could not pay attention to their work. Many panicked on tests and were confused when new topics were introduced by the teachers. Remarks from student like: "I just can't do it," or "I'll never be able to write," show very low self-esteem and feelings of incompetence, which only reinforced and perpetuated this lack of success. Many student's attitudes have changed within a few weeks after starting this program. "I want to know much more about writing." "This is fun!" "I can get my work done now." Some students have been distressed by the competitive atmosphere, pressures, and expectations they've encountered in other writing classes. Students who have been in our system for some time are happy to discuss their successes with newer members of the class. Our teachers frequently comment that students whose writing skills improved make marked changes in the level of their interest and class participation. Teachers observe successful word processors/writers becoming more attentive to their work. They ask the teacher for additional work much more frequently. As word processing/writing skills improve, homework grades improve, and the course content grades improve proportionately. Changes are apparent in other areas besides word processing/writing. It's gratifying to see changes in student's attitudes toward themselves and others. Students learn to listen and help instead of teasing and being disruptive in the classroom. As students develop more confidence through writing they begin to be more self-assured and assertive. Students eventually realize teachers are human and are open to questions and suggestions. ------------------------ MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS: Students at Accelerated Schools are pre-tested and post-tested on their writing and grammatical skills. The results typically show students average a year's advancement in grammar and spelling skills for every 40 hours of class time spent on the Accelerated Language course. Summary: The students are encouraged by successes to prepare for a wide range of life experiences they have not previously considered. They have a new list of options and possibilities. ------------------------ FOLLOW-UP MOTIVATION IS NEEDED Students need a variety of support systems to encourage and continue to strengthen their interest in writing. For this reason, we have a program for parents to use in motivating students to continue their writing experience after they have left our classrooms. We're very concerned they transfer the word processing/writing habit developed under our supervision to their home environment. When they go on to college and later work, they need to continue writing to improve their communications. Summary: Word processing/writing is much more than a suggested school subject. It's a national resource and a national issue of critical dimensions. Good writing is a way to give your child independence and self-confidence. ------------------------ CLASSROOM PROCEDURES: PRIORITIZE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES FOR YOUR CLASSROOM Build Self Esteem with Accelerated Language program. Phonics Math Penmanship Coloring Sports. Build up the copying speed to 40-60 wpm. In 10 minutes do 300 words = 30wpm = 6pages of text per hour. If you get the students reliably copying at high speed, they have looked at materials accurately enough to reproduce the material. This is more interactive than a student studying the pages over and over for an hour. WHEN YOU COPY YOU HAVE DATA Accelerated Language maximizes the number of attempts to learn per hour. The perfect assignment to insure student success. Students can be completely unfearful, because they haven't failed on any similar program before. Managing the Accelerated Language Program requires students to learn and practice many problem solving skills. Learn to manage computers, control the start and end time, print, correct, print again, record their score. Students have to write 30 characters to score their assignment. They then have to read the number score and reproduce it. (Student scores are accurate, not lies). Editing requires the child learn sophisticated responses; backspace vs. control back space, carriage return and the way it jumps to previous lines. Children respond to the neurological linking like they respond to video games. This develops high key stroking speeds on 90% of the most frequent words we use in speaking and writing. ------------------------ THE ACCELERATED SCHOOLS SOLUTION FOR WRITING ANXIETY: A COPYING/WORD PROCESSING/CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM Accelerated Schools has developed special programs to help students overcome their fear of writing and to acquire the skills necessary to continue their education. The program assignments gradually change from word processing and text copying to creative writing. Along the way the student has the opportunity to reach a high level of thinking and writing independence. Early success with writing and word processing increases the student's feelings of confidence and achievement. We have successfully intervened at all school levels with effective teaching and writing methods. After several years of such teaching we have begun to isolate certain patterns of behavior characterize writing anxiety. Further we have developed methods to deal with it through individualized instruction. We use effective motivational programs and specific courses geared toward fluency in writing. To establish and maintain writing behavior we use a simple point system with daily monetary reinforcement and social approval. Competition for approval in writing is eliminated. We use a positive grading system. Correct work is marked incorrect work is ignored by the teacher. At Accelerated Schools we get students started with writing assignments, hand copying and word processing. We assign copying for part of the daily homework assignment. Students learn to get words on paper in quantity. They develop the habit of turning in several pages of writing each day. We release the students from all psychological pressure to "create" and concentrate on the behavior of getting words on paper. Once the student has developed the habit of completing several pages of copied material each day, we gradually and carefully encourage minor deviation from the copied material. Students are encouraged to substitute an occasional word or sentence if they think of another word or sentence that will do as well. Students are gradually prepared to inject more of their own ideas, providing time they spend thinking about what to write doesn't interfere with the first goal of quantity. Once the students are accustomed to copying and word processing they usually want to do some writing on their own. We let them do more and more creative writing, always being careful to minimize the psychological pressure. It is unnecessary for us to push the creative and quality aspect of writing. Students already know or will soon learn from their peers and teachers that paraphrasing and creative writing earns better social rewards than copying. Parents and teachers should not push students to accomplish or even allow extensive creative writing until copying and homework habits have been firmly established. Teacher's and parent's attitudes must be very supportive and not critical. SOME OF THE RESULTS: Observations of our students indicate that most students over 8 years of age can produce a full page of written material in 30 minutes or less. This means that a student copying or writing 20 hours per month should complete 40 or more pages of written work. (5 year old students average 40 minutes per full page of copying after 100 hours of word processing.) The results are easily observed as page after page of copied material is reinforced by the parent according to the schedule suggested in "Winning Systems": RULES FOR SCORING STUDY TIME CHAPTER The student producing one page of copied material receives one point for each copied page. If the page is filled to all four corners, it is worth two points. If the student has copied neatly, it is worth three points. The third point will allow the greatest possibility for discussion. It does allow the parent to place a positive value on a specific behavior. Look for copying neater than usual, or perhaps the student has started to substitute or inject words into the material. (Points should be rewarded daily with cash that would otherwise be given as an allowance for chores or as a gift.) We suggest that parents pay their students daily for each point earned. The amount of payment ranges from .05 cents to $1.00 per point depending on family finances. Once students know copying or writing an assignment directly affects their daily income, they will continue to work on writing. Developing the habit of copying is the first chance many students may have had to successfully accomplish homework assignments. It may be the first time where an assignment repetitively performed allowed them to get so much reinforcement. ------------------------ SUPPLEMENTAL ASSIGNMENTS IF YOU RUN OUT OF PREPARED ASSIGNMENTS A MODEL FOR GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF WORD PROCESSING/WRITING SKILLS Start by motivating the student to simply word process/copy material from any book. This can be prescribed by any parent or teacher to effectively get around the comment: "I don't have any homework today." If you have a choice, chose books or articles one or two years below the student's grade level. A primary purpose of the word processing/copying procedure is to start the habit of doing homework. Students can learn a lot by word processing/copying correctly formed letters, words, sentences and paragraphs. Starting with word processing/copying behavior assures that with time the student will learn writing rules. BEWARE: Don't encourage the child to word process/write original work too soon. This could start a pattern of failure. Students forced to word process/write original work without good outlining, sentence construction, and sentence and paragraph skills may become frustrated to the point where they try, fail and then quit, rather than try original work again. BE CAREFUL Don't ask for some of the more difficult assignments at the end of this list until the student has firmly established the habit of getting words on paper. These assignments are arranged in an approximate order of difficulty for most students. Don't be disturbed if your student can't progress in exactly this order; just go onto the next assignment. It may be easier for him. Other assignments you can use. Have the student word process/copy several short news stories on the same subject. ------------------------ INTERMEDIATE ASSIGNMENTS: Word process/copy the history assignment from the textbook for that day. Have the student word process/copy the bold-faced headings, and italicized words or new vocabulary. Have student word process/copy the summary of the chapter. Word process/copy a driver's manual. Break a novel into small parts. Have the student word process/copy one part each day. Have the student word process/copy the description and stage directions in a play. Write a description of a character or happening as the student verbally relates it to you. Make no changes. Allow the student to word process/copy it. Underline key points and words from a magazine you like. Word process these words. Copy/word process the conversations from a chapter of a book. Type/write rhyming words across the page. I.E. play-stay, bring-ring, Add endings: Playing-staying, bringing-ringing. Insert or change the words that can be substituted in a story, underline the words changed. Have students proofread each other's work. Students can read copied writing and underline key points in the material. Provide word processing/copying material at a level comparable to the student's reading level. If the proper material is not readily available in the home, check it out from the library. Teachers can provide material for the word processing/copying assignments. When you check the word processing/copying, look for small changes from the original. Even the most insignificant change perhaps the substitution of cool for cold signals the start of creative writing. ------------------------ BRIDGING BETWEEN WORD PROCESSING/COPYING AND CREATIVE WRITING Do several versions of each of these examples before expecting the student to go on to a harder assignment. Copy five pages of material and then write an outline from those same five pages of material. Write a new word in three or more sentences. Word process/copy a sentence, then rewrite the sentence in three different ways. Abridge and condense. Underline essential information in a chapter, then copy the underlined words. Underline key points and words from a chapter. Say them into a tape recorder. Copy/write your own dictation from the tape. After reading and underlining essential details of a chapter, relate them in a verbal exchange with another student. Teachers: Group students together to discuss material underlined and copied. It can be from the same or similar material. ------------------------ THE USE OF COPYING ASSIGNMENTS WITH LEARNING DISABLED STUDENTS Theory: Learning to read and spell is an involved process requiring correct association between printed and spoken words already within our vocabulary. Many students avoiding the standard developmental process have not been repetitively exposed to visual images of the words we regularly use. They need a great deal of repetitive exposure to correct word formation and spellings to overcome their learning differences. They need to look at letters and words, say them aloud, and write them down. This repetitive process requires their brain to interact with the material and aids in memorization. Students copying correct models of letter formations are performing this task at a relatively high rate. They will adjust their copying to the model. Very important to this procedure is the high rate of stimulus and responses the student makes. Students with learning disabilities tend to resist practicing sequences when they are unsure of success. The copying procedure allows them to continue to make correct responses without correction or criticism by the teacher. By the time the student has repetitively copied 500 d's, b's, p's and q's, the ability to analyze the differences in those letters will probably be accomplished and correct responses will be made. ------------------------ PROBLEM: Many? Most learning disabled students fail to make the correct responses on a few pages. In response to teacher and parental criticism of those pages, the student stops trying to write. Learning disabled students develop a strong habit of avoidance of tasks that contain some difficulty. If the student is unable to read aloud, confuses such letters as b, d, p and q, reverses word order when spelling, or deforms the letters because of some undeveloped motor skills, a habit of avoidance develops. The result is that these students spend very little time on task. The task of the teacher at Accelerated Schools is to have the student make correct discriminations through many exposures in the shape and sound of letters. Helping the student to copy in quantity will firmly impress visual, auditory and kinesthetic memories of letters, syllables and words. Letters and words must be seen, heard, spoken and written by repetitious drill. The student can gradually develop memory associations for sounds and words that can be quickly recalled without confusion. The copying may initially seem to be very tedious and time-consuming, but getting around the avoidance behavior by assigning a task that will be repetitively performed by the student, will produce very gratifying results. Anyone who prescribes copying at an early stage for elementary children can spot errors by those students. Watch out for reversal tendencies at every level. Spot malformations of letters, and incorrect phonetic responses to correct visual models. The teacher or parent correcting reversals in copying should simply point to, or ask the student to refer to the original model and allow sufficient time for response. The extra time allows the student to analyze the error and correct the response. Copying should be taught at an early age, so that students accomplish the necessary practice and additional skill development before they decide they are not as capable as other students. ------------------------ SUMMARY COMMENTARY: Students allowed to avoid trying, accumulate massive deficits in their ability to present their skill. Time spent motivating copying is more successful than careful analysis and criticism of the student's mistakes. Help students practice repetitively. Avoid the emotional complications which frequently develop when a student cannot be competitive with peers. I suspect that most learning disability problems could have been eliminated or compensated for, if parents and teachers had been able to motivate the student to practice in the area of difficulty. Unfortunately most students using avoidance tactics magnify their deficits and receive considerable attention for these behaviors. ------------------------ A SOLUTION Accelerated Keyboarding, Alphabet and Numbers ------------------------ Instructions 8-13-01 (Give a copy of these instruction pages to the parent and to students that can read). These assignments are designed to: Help the student learn to follow instructions. Teach the student to be successful. Teach the student to work rapidly. Maximize early successes on the computer. Maximize early successes in the classroom. Gradually connect keyboard lettering with the screen or print. Gradually connect keyboard symbols with the sounds of letters and meanings of words. Maximize the number of lines and pages that can be completed in a minute or hour. Progression of difficulty: Usage of enter key, backspace key, insert space with space bar. Numbers on top of keyboard, numbers next to each other, numbers in sequence, numbers in sequence using the space bar. Student gradually learn locations of a few keys on the left and top of the keyboard. Other keys will be learned later. No lesson is too easy. Let the student have success and reinforcement. If the lesson seems too easy let the student speed up and have the success of quickly filling the page then print out and take home. Options: Have students repeat all lines 5 times each. Speed will come up. Ask for a printed copy of Accelerated Keyboarding, 300 pages to copy from. (cost $20.00) Ask for this 300 page program on an AASCI disk ($1.00). Load it into your word processor. (You can print out your own hard copy). Use "Print Scrn" key to print out. It prints only what is shown on the screen and avoids printing all 300 pages. ------------------------ ACCELERATED KEYBOARDING AND ACCELERATED ALPHABET USE CAPITALS ONLY. SWITCH TO ACCELERATED LANGUAGE ONLY WHEN YOU ARE SURE STUDENT WILL EASILY LEARN WITH CAPS AND LOWER CASE. General Procedure: Have student copy exactly under each line. Time each page or lesson. Compliment immediately for each increase in performance. Compliment in front of the class if work is good. Scoring: Mark in the margin, each line that is correct. Don't wait for student to correct the work. Keep rotating through the room. Check the correction later. Mark a progress mark "T", each time you have read the work accomplished. This will save you time in final grading. You won't have to re-read work already checked. Check papers only for skills thoroughly taught and practiced. Only check low performers on skills you are sure they can exhibit. Avoid any "constructive criticism". Re-teach missed concepts to the entire class, rather than to a specific student. AVOID CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM Asking the student to hand-write causes many students to avoid writing altogether. If possible wait till student has typed/copied all 300 pages before asking for hand-written work. If students have difficulty, go back to easier lessons then try again later. Students don't have to master all letter combinations to make progress in later assignments. ok comments "You wrote a lot more today than yesterday". Starting the student: In these lessons we will strive for the maximum of task completion with the absolute minimum assistance by teacher or parent. Try to minimize "tutoring" and "rotate" back to the student every 2 to 10 minutes. Have the student sit at the computer and push keys for several minutes. Tell them they are free to play around. If they do nothing for 2 minutes start the following procedures. Verbal dialogue for instructor or parent: Watch the cursor- (the movable mark on the screen). Move cursor forward and back several times. PUSH ENTER SEVERAL TIMES, (WATCH THE PAGE END LINES COME UP). Have student push 5 to 30 keys. Let the student see the result as the characters march across the page. Fill the page and print it out. Have student use the backspace key and possibly the insert key 3 to 20 times. Let student practice these assignments until they feel comfortable to proceed. Don't try to speed up the program unless student is consistently doing 99% to 100% work for 10 to 50 assignments. Give the student hundreds of opportunities to do "perfect work". Don't get anxious about student progress. This program success is built on very gradual increases in difficulty, allowing rapid completion of each lesson. The program is probably easier and faster than any other devised. Don't add supplemental hand-writing requirements. You may force "Writing Anxiety" on your student. See "Winning Systems for Accelerated Schools". Don't offer "constructive criticism" or criticism of ANY kind. Simply compliment the student for task completion and accomplishment as often as you can. Criticism can easily cause a student to avoid writing forever. Keep three measures of the lessons: Time on task: Trying. Speed or quantity: Amount accomplished in a given time. QUALITY The last and least important measure until 200 lessons are finished. Give 99% of verbal and other reinforcers for first two measures. 1% for quality. ------------------------ COMMENTARY Copying is a very clear instructional sequence. Teaches keyboard fluency and writing skills before the student has a chance to become fearful. High speed exercises give the student immediate success with the writing process. Writing models gradually increase in difficulty with proper grammar and punctuation. High speed interaction with thousands of words and sentences leads to fluency and mastery of the mechanics of writing. Fluent writing gradually turns into "quality writing". Massive exposures to quality writing leave an indelible impression on the minds of the copying student. Many levels of low-difficulty material encourages the student to increase the rate of interaction and speeds up ultimate mastery and success. Leads the student through the writing process step-by step. Gradual easy steps. Simplifies the learning to write and learning to learn process. Stimulates children's imaginative resources while they practice writing mechanics "against the clock". Promotes automatic recognition of familiar words within their speaking vocabulary. Compatible with all other learning methods. Success in this program should make the rest of the students curriculum easier to master. Success in the Accelerated Language Hour is expected to carry over into other classes and subjects. Lets student learn writing mechanics directly on screen. Good looking (printer) output earns praise, not criticism. Students gain confidence through practice, and reinforcement follows each new strategy. Students learn that they can learn, and learn rapidly. Students can work at their own levels and move ahead by small steps, without pressure. Score most of their own work by comparison with the immediately available model. If the student is not making the connection between certain letters or words and their sounds try reading aloud for the student before an attempt to copy the words. ------------------------ THE COURSE PROMOTES: Purposeful listening, direction following and other readiness activities. This will help to start and maintain the sub-vocalization process. (Mnemonic Memory). No reading abilities are required. Reading skills will possibly accelerate as writing skills grow. Students eventually graduate to informational, high interest material. Writing throughout measures 10 words per minute. May be equivalent to a third grade copying skill. ------------------------ WHAT CAN PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS DO? Read Winning Systems and use our Free Accelerated Language Program with your family. Teach your children, grandchildren, or anybody's children, a wider variety of possibilities for life and self-esteem. If 30% of the children in schools are not prepared to accept education, it is time for parents to: 1. Make sure they are equipped with a teaching computer. 2. Supervise the massive copying of books if they can't read. 3. Make sure all rewards and privileges are paid immediately after the copying. 4. Check out books to be copied that are simple enough or illustrated to help the student copying understand the story. 5. If nothing else copy the comics, or any easy part of any newspaper, especially if it has accompanying pictures. 6. The interaction of the student with the repetitive word and sentence combinations will teach almost anyone to read. The key is quantity of how many times the student tries, not the quality of trials. Students must be rewarded, socially or otherwise at every minute, of every stage, of trying to read. Students get little payoff from reading's early stages. There is little rewarding discovery in the early stages. Other rewards must be consistently used to insure continuation of the reading behavior. ------------------------ WHAT HAPPENS TO NON-READERS OR ILLITERATES. They try to read, but without a series of rewarded successes they quickly stop trying. This happens in minutes, if someone is looking, or in a few hours if they're in private. The result is a very limited number of trials of reading per hour. Never enough to make significant progress. To salvage their self image, they avoid trying properly, even when confronted with well meaning instruction. The "won't" becomes 1000% more important than any "can't". (Can't is hardly ever a question.) The overlay of "Won't" behaviors effectively stops significant further progress in it's tracks. The resulting groups of avoidance behaviors and unacceptable behaviors eventually extinguish the attempts of well meaning persons that want to help. OTHER ACCELERATED COPYING COURSES A series of short courses designed to prepare students for success in school and specific subjects. All courses include: 1. Touch typing exercises to increase student rate of response and interaction with materials. 2. Word processing/copying of special sequences to prepare student for success in each specific subject area. 3. Selected vocabulary lists and definitions are copied to provide a comprehension framework for study in specific subjects. 4. Supplemental copying sequences may be added by teachers as necessary. ------------------------ A PARTIAL LIST OF COURSES DEVELOPED AND TESTED INCLUDES: Peterson Phrase Lists History Science Chemistry Physics Biology Writer Geography Researcher Algebra Geometry HOW DOES THE BRAIN WORK LIKE THE INTERNET? I apologize in advance for this over-simplification. I may be using or misusing outdated "computer and internet jargon." Your brain has some similarity to the internet. Your brain is much larger in capacity than the brains of 100,000 computers. Use the largest number you have ever used. That number is probably not close to the number of gigabytes of storage capacity in your brain. "Hard drives?" "Virtual memory? Your hard drives contain billions of web sites of different sizes. Your brain stores and retains all you hear and see in your files, web sites, and back up files. New experiences and all information inputs create more links between the sites. Memory patterns trigger auditory and visual searches by thousands of your "search engines". These engines find and discard the less usable information within milliseconds. Your search engines select the most correct answers to your queries much faster than a direct connect line to your service provider. The brain retrieves sound and pictures in pictures in scenarios. This enables you to talk and write the information to meet the needs of your listener or reader. ------------------------------ WHAT HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH ACCELERATED THINKING? 1. 555 divides books, "new download files", into short 5 minute auditory inputs. This is a "small file" the memory can convert to usable visual scenarios without "locking up" and losing most of the input. Making simultaneous memory patterns creates webs and links needed for rapid memory. These links are visual and auditory. 2. The second 5 minutes, "tell-back", is an auditory review of the first 5 minutes. While you are speaking and listening the mind races through a "sorting" procedure or "learning procedure". The mind organizes the material for speaking and writing. It uses a software like an "outliner". 3. The third 5 minutes, "fast-write", condenses the original 1000 words of input into 10 to 20 short sentences, 150 words. Your hand "prints" them on the paper at 30 words per minute. During the fast-write "artificial intelligence" analyzes the "look" and meaning of the sentences. It usually substitutes a different and more appropriate ending to most of the sentences you started to write. Your "grammar" and "spellchecker" work simultaneously to arrange the words in understandable formats. MORE ABOUT THE MEMORY PATTERNS The memory pattern is a unique "map" or indexing of the material. Mapping enables you to "save" then "retrieve", re-assemble the input. During re-assembly you draw conclusions of your own. The two word phrases that you scribble on the memory pattern are connected with lines to create a "cluster". This cluster diagram creates supplemental "links". The links to guide your re-creation of the thoughts in your own personal order. You demonstrate your re-assembly with "output": *restatements during the tellback. *restatements during the fast-write. "SORTS AND RETRIEVING" The mind performs thousands of multiple assembly practices within milli-seconds. Each re-sorting and comparison with your memories results in minor variations. This massive number of placements and linkings of data makes the retrieval process possible and even relatively easy. The cumulative total of countless billions of linkings is essential to good decision making. PETERSON PHRASE LIST · An essential starting point for learning new subjects. · Efficient rapid input of learning components. · Two or three word input of words combine to make meaningful phrases. · Common usage phrases are more likely to be remembered. · Multiple word inputs get stored in multiple files in your brain. · Chorusing practices quickly train your mouth and voice muscles to make the correct output sounds. · Chorusing practices reduces time wasting regressions, questions poor comprehension, and overwriting. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q. Why do you want students to write so much? A. We learn most when we are espousing our views. WRITING An opportunity to espouse a viewpoint without a problem, Let the ideas wash and be kept or discarded.

WINNING SYSTEMS 1 LA SOLUCIÓN GARANTIZADA QUE HAS ESTADO BUSCANDO LECTURA ACELERADA Muchos niños están impedidos de por vida por su lectura pobre. PROBLEMAS COMUNES DE LECTURA · Déficit de pronunciación · Evasión de reprobación · Competencia SOLUCIÓN DE LECTURA ACELERADA · Eliminar el déficit de pronunciación · Eliminar las tareas de reprobación en clases de lectura · Sistema de motivación positiva LECTURA POBRE Como es que el niño puede tomar el ritmo de los buenos lectores? Tu hijo necesita llenar de 2 a 6 años de diferencia en experiencia de pronunciación. Afortunadamente la solución es asunto de números principalmente. Esta es una explicación numérica del problema y la solución. LA COMPETENCIA Los lectores de temprana edad han tenido centenares de horas de práctica de pronunciación de palabras Pueden pronunciar fácilmente varios miles de palabras después de ver las letras impresas. Los buenos lectores leen con facilidad el equivalente de 100 a 200 libros para niños anualmente. ¿Cuántas palabras están incluídas en esta cantidad de libros? 100 libros que contienen 10.000 palabras hacen un total de un millón de palabras por año. 200 libros que contienen 10.000 palabras hacen un total de dos millones de palabras por año. Ejemplo: Cuantos años de buenos lectores ha tenido la competencia? 1.000.000 de palabras reconocidas y pronunciadas en 1 año 2.000.000 palabras en 2 años 3.000.000 palabras en 3 años 4.000.000 palabras en 4 años 5.000.000 palabras en 5 años ------------------------ SOLUCION ACCELERATED READING TE PONE AL CORRIENTE 2 horas por día en 5 días por semana. 2.500.000 palabras más en un año 5.000.000 palabras más en dos años (tratando de alcanzar al lector común) 7.500.000 palabras más en tres años (empezando a pasar al común de lectores) 10.000.000 palabras más en cuatro años (por encima del común de los lectores) LECTURA ACELERADA Un programa de 500 horas para llenar una gran parte del vacío de pronunciación. El programa incluye: 250 horas de PETERSON READING repetición de 12.000 palabras por hora hacen un total de 2.5. millones de palabras pronunciadas. -250 horas de Pensamiento Acelerado para practicar la organización, el habla y la escritura. ------------------------- 99% ÉXITO El sistema Accelerated Reading resuelve el 99% de los problemas en 12 meses o inclusive en menor tiempo, es decir, 12 meses de medio tiempo ó 9 meses a tiempo completo. Muchos padres dicen haberlo intentado todo para solucionar el problema. Se preguntan por qué no funcionó. La mayoría de los padres y profesores han intentado resolver este problema utilizando programas de ayuda de breve impacto. Los padres se preocupan y molestan cuando su niño no puede leer bien. Ellos buscan "una luz para continuar". Esto ocurre muy rara vez pero aún si ocurre el niño todavía tiene un déficit de pronunciación abundante que llenar. ------------------------ PREVIOS ESFUERZOS REMEDIALES NO FUERON SUFICIENTEMENTE PROLONGADOS Veamos el problema numérico y la solución. -------------------------- REMEDIO DE VELOCIDAD LENTA VERSUS DE ALTA VELOCIDAD Los programas lentos o interrumpidos de mejoramiento de lectura agregan al déficit. El mejoramiento lento convence al niño de que no existe solución y el niño pierde las esperanzas. Algunos niños pierden las esperanzas, lloran por este problema. La mayoría de ellos oculta su sentimiento de derrota. ------------------------- SOLUCION Los estudiantes de Accelerated Reading experimentan el éxito en pocas horas. Cuando has reemplazado los años de prácticas de lectura perdidos tu niño tendrá la capacidad de leer. Hemos tenido el 99% de éxito con esta solución. Los niños quieren ser lectores Ellos están contentos de leer cuando pueden tener éxito. Para alcanzar este ritmo utilice un programa rápido de pronunciación. Utilice un programa de pronunciación rápido Asista por lo menos 5 días por semana. Resuelva el problema en el número mínimo de años. Utilice el manejo de incentivos para mantener al niño enfocado en su tarea. ------------------------- Precaución: EL PROGRAMA DE REMEDIACION LENTA NUNCA LOGRARÁ LA META El estudiante que tiene dificultades y apenas aprendió a descifrar continuará evitando la lectura. Sin un programa intensivo nunca podrá entrar al ritmo de competencia con los demás. Es injusto el esperar que un lector retrasado logre ingresar a ese ritmo sin haber tenido ayuda. Las amonestaciones de buena intención y las amenazas para leer derrotan el optimismo del niño. PROBLEMA Los lectores pobres se sienten derrotados por la competencia. Los efectos de reprobar en la escuela se convierten en cargas casi imposibles de superar de por vida. Los lectores retrasados son aislados de la amabilidad, del afecto y de la aprobación disponible para los niños académicamente exitosos. ---------------------- MáS PREGUNTAS RESPONDIDAS P. Por qué funciona? R. Tiempo estricto en las clases 555 Nuestros estudiantes participan en rituales de aprendizaje que: - Reducen la ansiedad - Reducen la distracción - Permiten la concentración - Enfocan más en el material de ingreso. En cada 45 minutos de 555 los estudiantes integran y reprocesan el material de ingreso. 2250 de ingreso de palabras 225 palabras claves o notas 1025 palabras o tell-backs 450 palabras escritas consolidadas en 3 páginas. ------------------------- TIEMPO ESTRICTO 555 Aprendizaje auditivo y ejercicio para hablar. Minimización del grupo y la crítica propia Los estudiantes utilizan los procesos y procedimientos del pensamiento. Logran significancia. Toman decisiones educadas. La fluidez se hace posible. Se convierten en participantes informados. La escritura de los estudiantes les otorgará mayor reconocimiento. ------------------------- A. PETERSON READING -Grupo seguro -grupo positivo -grupo dinámico -Los estudiantes gustan formar parte de un grupo. Se utilizan listas especiales de Peterson Phrase. Evitamos vocabulario especializado como: