Welcome to Novaread.
As parents, we see education as a source of almost limitless opportunities for our children. School age arrives, and the first day of school signals the beginning of daily stories of friendship, adventures, and learning. ABC’s and 123’s lead to reading stories and memorizing multiplication tables.
And little by little, as expectations increase, stories of learning being fun give way to talk of frustration and confusion. Books being read by others in the class seem too difficult. Words sent home to study for spelling tests seem too advanced, difficult to retain, or are forgotten soon after the test. Concepts in math aren’t understood. Our initial response may be that extra effort or paying greater attention will solve these problems.
Children may begin to feel frustrated with the outcomes given the effort they put in. Thinking of themselves as less intelligent than their peers begins to creep in. We begin to ask ourselves: what’s going on; why aren’t they getting it; what does this mean for my child’s future?
Assessment
First, we work on our own understanding. So we know exactly how to help your child.
The processes that enable learning to happen are complex. Children in the same grade, and working on the same material, may struggle for entirely different reasons. Identifying the root cause of these struggles is essential to the outcomes we achieve.
We administer a comprehensive assessment that examines every skill needed to be successful in and out of the classroom. Working with children in one-on-one settings, rather than in a group, allows us to assess each student in depth, and respond accordingly.
Programs
The keys that unlock learning potential.
At this point we know we have a student who is fully capable of performing much better in school – of experiencing education for what it’s meant to be, rather than as a source of anxiety.
Testing has indicated, not just what they can’t do, but exactly why. Knowing this, we can structure an approach that begins where it needs to for that particular student. Whether we’re addressing literacy, language, or math, there is a process we can apply.
That process will flow through various stages, each step following the one before it, and every one critical to the end result. We start with a step the student can take; then we build their strength so they can keep making progress.
Read & Spelling
Level 1
Our Level 1 Reading and Spelling program successfully stimulates phonemic awareness: the ability to recognize that a spoken word is a sequence of individual sounds. This is one of the strongest predictors of later success in reading.
It provides the foundation needed to become self-correcting and independent in reading and spelling.
Level 2
Building on the skills taught in our Level 1 Reading and Spelling program, Level 2 focuses on developing fluency and speed through word recognition, comprehension, visual memory and spelling.
It extends a child’s technical ability to read to understanding and visualizing the meaning of the words on the page.
Language & Comprehension
A primary cause of language comprehension problems is difficulty creating the “full picture” from written information. It’s called weak concept imagery. This weakness leads to individuals only retaining a few facts or details, resulting in difficulty with critical thinking, following directions, or expressing ideas in an organized manner. Our Imaging and Understanding program enables students to create fully detailed imagery that assists comprehension, retention and recall, ultimately improving critical thinking, reasoning, and expressive language skills
Math
A primary cause of math difficulties is an inability to image and verbalize the concepts underlying math processes. Math Facts and Concepts stimulates thinking, reasoning, and problem solving with numbers. It emphasizes mathematical reasoning along with computation, helping students not only do, but enjoy math.
Results
The best proof of what we do is in what parents and students say about their experiences with NovaRead.
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Without the help of Novaread there is no doubt in my mind that Peter would have been frustrated with his schooling, and possibly have dropped out.
Peter didn’t drop out. He finished high school as president of the Student council, with a mid-90s mark average.
Jonathan Gale, Parent
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When I arrived at Novaread, I felt inadequate intellectually, and incapable of learning some of the simplest things.
But Novaread’s staff members wouldn’t let these negative ideas take hold of me.
Peter Gale, Student