The Academic Associates Reading Program
A brief history from the Founder of Academic Associates
Frustration is the mother of innovation. Cliff Ponder, founder of Academic Associates and developer of the Academic Associates Reading Program was an elementary school teacher and principal for 20 years and was constantly dismayed that some of the the brightest students couldn't read in spite of the best efforts of their dedicated teachers.
He and his staff tried series after series of reading textbooks, took classes from highly-regarded reading specialists at several colleges and universities, and even obtained a grant and hired "experts" from a major university one year, but nothing worked consistently.
He continued his search after leaving school administration. Finally, a profusion of new research burst forth from the ermerging field of neuroscience. It included evidence that all language processing, including reading, occurs within narrow, task-specific areas of the brain. The studies were published in numerous books and journals, including a four-part multi-year study featuered in Scientific American magazine.
With the help of new evidence he began the development of what was to become the world's most effective reading instruction methodology. His goal was to make it possible for everyone to learn to read. It took eight years of organizing and integrating all of the data into small, easily understood components to develop this sequential, comprehensive reading program.
Did you know that 1 out of 5 students struggle with reading?
Struggling with reading is not isolated to students with learning disablities, but to all students who may need additional support, practice and instruction to understand the idiosyncrasies of the English language.
What's different about the Academic Associates Reading Program and other phonics programs?
Most phonics programs include the basic sounds and one or or two alternative sounds for some letters, diphthongs and phonemes. Of course, our program also includes all those basic sounds.
Our course typically requires only 30-60 hours to complete. In that time, students raise their reading-level to at least their school-age appropriate level. Other courses may require as long as a year or more.
Academic Associates Reading Program is a comprehensive phonics program.
Some of the phonics rules the Academic Associates Reading program covers include:
What are the nine sounds of A?
What are the six sounds of E?
Why is the W silent in words such as low and glow?
Remember these sounds are in addition to the basic sounds taught in other courses. Each of the above mentioned sounds and rules is easily learned by every student as we program thorugh the course.
After considering these examples, some will say,"I learned to read without knowing all those rules and things, and so did alot of other people. Why should we be concerned with them?" The answer is that the students who didn't learn to read well will never learn to read well without knowing those things.
It's not complicated.....
In written Engllish, letters stand for sounds. Say the sounds of the letters in a word in order, and reading occurs naturallly and automatically. sixteen letters almost alway make the same sound. They are easily learned.
B D F H J K L M
N P Q R T V X Z
Even first-graders can easily learn a few sounds for 10 letters, plus a few rules for governing them.
Only 10 letters normally make more than one sound. They are easy to learn.
A E I O U
C G S W Y
After students learn to sound out and pronounce words they are taught simple, effective techniques for understadning what they read. Reading becomes a logical, uncomplicated process. Students are gently led through a series of easy steps. As they respond, they begin to read. In lesson one, nearly every student, even those with severe learning disabilities, will read at least 300 words.
To learn more, call 847.393.3052
He and his staff tried series after series of reading textbooks, took classes from highly-regarded reading specialists at several colleges and universities, and even obtained a grant and hired "experts" from a major university one year, but nothing worked consistently.
He continued his search after leaving school administration. Finally, a profusion of new research burst forth from the ermerging field of neuroscience. It included evidence that all language processing, including reading, occurs within narrow, task-specific areas of the brain. The studies were published in numerous books and journals, including a four-part multi-year study featuered in Scientific American magazine.
With the help of new evidence he began the development of what was to become the world's most effective reading instruction methodology. His goal was to make it possible for everyone to learn to read. It took eight years of organizing and integrating all of the data into small, easily understood components to develop this sequential, comprehensive reading program.
Did you know that 1 out of 5 students struggle with reading?
Struggling with reading is not isolated to students with learning disablities, but to all students who may need additional support, practice and instruction to understand the idiosyncrasies of the English language.
What's different about the Academic Associates Reading Program and other phonics programs?
Most phonics programs include the basic sounds and one or or two alternative sounds for some letters, diphthongs and phonemes. Of course, our program also includes all those basic sounds.
Our course typically requires only 30-60 hours to complete. In that time, students raise their reading-level to at least their school-age appropriate level. Other courses may require as long as a year or more.
Academic Associates Reading Program is a comprehensive phonics program.
Some of the phonics rules the Academic Associates Reading program covers include:
What are the nine sounds of A?
What are the six sounds of E?
Why is the W silent in words such as low and glow?
Remember these sounds are in addition to the basic sounds taught in other courses. Each of the above mentioned sounds and rules is easily learned by every student as we program thorugh the course.
After considering these examples, some will say,"I learned to read without knowing all those rules and things, and so did alot of other people. Why should we be concerned with them?" The answer is that the students who didn't learn to read well will never learn to read well without knowing those things.
It's not complicated.....
In written Engllish, letters stand for sounds. Say the sounds of the letters in a word in order, and reading occurs naturallly and automatically. sixteen letters almost alway make the same sound. They are easily learned.
B D F H J K L M
N P Q R T V X Z
Even first-graders can easily learn a few sounds for 10 letters, plus a few rules for governing them.
Only 10 letters normally make more than one sound. They are easy to learn.
A E I O U
C G S W Y
After students learn to sound out and pronounce words they are taught simple, effective techniques for understadning what they read. Reading becomes a logical, uncomplicated process. Students are gently led through a series of easy steps. As they respond, they begin to read. In lesson one, nearly every student, even those with severe learning disabilities, will read at least 300 words.
To learn more, call 847.393.3052
