Arrowsmith Program Exercises
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- Many students with learning disabilities struggle learning new words and find it difficult to think and talk at the same time. This exercise, called Broca's after that area of the brain, helps overcome this dysfunction by developing a student's capacity for sound-symbol cor- respondence and the phonemic memory necessary for.
- The Arrowsmith Program is based on the philosophy that it is possible to treat specific learning difficulties by identifying and strengthening cognitive capacities. The Arrowsmith Program is a program of intensive and graduated cognitive exercises that are designed to strengthen the underlying weak cognitive capacities that.
Methodology
The Arrowsmith Program is based on the philosophy that it is possible to treat specific learning difficulties by identifying and strengthening cognitive capacities.
The Arrowsmith Program is a program of intensive and graduated cognitive exercises that are designed to strengthen the underlying weak cognitive capacities that are hypothesized to underlie a range of specific learning difficulties. Each student’s program is based on a careful assessment to identify the specific learning difficulties
Our Framework for Results
- detailed assessment and identification of 19 learning dysfunctions
- innovative methods which include specialized exercises and computerized programs
- clearly defined and individualized goals
- a positive, supportive and structured learning environment
- building self-esteem by developing competence
- low student to teacher ratio
Can the Arrowsmith Program Benefit Your Child or Student?
Students in the Arrowsmith Program are typically of average or above intelligence but are experiencing problems in school which may include difficulties with reading, writing, mathematics, remembering, understanding, or attentional issues. Each student is unique in his or her combination of problem areas and our exercise program is individually designed for each student.
We recommend that parents and educators who find that their child or student is being held back by specific learning difficulties review the Description of Learning Dysfunctions Addressed. An abbreviated version of this list also appears in our Brochure that can be downloaded. This list covers the only problem areas that are currently addressed by the Arrowsmith Program.
Theory Underlying the Arrowsmith Program
The Arrowsmith Program’s identification of learning dysfunctions is based on the work of the neuropsychologist, A. R. Luria, who investigated the functions of specific regions of the brain.
Luria concluded that complex cognitive activities, such as reading, writing and mathematics, require the interaction of several areas of the brain and that each individual brain area has a very specific role to play. If one brain area that is part of a specific learning activity is impaired, the performance of that learning activity will be impaired in a way particular to the contribution of the weaker brain area. At Arrowsmith Program, we view this as the source of a specific learning dysfunction.
The philosophy of the Arrowsmith Program is that these cognitive areas may be improved through strenuous cognitive exercises, resulting in strengthened learning abilities.
Each student in the Arrowsmith Program has his or her specific schedule of tasks and exercises to be completed during the course of a day in the Arrowsmith Program. The exercises for each student differ depending upon that student’s identified learning profile. These include written, visual, auditory and computer exercises.
In one instance, a student with an inability to distinguish between similar sounds, such as “hear” and “fear” will be taught to listen to speech sounds drawn from other languages until he/she is able to accurately hear and reproduce the sounds. Repeated practice strengthens the individual’s ability to hear and differentiate English speech sounds.
Each student enroled in the Arrowsmith Program is assessed at the end of each year to evaluate progress and the student’s program is modified as needed for the subsequent year.
The goal of the Arrowsmith Program is to help students capitalize on their improvements and eventually reintegrate them into a full academic program at a public or private school at their appropriate grade level following completion of a three to four-year program of Arrowsmith cognitive exercises.
Descriptions of Learning Dysfunctions Addressed
Recommend for parents and educators who find that their child or student is being held back by specific learning difficulties.
Posted March 21, 2017 10:13:09
A controversial school program that aims to help children with learning difficulties is gaining popularity in Australia, but experts are warning there is no definitive proof that it works.
The Arrowsmith Program is already run in 23 schools across the country, and South Australia will this year start a 12-month trial in its first public school.
The program is offered by a private, Canada-based company and claims to use neuroplasticity exercises to change children's brains to overcome issues such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, and improve memory and reasoning skills.
Key points
- School program claims to address learning difficulties
- Experts say there's no definitive proof it works
- Supporters say they see great results in kids
- Researchers say more studies are needed
- Some politicians support the program
It is an opt-in program, and the $CADS4,500 yearly fee is paid by the parents of participating students.
'This concept of neuroplasticity is so promising. We don't have to live with learning difficulties we once thought were life-long,' said the program's founder, Barbara Arrowsmith-Young, who used similar exercises to overcome her own learning difficulties and has written a book on the subject.
The time-intensive program generally requires students to attend four 40-minute sessions each school day for three years.
The rest of the time they attend regular classes alongside mainstream students.
Ms Arrowsmith-Young recently completed a speaking tour in Australia promoting the program, but as Media Watch recently highlighted, there are questions about whether it even works.
So what do the supporters, critics and politicians say; and what research is there on the program?
What do the supporters say?
The program is now in its third year at the Holy Trinity Parish Catholic school group in Victoria, and principal Michael Juliff said it was a 'privilege' to be able to offer it.
'We have looked at the 2015, 2016 data for our Arrowsmith children against our mainstream children,' he said.
'And in years 3, 4, 5 our Arrowsmith children have increased at a greater rate than the children in the mainstream classroom.
'So hopefully we can continue to gather that data and convince powers that be that it's something we need to be looking at.'
Holy Trinity's pilot includes 30 students, whose exercise data is collected by the school each month and sent to the Arrowsmith group in Canada, which analyses the reports and provides feedback.
'When I talk to parents I [say] it's not a magic bullet,' Mr Juliff said.
'It's a cognitive program, so it's not going to have an immediate effect academically.
'Regularly we get feedback from parents on their reflections and some of them have been astronomical.'
What does the South Australian school say?
Angela Falkenberg is the principal of the Marryatville Primary School, which will offer a 12-month trial this year.
She said parents of students had attended a lecture by Ms Arrowsmith-Young and had asked the school to run the program.
'From then on it was a matter of, well, could we, and going through the process of approval (from the state education department), which we now have,' she said.
'I've gone in open-minded and a sceptic. I mean, this is parent-driven; parents fought for us to host this.
'My job is as much about families as it is about children, so to give it a go, it's an opportunity.'
Ms Falkenberg said she had received a strong backlash on social media from critics of the program, who called her a 'shabby' educator and said the program shouldn't be offered.
'Some of the people who think it's really inappropriate actually make money from their programs for children with learning difficulties. Is that behind it?' she asked.
'I think if I take that Hippocratic oath notion of, does it do harm — no it doesn't. We're hoping it will do better.'
What do the critics say?
A key criticism is that there has never been research on the program published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist Tim Hannan said this was one of many red flags.
'Without a peer-reviewed process the onus is effectively on the researcher or marketer of a product to say whatever they like,' he said.
Associate Professor Hannan is the head of the school of psychology at Charles Sturt University and listed a number of concerns he had with the Arrowsmith Program, including:
- The program references studies on very small groups of participants;
- It makes reference to studies not yet completed; and,
- It claims to address a wide variety of learning difficulties.
'The intervention is claimed to be helpful not for one condition, but a whole variety of problems,' Associate Professor Hannan said.
'A claim like that is extraordinary.
'These are problems known to have genetic neurobiological backgrounds.
'It's like going to a GP and having the GP say to you, 'I don't care what condition you've got, this one pill will fix them all'.'
Psychologist and speech pathologist, Professor Pamela Snow, has also called the program into question.
'The Arrowsmith program makes liberal use of the kinds of words that are designed to hook parents and teachers and get them believing that this is a rigorous, scientifically-based intervention,' she wrote on her website.
'It has been charging parents thousands of dollars over three decades, in the absence of robust, independent empirical data.'
So what research is there?
The Arrowsmith group acknowledges research on its program has not been published in peer-reviewed journals. Twilight breaking dawn in hindi free download 3gp.
Instead, it points to individual case studies, independent reviews by academics, and published articles for psychological association meetings, which have found some improvements for students in the program.
Its 'research summary document' lists three independent, peer-reviewed studies (which have not been published in journals) with each looking at between 5 and 15 students who took part in the program.
Arrowsmith School Exercises Australia
These three studies found students in the program showed some improvements in academic performance; however, each also stressed the need for further research with larger sample sizes.
The executive director of the Arrowsmith Program in Australia, Debbie Gilmore, said two university-run studies on student outcomes and brain imaging were currently under way, and she expected further research to be published soon.
'It should be noted that scientific research comes in many forms, with peer-review being one step in the process,' Ms Gilmore said.
She said new technology to measure changes in the brain had only become available in the last five years, allowing researchers to gather more data on the program.
So what do the policymakers say?
The program was welcomed by the Victorian Government when the Holy Trinity Parish began its pilot in 2015.
'The Arrowsmith program will ensure that students at Holy Trinity Parish schools, regardless of their circumstances, have the chance to reach their full potential,' the Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said at the time.
This week, Mr Merlino told the ABC the Victorian Government was 'always interested in new ways of supporting student who need a little extra help to reach their full potential.'
Arrowsmith Program Cognitive Exercises Online
'It is important that all such programs are evaluated for their immediate and long-term impact,' he added.
The Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union hosted Ms Arrowsmith-Young on her recent tour of Australia.
The ABC also sought comment from the South Australian Education Minister, Susan Close, but did not receive one.
Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham declined to comment specifically on the program, but said in a statement:
'The Turnbull Government's focus is on ensuring our record and growing levels of funding for schools are used by states and territories to support evidence-based initiatives proven to boost student outcomes.'
'All school systems should ensure that programs they choose to invest in are backed by evidence of their effectiveness.'
Topics:education, diseases-and-disorders, brain-and-nervous-system, government-and-politics, australia