Posts Tagged ‘Learning Success’

Betsy Price, a blogger on homeschoolconvention.com, gave homeschoolers something to think about, and I really appreciated her comments.  I thought I’ d share it with you:

You read that correctly. I do not grade. I know there are times when it is necessary like during the high school years for transcripts or if your state requires it. Otherwise, why do it?

The idea of grading as we currently think of it came from the development of the public education system. The standardized grading system we are most familiar with arrived on the scene at the same time as compulsory education and the industrial revolution. The great migration to the cities brought about changes including a factory model of education. It was a way educating a great number of individuals at the same time. You know, like mass production. It was an easy way to communicate how successful the student had been in learning what was needed to become a quality factory worker.

Maybe that is why the grading system is similar to one used by a meat inspector!

This new pedagogy was different than what had happened throughout most of history. From the one-room schoolhouse to the medieval university to the ancient Greeks to the rabbis of old, the contemporary concept of grading did not happen. Yes, there was evaluation and in some settings groupings, but not grading. It was not needed. That was because education was based on a mentorship relationship. The teacher spent time with the student and worked until the student actually knew the material. A student was not “passed on” until mastery.

Plato did not gloat over an “A” given to him by Socrates. Galileo did not switch to mathematics because he earned a “D” in medicine at the University of Pisa.

The method I use for grading I learned about through Thomas Jefferson Education. It was used by George Wythe University. You received an “A” if your work was “acceptable” or “DA” if you had to “Do it Again.”  Once again, it was about mastery.

Personally, I have adapted to use just “A” and “D”. I make it a point that “A” means we want it to be “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (I Timothy 2:3, emphasis mine). The goal is not to earn an “A” for our pride’s sake, but for God’s glory.

So, I do not grade. I am here daily with my daughter. I can assess her work. I do not need a shorthand method like letter grades or percentages to communicate how well she is doing. I can see it with my own eyes. When I think some visual feedback would be beneficial, she may see an “A” or a “D” on her work, or maybe a smiley face, star, “x” or a checkmark.

Have you been afraid or confused about grading? It is okay. Give yourself an “A” for acceptable. You do not need to give a grade. Do you need to grade but have been struggling? How about a “D”? You can jump in and “do it again” until you get the “A” you need!

Little Giant  Steps’  multi-sensory math facts program (Rapid Recall System) is being talked about for several reasons: 

       * It’s easy to implement!    * It only takes 7 – 10 minutes a day!     * It WORKS!!!   

          Listen to those who’ve used it: 

“My daughter had a very difficult time ‘getting’ her math facts. We tried a lot of different approaches but nothing worked. Still searching, we tried the Rapid Recall System and everything changed. This technique triggered something in her brain. Somehow, she began to know her facts before we studied them! I am so impressed and thankful for Rapid Recall. I recommend it to everyone with elementary students!”  –S. Phillips

“”In 2007 we adopted an 11-year-old boy from Kazakhstan. His prior circumstances limited his exposure to math. When we started using the Rapid Recall System , the light came on! He eagerly whizzed through addition, subtraction, and multiplication. He felt so ‘smart’ when he progressed to the next group of facts. We are halfway through the division module and his confidence has never been higher! Thanks so much,!”–Heather Smith

“Math fact proficiency has always been a difficult issue for my early elementary students. My co-teachers and I decided to implement the Rapid Recall System. This simple input technique revolutionized our way of teaching. It works!” –Susan Short, Math Teacher, Huntsville, Alabama

“After eighteen years of teaching, I finally found a math facts system that works! Even my lower level students flourished. The Rapid Recall System was so easy to use—and it only took seven minutes a day! At the end of the year, the test scores proved that the students had retained their math facts. This is a fantastic product!”–Tanda Trussel, West Texas Elementary, Stinnett, Texas

The Answer:

Cultural practices we do everyday with our infants are costing them academic success! The practices I’m speaking of are developmental steps that are missed because we have been starting our children out by placing them in seats from the day they come home from the hospital and on through the next 10 months or so.  What you may have forgotten, or perhaps have never known was  the human brain and body were made to develop “after” the child arrives!  Little Giant Steps, a Neuro-Eucational Consulting Group supports families with game-changing technology that changes the root cause of learing difficulties. When a child is born, as my colleague Jan Bedell, Master Neuro-Educational Specialist, states, “They are really only functioning about a half step above a coma.” 

How  Could That Be?

You see, humans have the most complex of systems when you look at it from a technical point of view.  After all, we were made in God’s image and he’s extremely complicated!  Our brain was designed to run the machinery of our bodies.  However, the brain must first  “develop” connections to the body in the first months of life.  Everything is in place to have the neuro-pathways grow, except the stimulation.  That (stimulation) comes from parents and  practices we carry out daily and are exceedingly some of the most important aspects of developing their potential. The brain must be “mapped” much like a hard drive on a computer.  In order for the brain to know where the arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, and all those “parts” to our body are and how to run them must come from being stimulated.  The brain must “learn” by repeated experiences of feelings, thoughts, motions, and actions.

The eyes must learn to track, the muscles must learn to lift the head and limbs. Movement, pressure, and stimulation is the name of the game for our new-born sons and daughters.  At first, the body has involuntary movements, but as it gets an opportunity to develop and receive stimulation, the brain learns to define where the stimulation is coming from and as it discovers more, it continues a refining of those movements until the brain can do an intentional act successfully (that’s just the mechanics of it.) Next, comes the sophistication of visual, auditory, tactile systems, not to mention the development of language, thought and motor skills.

So what’s that got to do with academic success?  It’s all about how we teach parents and teachers how to “REVERSE THE CURSE”. If your child is kept in a seat and not allowed to be on their tummy digging their toes into the carpet, or feeling with their hands the textures and temperatures beneath them, the pressure of pushing against a hard surfaces; then they miss these valuable developmental steps required by the brain. It’s not in a seat where the brain is best stimulated. Their hands and feet need to feel the pressure, the body and brain need to experience the rocking and locomotion attempts throughout their first year of life. Without “experiencing or feeling their body in the environment”, they cannot develop neuro-connections required for higher levels of development.  It would be like trying to build a building without a solid foundation beneath it. It may do fine for a season, but when it is tested through strong winds and physical forces, it will crumble under the pressure. (Ever see your child crumble under the pressure or have an emotional melt down, or loose self-confidence because they tried and tried so hard, yet failed?)

If your child didn’t have the opportunity to struggle on the floor on their tummies and discover how to move themselves, and develop the “cross patterning” (creeping and crawling) which is a total requirement for brain organization, then the lower levels of the brain can’t be organized.  Without lower level brain organization, then a cascade of developmental issues result.  Memory and motion are tied together.  Processing abilities are wired to our ears, as well as our eyes.  Do you see the implications?  Do you see how just this one cultural practice has impacted our children?  Can you see the possibility of why we are seeing so many children struggling with learning, or learning disabilities? 

The problem is that this is so basic and so simple, people discount the significance of these vital developmental steps. However, it is the truth. Babies need be on the floor, on their tummies, during their waking hours, not in seats where their arms and legs receive no stimulation (pressure, texture, temperature,).  Their poor little hands and feet are left to flail around in the air, their much needed torseau muscles are not receiving strengtening motion or activity. The natural progression of developing eye tracking, combined with body movement, neuro-muscular development, and brain organization is delayed and for some totally missed.  Our prisons are about 85 percent filled with people with learning issues and disabilities.  Yes, there is great cost associated with these facts I’ve shared.

The Good News

Developmental issues can be addressed very successfully, once identified, and the specific stimulation-requirements through a neuro-developmental programs are initiated!  That’s what every Little Giant Steps’ Neuro-Educational Specialist does.  They reclaim the academic life potential of each child, teen or adult they work with through cognitive, motion, specifically designed activities to set the foundation on solid ground, as it was intended.  The programs Little Giant Steps has developed does what nature intended, but were missed. Our programs create the needed neuro-pathways and connections between the brain and the body. As each individual’s program progresses they move from a disorganized brain to an organized brain. They gain what we call: “Neuro-efficiency”.  When there is neuro-efficiency, learning becomes easy, memory, processing, retaining and recalling information comes without effort or struggle regardless of how old or young one happens to be. The issues of eye tracking, memory, processing are remeied, as well. It’s never too late to gain those missing elements of development.   The LGS Neuro-Educational Programs work.  We are so blessed to be in the business of truly changing people’s lives for the better, to improve their future, and help them reach their true God-given potential.

   Webinar #2,      Be There!

 8:00 p.m. Thursday, June 14th, 2012. 

Register Now:  Office@LittleGiantSteps.com  Put Webinar 2 in the subject line, and you will be sent a link to join this excellent free webinar.  Here’s what you can expect to learn about:

Just like foundation issues in a building can cause all sorts of problems, foundation issues in a child’s brain can cause them to struggle to reach their full potential. Parents often wonder why their bright child has so many difficulties in school. They may even ask themselves, “Does my child have Dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, Low Auditory Processing or a form of Autism?”

Don’t brand your child with a label before exploring the “foundation” issues that can cause the symptoms you see. Become informed about how the brain works or often struggles to work. Learn practical skills that train the brain and unlock its full potential for a bright future for your child. If they’ve already received a label just know this, labels don’t have to last a lifetime! Learn how to make the change from “struggling” to “learning with ease”!

Free Webinars In The Comfort Of Your Home

Little Giant Steps is delighted to sponsor “a time of learning” for parents who want to see their child’s learning  made easy. If you’ve read our blog at all, you will know that not only do we serve those from babes to seniors in helping their brains become more organized and their thinking more efficient; we also increase academic scores for the gifted, typical, and learning disabled.  Some say, “We understood your worked with ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism, Down Syndrome, and other learning disabilities.” Yes, that is true, but we also recognize our techniques work just as well with those who have unique talents, but need better lower level brain organization, or who have difficulty with coordination, memory, behavior control, etc.  Humans come in all different flavors, if you will.

Since we work with the natural enhancement of  neuro-development, we can address universal human conditions in a variety of circumstances. It’s not magic, it’s all about development and increasing the communications between the brain and the body.  We assess the individual, both academically, and their neuro-developmental status, then an ND educational specialist will write a program to address those areas where function is lagging or non-existent.  By stimulating the brain and body, the activities address many of the brain and body systems; we create neuro-pathways and develop improved function.  Just like a guy who trains with weight training to gain strength; the neuro-educational programs we provide also develops strength and increased function in a broad range of skills.  Reading, Math, Comprehension, Organized Thinking, Increased Memory Function are the by-products of what we do.  When a person reaches their “grade-level” of function, then their brain and body will continue to serve their own individual quests in life. Humans continue to develop throughout their lives.  We are not static. We can go forward or backward, depending on what we do with our brains and bodies, how we nourish ourselves or our children, and the experiences we encounter.  Read what our parents say about the experiences they’ve encountered.

Please register for these webinars by emailing us: office@littlegiantsteps.com. Put “Webinar” in the subject line and the date you wish to attend.  You are encouraged to attend all, as the more information you have, the better you can utilize the information we impart.

Jan Bedell, founder of Little Giant Steps, was a teacher for 20 years, then she specialized in the “Neuro-Developmental Approach”.  She has a masters degree in education and is a master neuro-educational specialist. She has created curriculum for schools, and has made it her life mission to help humanity become acquainted with how learning can be easy, if the brain and body have the advantage of doing what’s needed to reach it’s highest and greatest potential.

Please feel free to join us for each Webinar.  You will go away better prepared to help your child, yourself, and excited about what you’ve learned. REGISTER NOW

The Neurodevelopmental Approach

In the 1940’s, a team of specialists including educators, neurologists, pyschiatrists and so forth, explored the potential to improve function in brain injured children. The result was the famous/infamous Doman-Delacato developmental profile. This profile was an attempt to decide what was necessary and sufficient to achieve “normal” human function. It looked at the inputs to the brain – tactile, auditory and visual, and the corresponding outputs –speech and language, manual function and mobility – from birth level to “normal” human function. Having completed all the steps of this profile, an individual was pronounced “neurologically organized” and hence capable of any normal human activity. If one of these developmental steps was missed, specific stimulation was supplied to complete that step and hence accelerate the individual through that step so that higher levels of function could be achieved.

This was a true work of genius. First, it challenged the premise that the brain was fixed in function and that if an injury occurred or a developmental step missed for whatever reason, be it illness, genetic anomaly, etc., that there was nothing that could be done to improve function. The ability to evaluate an individual that couldn’t talk or move or take standardized tests was an important breakthrough. Plus, by stripping away unnecessary developmental steps, it simplified the evaluation process. This work brought great hope to those that previously had been considered hopeless. It has given rise to many early intervention and “stimulation” programs and the whole sensory integration therapy now claimed as the territory of occupational therapists.

Many have taken this neurodevelopmental work forward. More specific steps of development have been identified, and new ways to provide specific stimulation as well as nutritional and metabolic breakthroughs have enhanced our ability to help individuals function at higher levels than ever before.

Implications for Babies

The great news for parents is that knowing the developmental steps used to evaluate individuals with problems, helps us design the best developmental environment for our babies. Since we can accelerate the learning and function of an individual with problems, we can also accelerate the learning and function of newborns. Why would anyone want to do this? Visions of “pushing” little ones in inappropriate activities come to mind. The fact is that little children love to learn. Very few respect baby’s wonderful ability to learn and to absorb information from his environment. By simply improving the environment of the child so that developmentally appropriate activities are available, little children can be physically and mentally excellent. This will avoid errors that result in learning problems down the road. Plus, we can approach the God-given potential that individuals have. Perhaps we can approach the abilities of our forefathers and send Godly, intelligent and capable children into the future.

This author’s own son was a fully automatized reader at the age of 24 months. He read at college level at the age of seven. By the time he was 12, he could read faster than any individual the author has seen.

The author had a Montessori school in the 1980’s and ALL of the 3 and 4 year olds were readers. This was not a population of bright and superior children. Some children, who couldn’t speak at the age of 2, were reading and speaking by the time they were 3 years old.

All of this is possible using the principles derived from the neurodevelopmental approach. What a refreshing vision in a country that enjoys a 40 to 50% illiteracy rate, despite the millions and billions spent on public education.  Read More:   By Kay Ness, Certified Neurodevelopmentalist

 If Your Child Struggles With Learning, Get Auditory Processing Up, First

I thought I’d share a good resource for you and your child from Little Giant Steps. As you know, we talk about auditory processing a great deal, because it is such a key to learning. (Get a free Auditory Test Kit and see if your child is functioning at grade level.)  If they’re not up to speed, then there are so many games you can play by “practicing” while playing games with your child.  Here’s an excellent “auditory game”: To start, call out at least 4 numbers (monotone voice, with 1 second between each number) then having them give the numbers back to you after you’ve completed the sequence.  It doesn’t have to be numbers, it can be colors, favorite things they like, food, games, etc. Remember the more syllables when using words will make it more difficult, so start out with just one syllable words if they struggle.  If they two out of three correct, then give then additional number (item) and see if they can process 5 successfully, if they can’t just keep practicing on 5 until they get it! There are two things we consider cheating while playing this game. 1. If they are “chaining” ~ that’s trying to group the numbers so they can remember (generally you’ll see  darting eyes, moving head in a rhythm. 2. If they are trying to use visualization (like they are putting the information they hear on a bulletin board in their head) ~ you’ll see they eyes go up and to the side. Both, chaining and visualization, are coping and compensating behaviors that they’ve learned to try to help themselves. To become proficient in auditory processing, they must do it right until they get it.  Then, you go to the next level. We do have a computer program called Sequencing in A Flash, which works with both auditory and visual processing (for all ages), but it’s not nearly as fun as playing a game with mom or dad!

I like to have it be interactive.  First I give a series, they repeat it back, then they give a series and I repeat it back. What’s the goal?  A child should be able to hold in short term memory the same as their age. For instance, a 1 yr. old, should be able to repeat “one word or number” back. A 2 yr. old 2, 3 yr.old ~ 3, etc.  When they get to age 7, or above.. a minimum of digits they should be able to repeat back is 7.  If you wish to carry on a good conversation, and interact with people and teacher meaningfully, you need to be able to process 8 digits.  If you wish to retain college level material, then you must be able to process at least 9.  If a child or an adult has the ability to get to where they’re processing at 12, they would be doing exceptional! The main thing, is to keep this journey to better processing fun while you’re doing it.  Make it a game… it can be a game you and your family will play for the rest of your lives, as you get together to re-live wonderful growing-up memories.  The best part is that playing these kinds of “auditory processing games” will keep your brain sharp and clear, your comprehension will be very good, and your memory will be kept in fine order regardless of age, or I.Q,!

If #auditory processing# is low for your child (which is more the case than not these days) you are affected globally – areas of reading, writing, comprehending, and motor skills. To increase auditory processing abilities, the activities must be “listening.” Here’s a great publication and CD for those important “listening” times. Remember, you or your child can listen while in the car, while playing on the floor – building castles, playing with legos, racing cars or dressing up the dolls!

Meet Axel. from The Little Giant Steps website:

Remember, your child loves it when you will sit down and focus on them and any activity you can do together. Too many children do not have parents who understand the vital part they play in the neuro-development of their children. It’s crucial that you be interested, interactive and especially to have FUN with your child.  Don’t let another day go by without making a fun and beneficial time-out for just the two of you.  Your life will improve dramatically, along with your child’s!  If you are aware your child is struggling in learning. Try #Developmental Foundations#.  It’s program that can also be very fun. And it will address the functional areas of the brain that are interfering with your child’s ability to: Receive, Comprehend, Store and Recall Information!  Everyone wins with this program.  Just do it a couple of times a day for no more than 5 minutes~ and you’ll see changes you won’t believe when your child’s brain gets organized and begins to have the needed connections (neuro-pathways) that gives them neuro-efficiency.   If you have a pre-schooler (3-5), then #Early Learning Foundations# is what you will want to order.

Now, go have a fun weekend with your children!  Take an “Intentional Break” with your child: Play, Laugh, and Make FUN Memories that will last a lifetime!

FALSE: LGS only serves people with learning disabilities.

It’s amazing that Little Giant Steps (LGS) is often times “pigeon holed” as a neuro-educational consulting group that only works with children, teens or adults with learning disabilities or brain trauma.  The fact is, the Neuro-Educational Programs they provide work for everyone!  Why? Because all of us have been raised in a society that began practices (40 some years ago) that were convenient, but not the best interest for our infants neuro-development. The truth is, each individual must go through vital steps and stages of development in order for the brains and bodies to be wired and functioning efficiently. What has happened is that we’ve hampered our off-spring from developing solid strong neuro-connections because we’ve taken them off their tummies during their waking hours, and placed them up-right, in seats that rob them of the neuro-stimuli they require.  They’ve been affected with less than ideal function neurologically, neuro-muscular development, vision (central vision development and tracking), auditory development, tactile and motor function.  Not to mention other factors  (food additives, genetic engineering of our foods, vaccinations, medications, etc.) that may play a part in the development of our neuro-connections.

Each individual  requires a well developed auditory processing ability, which is part of the early learning experiences. Yet, today most of our children are functioning below grade level with a skill set that effects them globally. Auditory Processing can make the difference in a person’s ability to receive information, hold it in short-term memory, and then recall and utilize it. Here are a few other benefits of having an efficient auditory processing ability, because when I say globally, here’s  the areas affected:
* Phonetic Utilization
* Behavior
* Following Directions
* Comprehension
* Conceptual Thinking
* Conversational Language
* Staying On Task

Who needs an increase in critical thinking, memory, academic or work-related function?

The answer is everyone!

Can Little Giant Steps address the needs of businesses function?  YES!   When brain organization improves, so does organization of ones work and production.

Can Little Giant Steps address the needs of those who are gifted? YES!  Gifted people many times have such talent they can cope an compensate with unique quirkey learning, organizing, and behavior issues, but what we’ve seen over the years, is when they get the “coping and compensating monkey off their backs“  and they no longer deal with neuro-inefficiency ~ their true potential can be realized.

Can Little Giant Steps provide schools with improved reading, writing, and math scores and function? YES!                                                                                                                         According to a school principal, just last week,  reported that her middle school had been suffering from poor functioning in the area of math, math facts specifically.  They began utilizing Rapid Recall System (an LGS supplemental math facts program that works alongside the state approved curriculum),  and she said. “ their scores came up more than 100points.”   YES!!!  YES!!  All students can benefit from Little Giant Steps’ Neuro-Educational Programs!

Can Little Giant Steps address the needs of our seniors with their Memory and Motion program that helps with memory, comprehension, balance, and well being?  YES!

Can Little Giant Steps addres the needs for intervention with those who are incarcerated, born with mental challenges and learning disabilities?  YES!  YES! YES!

Share this information with your friends, it’s important.  Once you gain solid neuro-efficiency… it lasts a lifetime!

First Step: 

 Get your child neurologically organized.

Little Giant Steps has been providing education for parents and teachers for many years, so they can assist their children to reach their full academic potential.  All learning begins with the brain. So, first let’s get the brain ready to learn. Everyone, regardless of age or I.Q. will improve in their abilities if their brain is better organized and neurologically efficient.

A child arrives in this world with many areas of the brain still developing.  One of the crucial stages of early development includes establishing the central nervous system so the brain and body get connected (we call this “becoming neurologically organized”).  When a child is neurologically organized, information can travel effortlessly between the senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell).  When a child is neurologically organized, his movements are coordinated and he has age-appropriate fine and gross motor skills.

Most children become neurologically organized without any outside assistance.  God designed the human brain in such a way that when an infant begins moving, the brain receives the stimulation required to develop higher function.  Infants start out with very random and primitive movements, and then, as the brain develops, their movements become more complex.  It is the cross pattern movement of crawling and creeping that is so vital to a child’s continued progress and development.

If your child didn’t spend much time crawling and creeping, or if they skipped this important developmental stage, there is good news!  It is not too late!  Young children, teenagers, and even adults, can benefit by spending time every day crawling and creeping on the floor in a good cross pattern.  It just takes 2 minutes, twice a day each for cross crawling (like an army crawl) and cross creeping (up on hands and knees).  That’s just 8 minutes a day, five days a week!  Make sure the opposite hand and knee hit the floor at the same time (this cross pattern movement provides the proper stimulation to the brain).  The benefits will amaze you!  Improvement can be seen within 2 to 4 months in academics, behavior, social interaction, coordination of movement and other functional abilities.  It would be best to do these cross pattern activities for at least 6 months to ensure that the brain has received enough stimulation to make these positive effects permanent! 

See you next time with Step 2.  God bless.

 Everything Begins With Gaining Knowledge

Little Giant Steps has many free articles that can give you insight into sound brain-based methodology to  assure improved learning abilities. The premise of this is that God’s natural order is perfect. However, in an infant’s early experiences, there can be vital steps missed, or distorted due to environmental conditions, health issues, trauma, or just plain lack of stimulation that was needed.  In the case of most of our children today, they are placed in seats, jumpers, walkers instead of having enough “tummy” time, which is how God intended for the brain and body to become neurologically wired for efficient communication between the brain and body.  If a baby does not receive enough stimulation to all the parts of his body (trunk, limbs, eyes, ears, mouth, muscles, hands, and feet) then they continue to develop, but they carry with them unfinished connections between their brain and body. Sometimes parents are aware of these “glitches” as early as two or three years of age. Some just think, “Oh, this is just the personality of this particular child,” and ignore it. But, typically these “unique” features are usually revisited after they get into school and it surfaces that they are struggling for some mystifying reason! These children also learn to cope and compensate in order to perform in a way the world is telling them they need to do, either by example or language. Some of these coping skills are very sophisticated and almost genius by design, but they all take additional energy (emotional and physical) to run. Typically we see the gaps showing up when they are in their first or second year of school. Some children reach the “wall” or limits of their coping and compensating skills at age 9 as the complexity of their curriculum will no longer work, therefore we see them “falling” off academically.

What Can Be Done?

First, gain knowledge of the problem.  I would suggest you read Learning Disabilities in our article library.  Next, read about the Neurodevelopmental Approach.  I would encourage you to spend some time with our videos.  Our Heroes is an excellent place to start.  Next is to understand what we have to offer.  Check out Evaluations on our website.

What If I Can’t Afford A Professional Evaluation?

Jan Be-dell, M.Ed., Certified Neuro-Educational Specialist, understands many families have limited resources.  With a heart for those who home school and have only one income, or for those who have different circumstances, she has developed two programs that can provide remedies from Tiny Tots to Seniors.  Remember, improving function by training our brain is always possible regardless of I.Q. or age.  The three programs to serve needs at-home are as follows:

• Early Learning Foundations (used in Pre-schools-Level 1, Kindergarten-Level 2, and First Grades- Level 3) typically for 2-5 years of age. It is also very effective for challenged individuals whether brain trauma, physiological limitations, or mentally challenged. This program provides brain stimulation, plus addresses readying the individual for reading, writing and math.
• Developmental Foundations- (used for school age through college) It is based on The Neurodevelopmental Approach and is beneficial for people of all ages but especially for families with children who are struggling academically, behaviorally, or with low self-esteem. The activities included in the Developmental Foundations program are a very fundamental level of neurodevelopment, chosen from thousands of neurodevelopmental activities proven to address brain inefficiencies. Working on root causes of inefficiencies, these brain stimulating activities advance many areas, from fundamental brain organization which controls what we are able to do, to increasing abilities in short term memory, as well as reading and math.  For an overview of Developmental Foundations benefits — click here.  Unfortunately, there is no “magic pill.” It takes consistent effort to reap the rewards that The Neurodevelopmental Approach has to offer. Developmental Foundations may be only the first step toward academic success for some individuals. Please see Frequently Asked Questions for more details.

• Memory & Motion - by Ruth Young,ND,  An Adult/ Senior ND Program. Keep It Simple ~ Keep It Fun. We are healthier when our lives are balanced and the confidence in our abilities is strong. Little Giant Steps (LGS) is an organization that has worked, for close to two decades, in helping individuals discover improved brain function, better long term retention of information, accelerated short term memory skills and most importantly a reduction in stress and anxiety that often robs our dignity and confidence.