WHO IS A TYPICAL ARROWSMITH STUDENT?
So who is a typical Arrowsmith student?
The typical student at an Arrowsmith School is of average or above average intelligence and has a combination of learning problems which have led to a difficulty in learning to read, write, socialise, do maths or remember. They may, or may not, have been diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, acalculia, ADD, executive functioning disorder, auditory processing disorder or other learning problem.
Typically students do not have severe intellectual, emotional or behavioural disorders that would significantly affect the ability to participate in the Arrowsmith Program but, if they do, please talk to us. Sometimes people get a diagnosis of intellectual disability when the real problem is that they have a range of learning disorders. Sometimes people will show their despair and confusion about their difficulty in learning by becoming overly emotional or withdrawn, leading to a diagnosis of emotional disorder. Often a behavioural problem is someone doing the 'wrong' thing because they cannot remember the instructions they have been given.
Once out of the mainstream school or work environment and into the Arrowsmith Program these students can do very well. Their learning problems are understood and they respond to the exercises.
Please be aware that we do not accept people with severe autism because the program has been found to be unable to benefit them. It has, however, helped high functioning students with diagnoses of autism to improve their academic performance.
These are guidelines only. There are no hard and fast rules and we will consider each student's appropriateness for the program on merits. There are many students who fall outside them and for whom the program can provide meaningful benefit. We are happy to consider everyone who has not, or is not, achieving to their potential. The research suggests that children, adolescents, young adults and adults can benefit from the Arrowsmith Program and we cater for all of these age groups.
If learning is a problem for you or someone you know:
The typical student at an Arrowsmith School is of average or above average intelligence and has a combination of learning problems which have led to a difficulty in learning to read, write, socialise, do maths or remember. They may, or may not, have been diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, acalculia, ADD, executive functioning disorder, auditory processing disorder or other learning problem.
Typically students do not have severe intellectual, emotional or behavioural disorders that would significantly affect the ability to participate in the Arrowsmith Program but, if they do, please talk to us. Sometimes people get a diagnosis of intellectual disability when the real problem is that they have a range of learning disorders. Sometimes people will show their despair and confusion about their difficulty in learning by becoming overly emotional or withdrawn, leading to a diagnosis of emotional disorder. Often a behavioural problem is someone doing the 'wrong' thing because they cannot remember the instructions they have been given.
Once out of the mainstream school or work environment and into the Arrowsmith Program these students can do very well. Their learning problems are understood and they respond to the exercises.
Please be aware that we do not accept people with severe autism because the program has been found to be unable to benefit them. It has, however, helped high functioning students with diagnoses of autism to improve their academic performance.
These are guidelines only. There are no hard and fast rules and we will consider each student's appropriateness for the program on merits. There are many students who fall outside them and for whom the program can provide meaningful benefit. We are happy to consider everyone who has not, or is not, achieving to their potential. The research suggests that children, adolescents, young adults and adults can benefit from the Arrowsmith Program and we cater for all of these age groups.
If learning is a problem for you or someone you know:
- call Joanne on 04 100 451 34
- contact us
- or connect on Facebook
CHILDREN
Is your child good at some things at school but not at others? Would you like them to have the education they deserve?
Does your child have dysgraphia?
Is your child's writing messy or super neat? It could be dysgraphia. Find out more about what the Arrowsmith Program can do to help children with dysgraphia. Call Joanne on 0410045134.
Learn MoreHelp for children who need to develop their logical reasoning skills
Does your child have difficulty with understanding maths and science concepts? Do they struggle with logic? Are they able to read an analogue clock? Children can become better thinkers with the Arrowsmith Program
Learn MoreHelp for children with dyslexia
Does your child forget how to read words they were taught yesterday? Read about how the Arrowsmith Program can help children with learning problems.
Learn MoreDoes your child need help to organise themselves?
Disorganisation in children can be a sign of difficulty understanding words. Read how to get help for this problem. Call Joanne on 0410045134
Learn MoreHelp for children who struggle with phonics based learning systems
Children can be helped so they are able to learn to read using phonics based systems. Read more or phone Joanne on 0410045134.
Learn MoreHelp for auditory memory problems in children
Does your child forget what they've been told? Are you looking for help for your child's auditory processing disorder? Contact Joanne on 04 100 451 34.
Learn MoreHelp for children who struggle with making friends
Children can be helped so they can understand social signals such as facial expressions and what they mean. Read more or phone Joanne on 0410045134.
Learn MoreHelp for children who have difficulties with maths
Does your child have difficulty learning maths? Find out more about resolving maths problems for children. Call Joanne on 0410045134.
Learn MoreADOLESCENTS
High School is tough enough. Don't let a learning disability make it even harder.
Help teenagers with problems writing
Does your teenager struggle to keep up with notetaking? Is their writing messy or ultra neat? It can be resolved.
Learn MoreDoes your teenager need help with understanding cause and effect?
Can your teenager understand the ideas in science and maths? They might need to develop their executive functioning skills.
Learn MoreDoes your teenager forget what they have heard?
Do they forget information or stop talking midway through sentences? Do they have trouble remembering instructions? Are they able to remember a list of words? Help is available.
Learn MoreDoes your teenager have trouble with phonics?
Teenagers can be helped so they are able to learn to read and spell using phonics based approaches. Call Joanne on 0410045134 or read more:
Learn MoreIs your teenager disorganised?
Is it hard for your teenager to organise themself? Do they start, but not finish, tasks? Do they have poor comprehension?
Learn MoreDoes your teenager struggle to read words they knew yesterday?
Does he or she read slowly because of the need to decode many words? Do they have trouble editing their work? Did they struggle to learn their sight words?
Learn MoreDoes your teenager struggle with friendships?
Do they understand body language? Does your teenager miss social cues? Do they have friendship problems? The Arrowsmith Program strengthens nonverbal learning skills in teenagers.
Learn MoreDoes your teenager need help to improve their maths?
Has your teenager had difficulty learning number facts? Are you looking for help for your teenager who struggles with maths? Do they have a poor sense of time and time management? Find out more or call Joanne on 04 100 451 34.
Learn MoreYOUNG ADULTS
Life not working out the way you want? Take charge by getting your learning problems fixed.
Help for young adults with problems writing
Do you misread words? Do you spell known words incorrectly? Do you lose your place when reading? Is your writing neat and slow or fast and messy?
Learn MoreDo you have trouble understanding ideas?
Can you understand the ideas in science and maths? Could your comprehension improve? Do you struggle to read analogue clocks? You could have a learning disorder that can be resolved.
Learn MoreHelp for young adults with poor visual memory
Is your reading speed slow because every word appears to be new? Do you forget phone numbers and PINs? Help to strengthen your visual memory is available
Learn MoreDo you forget what you hear?
Do you forget names, instructions or information, get lost in conversations or stop talking halfway through a sentence?
Learn MoreWant help to stop mispronouncing words?
Do you avoid saying unusual words? Is it hard to think and talk at the same time? There is help for young adults to use phonological skills.
Learn MoreDo you struggle with comprehension?
Do you find it hard to work out what information is the most important when you are reading? Do you struggle to understand what other people mean when they tell you something? Comprehension can be improved with the Arrowsmith Program.
Learn MoreHelp for young adults with social difficulties
Is interpreting facial expressions hard? Do you find it difficult to ask for help? Help to understand non verbal language is available.
Learn MoreHelp for young adults who have difficulty with maths
Do you need a calculator to work out maths problems or is time management a problem? Learning problems with maths can be resolved.
Learn MoreADULTS
Are you smart but never quite reached your potential? Would you like to be doing better than you are?
Do you have trouble writing neatly and quickly?
Do you miscopy or misread words? Do you spell known words incorrectly? Do you lose your place when you are reading?
Learn MoreDo you find it hard to understand ideas?
Do you find it hard to make connections between ideas in science, maths and when reading? Do you want to improve your learning skills - bethe best in the class? Do analogue clocks confuse you? Help is available.
Learn MoreDo you say known words incorrectly? Help is available.
Do you avoid saying new or unusual words? Do you get confused with how to pronounce words you have heard? Is learning a foreign language very difficult for you? Help is available..
Learn MoreDo you forget how to read words you have seen before?
Do have trouble recognising words you have seen before? Is your reading speed slow because every word appears to be new?
Learn Moredo you forget what you hear?
Do you forget names? Do you forget instructions? Do you stop talking half way through a sentence? Help for adults with poor auditory memory is available.
Learn MoreWould you like to strengthen your comprehension?
Do you get distracted by irrelevant information? Do you find it hard to make decisions and organise yourself? Do you start but not finish tasks? Help is available.
Learn MoreAre people's emotions hard to understand? Do you want help?
Is interpreting facial expressions hard? Do you jump in without thinking of consequences? The Arrowsmith Program helps adult who find social situations hard to understand.
Learn MoreDoes maths do your head in? Would you like to improve?
Do you use a calculator to work out maths problems? Is time management a problem? Help is available for adults in Perth.
Learn MoreArrowsmith's approach to dyslexia
We do not focus on the symptoms. We take a deeper look. We know that learning to read is a complex task that requires several areas of the brain to be functioning strongly. Each area is measured for its strength during the assessment so when the person begins their program we know if they are struggling with learning to read because:
This is a great visual to help understand these concepts:
https://arrowsmithschool.org/dyslexia-arrowsmith-1
- there is an inability to remember what a letter or word looks like
- there is a difficulty with remembering a series of words
- there is a difficulty controlling eye movements that makes the letters on the page appear to swim
- there is a difficulty discriminating between the sounds of similar words
- there is a difficulty blending sounds together
- there is a difficulty understanding the relationship between ideas or concepts
This is a great visual to help understand these concepts:
https://arrowsmithschool.org/dyslexia-arrowsmith-1
Know the symptoms
Motor Symbol Sequencing
The motor symbol sequencing function gives us the ability to learn and produce a written sequence of symbols such as a word, sentence or equation.
Learn More
Symbol Relations
This area of our brain lets us understand the relationship among two or more ideas.
Learn More
Memory for Auditory Information
These parts of the brain allow us to notice and remember information that we have been told.
Learn More
Broca's Speech Pronunciation
This part of the brain gives us the ability to pronounce syllables and integrate them into the consistent pronunciation of a word.
Learn More
Symbolic Thinking
This is the ability to develop and maintain plans and strategies through the use of language.
Learn More
Symbol Recognition
This area of the brain gives us the ability to visually recognise and remember a word or symbol.
Learn More
Non Verbal Thinking
This is the ability to notice and interpret non-verbal information and plan and problem solve non-verbally.
Learn More
Quantitative Sense
This part of our brain gives us the ability to carry out internal sequential mental operations such as mental mathematics.
Learn MoreF.A.Q s
What are the criteria for students entering the Arrowsmith Program?
Students who come to the Arrowsmith Program are of generally of average to above average intelligence but are having difficulty learning academic and social skills efficiently and independently. The Arrowsmith Program addresses a wide range of specific learning difficulties (often referred to as 'learning disabilities') such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory and/or visual processing disorders, attention difficulties and non-verbal learning difficulties. The Arrowsmith Program is also designed for individuals who do not have identified specific learning difficulties but are challenged with issues such as organisation, processing, problem solving, communication, memory, and independence.
There are also students who just want to do better in life. They enrol in the Cognitive Enhancement cognitive unit - Symbol Relations. This unit strengthens the ability to take mulitple sources of information into account quickly when making a decision, reading or learning. It is a great unit to do just by itself.
There are also students who just want to do better in life. They enrol in the Cognitive Enhancement cognitive unit - Symbol Relations. This unit strengthens the ability to take mulitple sources of information into account quickly when making a decision, reading or learning. It is a great unit to do just by itself.
Which students are suitable?
Find out if the Arrowsmith Program is suitable for you/your child, by completing the Arrowsmith Program® Cognitive Profile Questionnaire. Whilst it does not guarantee your enrolment, it will allow you to work out whether the learning issues you/your child experience could be addressed through the Arrowsmith Program. Should you/your child be within the low average, average or above average range of intellectual functioning and are experiencing the types of issues described in this checklist, you/your child are likely candidates for the Program.
Please note the Arrowsmith Program is not designed for individuals with developmental or intellectual delays, autism, brain injury or illness, or psychiatric or psychological disorders, however we have enrolled several people with these issues and they are doing very well. Everyone will be considered for enrolment on a case by case basis.
We will be happy to answer your questions and, if appropriate, can arrange an assessment for you/your child. Call Joanne on 0410045134.
Please note the Arrowsmith Program is not designed for individuals with developmental or intellectual delays, autism, brain injury or illness, or psychiatric or psychological disorders, however we have enrolled several people with these issues and they are doing very well. Everyone will be considered for enrolment on a case by case basis.
We will be happy to answer your questions and, if appropriate, can arrange an assessment for you/your child. Call Joanne on 0410045134.
What age are the students?
The students in an Arrowsmith School range in age from six to over 60. Parents of children under six are encouraged to contact the Cognitive Strengthening Centre when their child is old enough to be considered ready for school participation.
Do you have adult students?
Absolutely. These are often our most motivated students as they have goals they want to meet. Adults understand the pain of having a learning disorder and do not want to remain disadvantaged by something they can overcome.
Other adults want to strengthen their cognitive ability so they can do exceptionally well in university or to prepare for a promotion at work.
Other adults want to strengthen their cognitive ability so they can do exceptionally well in university or to prepare for a promotion at work.
Is the program suitable for people with Autism or Intellectual Disability?
The Arrowsmith Program is developed for individuals struggling with specific learning difficulties (SLD) referred to as learning disabilities in North America. The standard definition of SLD is that the individual has an average or above average full-scale intelligence score, and has a specific difficulty in an area related to learning or academic skill acquisition. The Program is designed and therefore most suited for individuals within the average to above average range of intelligence.
Diagnoses such as Developmental or Intellectual Delay may indicate an impairment of general intellect and function, and students with these conditions have needs that are more significant than a student with a specific learning difficulty. It may also be, however, that these students have a range of learning disorders that has resulted in a mis-diagnosis. The Cognitive Strengthening Centre is committed to ensuring that every student who could benefit from participation in the Arrowsmith Program is considered and evaluated carefully and fairly to ensure there is no exclusion of people from the program as a result of an incorrect diagnosis.
In some cases, individuals with learning difficulties who also have high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have benefitted from the Arrowsmith Program. While the Program will enable these individuals to address their cognitive learning needs, it will not address features related to the specific ASD. In such cases, there is careful discussion when determining appropriateness during the admissions process to ensure suitability.
Diagnoses such as Developmental or Intellectual Delay may indicate an impairment of general intellect and function, and students with these conditions have needs that are more significant than a student with a specific learning difficulty. It may also be, however, that these students have a range of learning disorders that has resulted in a mis-diagnosis. The Cognitive Strengthening Centre is committed to ensuring that every student who could benefit from participation in the Arrowsmith Program is considered and evaluated carefully and fairly to ensure there is no exclusion of people from the program as a result of an incorrect diagnosis.
In some cases, individuals with learning difficulties who also have high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have benefitted from the Arrowsmith Program. While the Program will enable these individuals to address their cognitive learning needs, it will not address features related to the specific ASD. In such cases, there is careful discussion when determining appropriateness during the admissions process to ensure suitability.
Does the program help with attentional disorders?
The Arrowsmith Program has been very successful in addressing attentional difficulties. Many individuals with specific learning difficulties (often referred to as 'learning disabilities') experience attentional issues which can arise from different underlying causes. In many cases these issues are a result of a combination of specific learning difficulties making it hard for the student to sustain attention in specific learning situations; others are related to specific learning difficulties related to regulating attention. These types of attentional difficulties are specifically identified during the assessment and addressed by the exercises. They show improvement as students engage in the cognitive exercises.
Do you accept enrolments during the year?
The Cognitive Strengthening Centre accepts enrolment during the year subject to availability. Each student's program is totally individualised so they are not disadvantaged by their starting date.
Are beginning students assessed?
All students enrolling in the full time and part time programs are assessed. The assessment takes 5 - 6 hours to complete so is generally done over at least two sessions.
Neither the Motor Symbol Sequencing or the Cognitive Enhancement programs require a full initial assessment - only an evaluation.
Please discuss the assessment process with Joanne on 04100 451 34.
Neither the Motor Symbol Sequencing or the Cognitive Enhancement programs require a full initial assessment - only an evaluation.
Please discuss the assessment process with Joanne on 04100 451 34.
What's the initial assessment for and how much does it cost?
The assessment identifies each individual’s learning profile. It takes 5 - 6 hours to do and is generally done over at least two sessions. The raw data is sent to Canada and a few days later comes back as a very detailed report with an individualised program to address the particular range of specific learning difficulties that the individual has.
Each person's cognitive profile is different, so each person's cognitive program is different, and exactly suitable for the person. We then have meeting to discuss the way forward for the person.
The assessment costs $2000 and $1750 of this is credited to the cost of the first cognitive area enrolled in.
The cost of the assessment is $2,000 which is credited to enrolment in the first cognitive unit the person enrols in.
Please note the assessment is not used as the basis for determining suitability for the Arrowsmith Program; suitability is determined through discussion with yourself and Joanne (0410045134).
Each person's cognitive profile is different, so each person's cognitive program is different, and exactly suitable for the person. We then have meeting to discuss the way forward for the person.
The assessment costs $2000 and $1750 of this is credited to the cost of the first cognitive area enrolled in.
The cost of the assessment is $2,000 which is credited to enrolment in the first cognitive unit the person enrols in.
Please note the assessment is not used as the basis for determining suitability for the Arrowsmith Program; suitability is determined through discussion with yourself and Joanne (0410045134).
Who does the assessment and analyses the results?
The assessment of students is done by an Arrowsmith trained teacher at the Cognitive Strengthening Centre. The results are then sent to the Arrowsmith School in Toronto for scoring, analysing and the creation of a tailored program for the person.
Once we receive the report we will contact you and arrange a meeting to discuss the results with you. You will have every opportunity to ask questions and to decide the right way forward for you or your child.
Once we receive the report we will contact you and arrange a meeting to discuss the results with you. You will have every opportunity to ask questions and to decide the right way forward for you or your child.
Can I access the Program online?
The Arrowsmith Program has become available online as well as onsite since the COVID outbreak. Students participate in the Arrowsmith exercises online or within a classroom setting and under the supervision of an Arrowsmith trained instructor who is in ongoing correspondence with the Arrowsmith Program. Enroled students are able to do extra sessions of the computer based programs on their own at home.
Arrowsmith and the Cognitive Strengthening Centre are committed to maintaining the integrity of the program and to monitoring each student’s experience closely. This means that students who are enrolled in the online version must login with a teacher at negotiated times each week.
Arrowsmith and the Cognitive Strengthening Centre are committed to maintaining the integrity of the program and to monitoring each student’s experience closely. This means that students who are enrolled in the online version must login with a teacher at negotiated times each week.
When and where can I be assessed?
Each student is given a full Arrowsmith cognitive asessment by the Arowsmith teacher when they enrol into the program. Teachers are trained by Arrowsmith in the assessment process and the tests are scored and analysed at Arrowsmith Program Toronto. The assessment is made up of tests designed to measure the functioning of specific cognitive functions that impact learning. This enables Arrowsmith Program to identify each student’s learning profile of cognitive strengths and weaknesses and provides the basis for designing individual programs for each student.
The assessment is available in onsite and online versions.
Please note the assessment is not used as the basis for determining suitability for the Program. Suitability is determined through the pre-screening discussion between the family and the Cognitive Strengthening Centre.
The assessment is available in onsite and online versions.
Please note the assessment is not used as the basis for determining suitability for the Program. Suitability is determined through the pre-screening discussion between the family and the Cognitive Strengthening Centre.
How long does the Arrowsmith Program take to work?
Neuroplastic change is slow but very profound. The student and their family should notice change in the person after three months of the program. There are more subtle changes that may be noticeable before then.
The majority of students with learning difficulties will require a three-to-four year program of full time attendance to address all of their learning issues. If a student is unable to complete the three-to-four year full time program, they achieve benefit each year they are in the program or by participating on a part time basis.
You will notice that the student becomes able to learn independently, effectively and efficiently. This is the essential difference between the Arrowsmith Program and other interventions for learning disorders. The majority of our graduates no longer have problems learning. In fact, research shows that the students, who were previously labelled as having a learning disability and expected to learn at a slow rate, learn at twice the expected rate for an average student per year once they have addressed and strengthened the cognitive areas identified as being problematic.
The majority of students with learning difficulties will require a three-to-four year program of full time attendance to address all of their learning issues. If a student is unable to complete the three-to-four year full time program, they achieve benefit each year they are in the program or by participating on a part time basis.
You will notice that the student becomes able to learn independently, effectively and efficiently. This is the essential difference between the Arrowsmith Program and other interventions for learning disorders. The majority of our graduates no longer have problems learning. In fact, research shows that the students, who were previously labelled as having a learning disability and expected to learn at a slow rate, learn at twice the expected rate for an average student per year once they have addressed and strengthened the cognitive areas identified as being problematic.
Do students maintain their changes?
Students who have been followed up 30 years after completion of the program have maintained their improvements. Once the improvements are in place, it is thought that the person maintains their gain by using the cognitive area in everyday functioning.
How many students are there in each class?
The student to teacher ratio in an Arrowsmith classroom is 10:1.
How is attendance at the Program organised?
Students can attend the Progam on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time students attend on 4-5 days per week. Part-time students can negotiate their attendance pattern providing several requirements are met. They must come at least twice a week and may not do more than two hours of work on each cognitive area per day. These are requirements of Arrowsmith. The aim is always to maximise the best conditions for neuroplastic change to occur.
The Motor Symbol Sequencing program can be done at home. This program develops the ability to write, express thought in speech, read and spell consistently. Students doing the MSS program work at home and visit the Centre once per fortnight (at a negotiated time) for monitoring their progress and adjustment of their program.
The Motor Symbol Sequencing program can be done at home. This program develops the ability to write, express thought in speech, read and spell consistently. Students doing the MSS program work at home and visit the Centre once per fortnight (at a negotiated time) for monitoring their progress and adjustment of their program.
What does learning need?
Each part of our brain has a very specific function. For a person to be able to read, for example, the areas of the brain that identify and remember what a letter and whole word look like (visual memory), have the ability to hear and blend sounds into words ( c + a + t = cat) (phonological awareness), have a lexical memory (vocabulary) that is able to remember each word, have the ability to control the movement of the eyes so they move across the page smoothly (fine muscle control), feeding the view of the letters and or words into the brain in the correct order, the ability to understand what it is the words mean (comprehension), and the ability to put concepts together to make meaning. If just one of these areas is not working so well then reading becomes very difficult or next to impossible.
5 -15% of the population, have this problem - that's 2 - 3 children in every class of 20. This could mean that they are unable to remember instructions, understand words that are used, control their pencil when writing or recognise the symbols or words that they knew yesterday. At school, children are confused and unhappy because they try but cannot succeed or understand what the teacher wants them to do. Unfortunately they can get labelled as being lazy, not trying, or inattentive.
This may result in the diagnosis of a learning or attentional disorder such as dyslexia, ADD, dysgraphia, poor executive functioning, poor memory, acalculia or auditory processing disorder.
If they are labelled as having a learning problem the usual interventions only teach the child how to manage or compensate for their learning problem - they do not address the underlying cause of it.
Adolescence is a time when many students with learning disorders really suffer. They know they are not keeping up with their peers. Some cope emotionally with struggling at the bottom of the class, but many don't. They deserve to have the opportunity to reach their potential.
Adults might be smart but feel they have never done as well as they you should have. They might be stuck in a meaningless job, or running their own business but struggling with the paperwork. They might be exhausted every night after their efforts to do what should be easy.
Research shows that there is a much higher rate of anxiety in people with learning disorders than in the general population. They tend to have less stable incomes and less fulfilling personal relationships. These are all reasons to consider the Arrowsmith Program for learning problems as soon as possible.
Each person's learning profile is unique and the Arrowsmith Program is also unique in that it assesses the strength of each cognitive area known to contribute to learning. An individualised, structured program that aims to strengthen the identified weaker cognitive processes is then created. Once these cognitive areas are strengthened the area can function as it is supposed to and the person can manage without the need for any compensations. The learning problem is resolved.
They can begin to dream realistically about what they want to achieve in their life. Isn't that what we all want for our loved ones?
If learning is a problem for you or someone you know:
5 -15% of the population, have this problem - that's 2 - 3 children in every class of 20. This could mean that they are unable to remember instructions, understand words that are used, control their pencil when writing or recognise the symbols or words that they knew yesterday. At school, children are confused and unhappy because they try but cannot succeed or understand what the teacher wants them to do. Unfortunately they can get labelled as being lazy, not trying, or inattentive.
This may result in the diagnosis of a learning or attentional disorder such as dyslexia, ADD, dysgraphia, poor executive functioning, poor memory, acalculia or auditory processing disorder.
If they are labelled as having a learning problem the usual interventions only teach the child how to manage or compensate for their learning problem - they do not address the underlying cause of it.
Adolescence is a time when many students with learning disorders really suffer. They know they are not keeping up with their peers. Some cope emotionally with struggling at the bottom of the class, but many don't. They deserve to have the opportunity to reach their potential.
Adults might be smart but feel they have never done as well as they you should have. They might be stuck in a meaningless job, or running their own business but struggling with the paperwork. They might be exhausted every night after their efforts to do what should be easy.
Research shows that there is a much higher rate of anxiety in people with learning disorders than in the general population. They tend to have less stable incomes and less fulfilling personal relationships. These are all reasons to consider the Arrowsmith Program for learning problems as soon as possible.
Each person's learning profile is unique and the Arrowsmith Program is also unique in that it assesses the strength of each cognitive area known to contribute to learning. An individualised, structured program that aims to strengthen the identified weaker cognitive processes is then created. Once these cognitive areas are strengthened the area can function as it is supposed to and the person can manage without the need for any compensations. The learning problem is resolved.
They can begin to dream realistically about what they want to achieve in their life. Isn't that what we all want for our loved ones?
If learning is a problem for you or someone you know:
- Call Joanne on 04 100 451 34
- Contact us
- or connect on Facebook
Events
Past Events
| Title | Date | Day | Location | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Tour by Barbara Arrowsmith Young | 22 Jul 2020 | Wednesday | Online Event | Closed |
| Barbara Arrowsmith presents in Perth | 11 Feb 2020 | Tuesday | The Octagon Theatre, University of WA | Closed |
| Open night at Fremantle Education Centre Arrowsmith Program | 22 Jan 2019 | Tuesday | Corner Cantonment and Parry Street Fremantle | Closed |
| Open night at Fremantle Education Centre Arrowsmith Program | 21 Nov 2018 | Wednesday | Fremantle Education Centre | Closed |
| Debbie Gilmore speaks | 15 Aug 2018 | Wednesday | Fremantle Education Centre | Closed |
| Open night at Fremantle Education Centre Arrowsmith Program | 03 May 2018 | Thursday | Corner Parry and Cantonment Streets, Fremantle | Closed |
Contact
- 7/460 Roberts Road, Subiaco WA, Australia
- +61410045134 - The Cognitive Strengthening Centre
- joanne@cscwa.com.au
- 8.30 - 6.00pm most days and Saturday mornings
About me
I started professional life as a Psychologist working with children and families in Burnie on the North-West coast of Tasmania. There seemed to be an endless stream of children, mainly ten year old boys, marching through my clinic who were having trouble with learning. My job was to discount intellectual disability as the cause of their struggles, and diagnose them with learning disability. At the time we didn’t know what else to do except recommend a very structured learning program and lots of moral support as the child progressed through the education system. What puzzled me, however, was that when I looked at the child’s historical school reports there were comments that indicated learning problems were evident right back to kindergarten. Regardless of this, early intervention had not been organised for the children.
Roll on a few years and my children were old enough for me to return to the workforce and I decided to become an early years teacher so I could identify and provide early intervention for those children who were showing the early signs of learning difficulties. The aim was to refer them for speech pathology and occupational therapy. I was a bit shocked when I discovered the very low level of understanding of learning and learning problems amongst teachers. Parents were being told ‘he’s a boy’, ‘he’ll grow out of it’, ‘he’s a second child’, ‘girls always struggle with maths’ when these things are very untrue. Thinking it was my own lack of experience in the field, that there was something I didn’t understand, I enrolled in a Master’s degree to find out some more, and found that even at that level of study there was very little teaching about or understanding of the sorts of developmental issues that indicated a learning problem was imminent for the child. It seemed that the education system is only set up for those people who don’t have a problem with learning. Yet 15% of the population does have such a problem.
Then I saw an advertisement for a position as an Arrowsmith Teacher. I hadn’t heard of the Arrowsmith program before and was more than a little sceptical about it. It seemed to promise that learning disorders could be overcome! Parents have been promised this before only to find little or no change in their child’s learning and I didn’t want to be part of an organisation that did this. In addition, the claims of fundamental change being made to the person’s learning capacity were entirely against everything I had ever learned. I was, however, intrigued and investigated further. I was amazed by the seemingly miraculous changes in people’s lives that had occurred. This was something I wanted to know more about!
I applied for the position, was selected and trained as an Arrowsmith Teacher. Finally, I had found something I could dedicate myself to. Initially it was the social justice aspect of the program that appealed to me. I believe that all students have a right to receive the education they need to become independent in our literate and numerate society and this program maximises the chances of doing that for people with learning disorders.
As I’ve continued, however, I have become very aware of the pain that learning disorders cause. Children think they are ‘dumb’ because they can’t learn and might withdraw or become ‘behaviourally challenged’. Adolescents develop mental health issues because they struggle so much at school and are told – ‘just concentrate a bit more/ try harder’ as though it is their fault that they cannot learn, not the fault of the teacher who cannot teach them. Adults have missed out on reaching their potential because they are either not as literate and numerate as they need to be, or their executive functioning is not well enough developed.
All of these things are now unnecessary, because now we know what to do to help people with these problems.
The Arrowsmith Program helps people strengthen their cognitive skills and overcome their learning disorders so they can start to participate fully in our literate and numerate society. It is a privilege to facilitate it for people and a delight to watch them progress as their brain changes to make them more capable, stronger learners. It is incredible to me to walk beside someone and watch as they develop their underlying cognitive skills and become more aware of the world, gain independence and enable their potential.
I invite you to contact me to talk about whether it is suitable for you or someone you love.
For more information or a no obligation chat:
The Cognitive Strengthening Centre acknowledges the First Nations people of this land and pays our respects to their culture, people and Elders past, present and future.
Roll on a few years and my children were old enough for me to return to the workforce and I decided to become an early years teacher so I could identify and provide early intervention for those children who were showing the early signs of learning difficulties. The aim was to refer them for speech pathology and occupational therapy. I was a bit shocked when I discovered the very low level of understanding of learning and learning problems amongst teachers. Parents were being told ‘he’s a boy’, ‘he’ll grow out of it’, ‘he’s a second child’, ‘girls always struggle with maths’ when these things are very untrue. Thinking it was my own lack of experience in the field, that there was something I didn’t understand, I enrolled in a Master’s degree to find out some more, and found that even at that level of study there was very little teaching about or understanding of the sorts of developmental issues that indicated a learning problem was imminent for the child. It seemed that the education system is only set up for those people who don’t have a problem with learning. Yet 15% of the population does have such a problem.
Then I saw an advertisement for a position as an Arrowsmith Teacher. I hadn’t heard of the Arrowsmith program before and was more than a little sceptical about it. It seemed to promise that learning disorders could be overcome! Parents have been promised this before only to find little or no change in their child’s learning and I didn’t want to be part of an organisation that did this. In addition, the claims of fundamental change being made to the person’s learning capacity were entirely against everything I had ever learned. I was, however, intrigued and investigated further. I was amazed by the seemingly miraculous changes in people’s lives that had occurred. This was something I wanted to know more about!
I applied for the position, was selected and trained as an Arrowsmith Teacher. Finally, I had found something I could dedicate myself to. Initially it was the social justice aspect of the program that appealed to me. I believe that all students have a right to receive the education they need to become independent in our literate and numerate society and this program maximises the chances of doing that for people with learning disorders.
As I’ve continued, however, I have become very aware of the pain that learning disorders cause. Children think they are ‘dumb’ because they can’t learn and might withdraw or become ‘behaviourally challenged’. Adolescents develop mental health issues because they struggle so much at school and are told – ‘just concentrate a bit more/ try harder’ as though it is their fault that they cannot learn, not the fault of the teacher who cannot teach them. Adults have missed out on reaching their potential because they are either not as literate and numerate as they need to be, or their executive functioning is not well enough developed.
All of these things are now unnecessary, because now we know what to do to help people with these problems.
The Arrowsmith Program helps people strengthen their cognitive skills and overcome their learning disorders so they can start to participate fully in our literate and numerate society. It is a privilege to facilitate it for people and a delight to watch them progress as their brain changes to make them more capable, stronger learners. It is incredible to me to walk beside someone and watch as they develop their underlying cognitive skills and become more aware of the world, gain independence and enable their potential.
I invite you to contact me to talk about whether it is suitable for you or someone you love.
For more information or a no obligation chat:
- Call Joanne on 04 100 451 34
- Contact us
- Connect on facebook
The Cognitive Strengthening Centre acknowledges the First Nations people of this land and pays our respects to their culture, people and Elders past, present and future.