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FAQs

What is neuro feedback therapy?

How will neuro feedback therapy help me?

Why are the literacy and numeracy programmes "specialist"?

Will I see a noticeable improvement in my literacy skills by the end of this course?

How will these Camps help me?

What is the initial literacy baseline assessment on the Easter and Summer Camps?

What is a "visual dyslexia" screen?

What is neuro feedback therapy? A way of training the brain through modifying your EEG waves by computer games and simulations. Certain behaviours that help with learning such as focus, attention, concentration and reducing distraction are improved by this therapy. These behaviours underpin literacy and numeracy programmes for learners with difficulties and disabilities in these areas. For examples learners with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, Attention Deficit or Hyperactivity (ADHD).

Scalp electrodes are placed on the head in specific areas related to certain psychological and sensory motor skills. Your EEG waves are then recorded using software and hardware packages designed specifically for this purpose. Games accompany these packages for visual and auditory feedback and reward. The brain trains itself for learnt responses in tasks requiring alertness, focus, concentration, low distraction control, and relaxation. The packages are sold to trained clinicians who are qualified professions in the fields of medicine, health, education and psychology. Some companies are founded by scientists such as EEG Spectrum, Brain Master and Brain Tuner. The companies are located internationally from Russia to the USA.

The applications of neuro feedback therapy have developed from outside education - sport peak performance, NASA research, medical science. Since the 1990's when the USA government diverted funding from military research due to the collapse of the Soviet Union into the biology of the brain for reducing US health costs, science and technology in the Western World has advanced far enough now for neuroscience to be applied in the living room and classroom. This is revolutionising our traditional methods for identifying struggling learners especially with literacy and numeracy difficulties & disabilities. It is possible with quantitative EEG (qEEG) to map the brain, identify areas of particular low EEG activity and then correlate that to specific learning difficulties and disabilities. For example ADHD corresponds with particular low EEG activity in the frontal lobes of the brain (front of the head).

For experienced EEG practitioners it is possible to read EEG brain waves like a "book" and even classify sub types of a specific learning disability such as Attention Deficit Disorder or Hyperactivity Disorder. So a "real time" snap shot of brain activity correlates to behaviourally observed weaknesses in literacy and numeracy tasks and certain cognitive information processing. A physiological profile of the psychology of a poor reader or speller is now possible using this quantitative EEG brain mapping. Dr. Steffert and Tony Steffert regularly deliver these qEEG assessments and use the results for supporting a conventional psychological assessment for a specific learning disability such as Dyslexia, and as the basis for neuro feedback therapy with an individual.

Although the Applied Neuroscience Society (www.appliedneurosciencesociety.org) regulates and directs neural feedback therapy in the United Kingdom, it is really a research and academic platform for the application of neuroscience techniques in health related disciplines, psychology and education. Therapists on our creative education and therapy events are members of this organisation. Dr Steffert is one of the founding members.

How will neuro feedback therapy help me? Creative education and therapy events introduce and continue learning support programmes for children and adults who struggle with learning especially with English and Maths at home, school, college, university and work. Neuro Feedback therapy complements general learning and multi sensory literacy and numeracy programmes specifically.

This is achieved by training up behaviours that help with learning such as focus, attention, concentration and reducing distraction for peak learning performance for an individual. It is non intrusive, relatively short (20 minutes) delivered by home (yourself) or therapist training and delivers noticeable gains within 5 - 10 sessions for most users. 40 sessions are recommended.

Learning with neuro feedback therapy (www.learningwithneurofeedbacktherapy.co.uk) is an effective complement to conventional teaching, learning and assessment for improving Maths and English skills. Creative education and therapy events introduce and continue learning support programmes for participants who have not used neuro feedback therapy, but are interested in how this applied neuro science technique works within a special needs education curriculum.

Neuro feedback therapy in a holiday setting (www.neurofeedbackholiday.com) practises and refreshes the mind and so brain in a fun and relaxed setting without the everyday strains and distractions which occur in our regular and daily lives.

Why are the literacy and numeracy programmes "specialist"? Some children and adults have not picked up reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic well. In spite of wanting to learn, and having good opportunities to learn at home or school, they have not acquired the literacy and numeracy skills that they deserve. Feelings of low confidence and self esteem then make these children and adults even less inclined to put themselves in situations which may help them. Although screening and diagnosis of a disability such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphsia (handwriting) helps understand the problems that a child or adult faces, it is the intervention which is important. Helping a child or adult overcome their weaknesses in literacy or numeracy, become self reliant and independent in their learning and compensate for weaknesses by transferring skills developed in areas of strength is the way forward. Specialist literacy and numeracy programmes constitute this intervention.

So at this stage, a specialist teacher working with the child or adult designs a specific and individualised literacy and numeracy programme which develops their strengths yet improves on their weaknesses. Certain programmes have been designed for this exact purpose: "Units of Sound" from Dyslexia Action (www.dyslexiaaction.org) is a computer based literacy programme; "Jolly Phonics" is popular in primary schools; "Word Wasp" is an effective and adult reading and spelling programme; "Toe by" Toe is a similar programme for children; "Phonographix" is a U.S.A based programme that has been popular in U.K since 1997; "Up to the Moon" by Margaret Chalkley used on our creative education and therapy events to introduce and continue learning support programmes for children up to 7 years of age, who struggle with learning especially English at home and school.

Practising new skills by doing, hearing and seeing repetition at word, sentence and text levels in a "busy" session such as a literacy or numeracy "hour", return children and adults with difficulties to non competent stages in their literacy and numeracy. By rehearsing and exercising these partially learnt skills and knowledge, a specialist teacher is able to rebuild word attack skills for word building; sentence and word structure rules for grammar; make clear and give ownership to the child or adult on how their grammar makes up meaning for context in their writing; connect meaning at text level through specific vocabulary and sentence use across varieties of extended writing in English. When this is achieved then the struggling child and adult rediscovers their confidence. This cascades into their general learning, resulting in a "joined up" learner - school/college/university/work - home system of effective and efficient teaching, learning and assessment.

Numeracy programmes follow this multi sensory approach by doing, hearing and seeing the same method but through different sensory channels for receptive and expressive numerical information processing. For example long multiplication methods can be taught in a number of "pen and paper", "hands on" and spoken ways by using colours; tables; pictures, cartoons, diagrams; an abacus; tally scores; cuisenaire rods; number blocks; modified playing cards. A clear knowledge and effective recall of times tables underpin these long multiplication techniques. "Hard" and challenging topics such as algebra at National Curriculum Key Stage 3 can become excellent ways to practise and rehearse arithmetic skills that some children and adults have persistently be unable to pick despite having "good" literacy skills and general abilities. Daily rehearsal refines and polishes these underpinning mental maths skills. Games such as Suduko are prime exercises. Encouragement and reward is essential for both children and adults to continue with their numeracy support programmes. Dyscalculia, a disability specific to number, the concept of number and the precise "true or false logic" language of maths, could be a cause of these persistent numeracy difficulties.

A specialist literacy and numeracy programme is fast track teaching, learning and assessment in specific, manageable, achievable, relevant and time bound (SMART) targets that improve precise areas of weakness in a child or adult's literacy and numeracy skills profile. A specialist literacy and numeracy programme is at the heart of any effective learning support that takes a child or adult from a "casualty" or "rescue" in learning to a learner who becomes "boosted" or "extended to excellence" in their learning. Such a specialist programme delivers a short (6 - 10 weeks) duration of 1 hour a week in a 1:1 session between the specialist teacher and the learner. An initial baseline assessment has profiled and classified the learner's strengths and weaknesses, SMART targets focus the delivery and techniques make up that delivery. Noticeable gains are predicted by the end of that short duration. If not then a follow up course is recommended with modified or completely new SMART targets. This re focus with a secondary fast track specialist literacy and numeracy programme is necessary, sometimes, when emotional and behavioural issues are the central barrier to learning rather than the literacy and numeracy difficulties, which were the original obstacles to successful classroom learning. Such emotional and behavioural issues occur when the literacy and numeracy difficulties have not been tackled and left to continue without learning support or ineffective learning support, which is sometimes the case. If unchecked emotional and behavioural issues develop into disciplinary concerns and sanctions that are not addressing the root cause of the behaviours.

However, when gains have been confirmed through standardised testing then a "bridging to the curriculum" course of learning support develops and makes these gains sustainable and wider spread into subject areas. The specialist literacy and numeracy programmes embed within the curriculum studies for the learner. But remember it is the "joined up" thinking and practice approach between home - the specialist program/teacher and school/college/university/work, which really roots these gains, making them sustainable and embedded. Exam access arrangements, loan equipment, access to readers, writers, prompters, advocates, personal organisers and curriculum adjustments in the classroom and for assessment (inclusive practices that differentiate the learning for a child or adult with literacy and numeracy difficulties) are examples of this "joined up" thinking and practice between home - the specialist program/teacher and school/college/university/work.

Will I see a noticeable improvement in my literacy skills by the end of this course? Yes to a modest degree in some participants. However, initial gains need sustained development, which is not possible in a 1 or even 2 week course. Creative education and therapy events introduce and continue learning support programmes for children and adults who struggle with learning especially with English and Maths. The idea is to give you the building blocks of an effective learning support programme which continues after the Camps or upgrades an existing one.

For all participants these courses continue or introduce you to specialist techniques, skills and individualised learning with challenges appropriate for your abilities. Normally a 10 week multi sensory literacy and language programme of 1 hour a week with home work between sessions and a "joined up" approach between home, the private tutor/therapist and school are essential ingredients in achieving a marked improvement. A clear initial and final baseline assessment is necessary to identify strengths and weaknesses and for identifying any measurable gains within the 10 week programme. To make any gains sustainable and embed them within general learning then a less intensive but curriculum focused follow up programme is then put in place. Normally 1 session a week for 20 weeks. Then a review of progress and relevance within the curriculum by a mid term final assessment. At this stage further intervention may not be necessary.

How will these Camps help me? It will continue to develop your literacy, concentration and focus skills for education and work or introduce you to the skills and techniques which educational psychologists and specialist teachers' use for peak learning performance in schools, colleges, universities and increasingly in business and public sector services. The idea is to give you the building blocks of an effective learning support programme which continues after the Camps have finished or upgrades your exisiting one.

We want to pass on our skills and knowledge acquired in schools, colleges and universities in supporting learners with literacy and numeracy difficulties & disabilities that are relatively inexpensive, practical, based on sound scientific and education theory and bring about results relatively quickly. We acknowledge that temporary literacy and numeracy gains need embedding for them to be sustained and widespread across a curriculum so we promote a "joined up" thinking and practice between home - the specialist program/teacher and school/college/university/work. We call this the triangle of effective learning support. Our "Parent/Carer Respite Weekendz without the Kidz" delivers the features of an effective learning support programme involving you directly in the activities that your children practise but with overviews and summaries on current UK Special Educational Needs practice and theory behind educational therapies such as Neuro Feedback Therapy.

We have narrowed the focus for the Easter and Summer Camps to Key Stage 2 and 3 revision, experience of dyslexia - friendly literacy programmes for different age groups, imaginative & creative activities and neuro feedback therapy on an individual 1:1 basis to underpin the literacy and numeracy based sessions. The Easter and Summer Camps provide an excellent basis for intervention that may start at school, college or university or with a private tutor/therapist in September. The Easter and Summer Camps are opportunities to review the success of home and school learning support programmes begun in September, meet up with old friends and swap stories, good and bad! It is a chance for us to learn how well or not our advice and guidance has worked for you from previous Camps. It is also a chance to review literacy and numeracy skills for improvements.

What is the initial literacy baseline assessment on the Easter and Summer Camps? This is a Speech and Language, history of literacy development & Reading Skills audit which provides the basis of an individual education plan for school action plus or learning support sessions in further and higher education.

It also provides evidence of need for exam access arrangements for GCSE, A levels and Degree exams. School based exams such as the Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 tests are normally, applied for on line by the nominated teacher in the school, such as the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

The initial literacy baseline assessment provides data for this application or an initial evidence of need on which a specialist teacher or educational psychologist will base their own school assessment. It takes 40 minutes per person.

Each participant will receive educational advice and guidance and a summary report with recommendations for continued learning support after the camp finishes. We acknowledge that temporary literacy and numeracy gains need embedding for them to be sustained and widespread across a curriculum so we promote a "joined up" thinking and practice between home - the specialist program/teacher and school/college/university/work. We call this the triangle of effective learning support. It is anticipated that most participants and their families will already have some form of learning support either at school, college or at home. The creative education and therapy event just continues your learning support programmes with improvements and renewed focus.

What is a "visual dyslexia" screen? Some readers experience "visual effects" when they are reading - word moving, blurry text, letter and word reversal, even colours and halos. Although not a characteristic of a reading disability such as dyslexia, there is a high association with these visual perceptual difficulties and dyslexia. Reversing numbers and letters is also a symptom of this reading difficulty. Dyslexia type spelling errors such as "the right letters but in the wrong order" or "spelling words as they sound" may indicate a weak sight word recognition skill that is characteristic of "surface" dyslexia or a dyseidetic reader. And remember it is not the acuity of the reader's vision that is weak but how the visual information is being processed; readers experience these visual effects with or without wearing glasses. Such "visual effects" vary uniquely to the reader and so does their impact on the reader; some readers accept it as "normal" where as other readers experience occasional migraines after extended reading under "poor" lighting conditions.

It is the visual processing of black print on a white background that causes these effects for some readers. Some people have called this "visual dyslexia". Irlen syndrome is a variety of this visual perceptual difficulty. There are a number of screens available for the specialist teacher. A visual perceptual difficulties screen forms part of the initial literacy baseline assessments on the Easter and Summer Camps. We use a visual perceptual difficulties screen from the Institute of Opticians and Optometrist, this screen profiles the visual effects that a reader experiences, finds colour overlays that correct this and then demonstrates that correction through a faster and more accurate reading. Participants will get to keep an overlay that works for them.

However a thorough assessment by an optometrist is always recommended to follow up a positive screen for visual perceptual difficulties. Indeed an eye test along with a hearing test determines if sensory acuity is at fault in delayed literacy and numeracy acquisition that has led to literacy and numeracy difficulties. An eye test along with a hearing test is therefore crucial before any Diagnostic Assessment for a Specific Learning Disability such as Dyslexia, is undertaken.

© Copyright. N Morgan - Baker 18th August 2006.