PACE is based on the best scientific research
available and is continually modified to incorporate new scientific
data.
PACE targets and trains those skills that are
most likely to have a meaningful impact on learning
performance and academic abilities.
PACE is provided individually to achieve significant
results quickly.
PACE consists of sequenced procedures to challenge
? not bore or frustrate ? the student.
PACE is provided on a one-on-one basis to allow immediate
feedback (error correction and positive reinforcement).
PACE improves the student?s self-esteem by
allowing him or her to actually see the difference in his
or her own performance.
PACE drives new skills to the subconscious so that
they become habitual and automatic.
PACE procedures appear to be nonacademic so
that they are different from the schoolwork with which the
student may have had negative experiences.
PACE develops meaningful skills that are used in the
student?s daily activities so that there is a high level
of retention.
PACE produces valuable results (there is a
high return) when considering committed effort, time, and
finances.
What
are the major causes of learning problems? About 85 to 90 percent of learning difficulties
are due to poor underlying learning skills. These skills
include: Attention/Concentration: the ability to stay on task or
ignore distractions. For example, continuing to read a book while
another group is in a discussion. Phonetic awareness: the ability to blend sounds, segment
(unglue) sounds, and analyze sounds. Problems with reading new
words or spelling errors in writing result from poor phonetic
awareness. Memory: the ability to recall short or long term information.
For example, copying from a board (short term) or taking a final
history exam (long term). Comprehension: the ability to understand. Visualization: the ability to create mental pictures. For
example, seeing "in the mind" a math word problem before
trying to solve it. Processing Speed: the ability to handle and process information
quickly.
Are
learning difficulties due to a lack of instruction?
This is easy to determine. If you or your child is able to
understand and perform as others do with extra help or tutoring,
then the cause of the struggle is poor or inadequate instruction.
But if good performance is achieved only after long hours, sweat,
or many mistakes, then the problem is deeper.
Is
a lack of motivation the cause of learning problems? Very few enter school or a job not wanting to succeed.
It is only after they find it difficult, experience failure, or
are ridiculed that they avoid the activities that give them pain.
In other words, a lack of motivation is usually the result of
a learning problem ? not the cause.
Are learning
difficulties inherited? Heredity does play a role, but it is minor. It is generally
believed that between 40% and 70% of our mental abilities are
learned, not inherited. Therefore, we can accomplish far more
if we stop blaming the problems on genes, which we can?t change,
and start enhancing the skills that are learned and can be changed.
Can
a child with normal intelligence have a problem with learning?
Absolutely. IQ is only an average of many different learning skills,
which means it?s possible for someone who has "normal"
intelligence to have scored high on some skills and low on others.
And if those "low" scores are in the skills required
for reading or math, then reading or math achievement will be
low even though IQ is "normal."
If
learning skills are learned, why are they not learned in school?
Every school activity a child does has the potential to further
develop an underlying learning skill. But, this will only happen
if the activity is challenging. School lessons are often either
too hard (frustrating) or too easy (boring) because children seldom
have equal learning skills. Therefore, to make significant improvement
in these skills, individual attention is required.
Many schools simply don?t have the time or funds to provide this
very intensive and structured one-on-one training. Also, most
teachers tend to teach to the child?s stronger skills. By avoiding
the weak skills, they don?t get developed. The result may be a
lifelong learning handicap.
Where can I find
help? The purpose of PACE is to help people learn easier,
faster, and more efficiently. To do this, you first determine
if any learning skills are deficient. If there are, you determine
how much they can be improved and what impact the improvement
will have on the person’s learning and life. If that impact
is significant, you then design a very intense one-on-one training
program that involves active participation by the child’s
family. (One of the most significant and noticeable impacts that
PACE makes on children’s lives is on their self-esteem. When
children see improvements in their performance, they feel much
better about themselves and work harder to achieve even more.)
PACE is your best tool to discover these weaknesses and strengthen
them. It allows you to target specific weak skills and bring them
up to and beyond age level. It also works the entire skill set
to make learning faster and easier. Master the Code is the optional
reading program that extends the cognitive base PACE builds specifically
to strengthen reading and spelling.
Is
PACE based on clinical results or laboratory studies?
PACE was developed in clinical settings using real people with
real learning problems while utilizing and applying the best scientific
research.
PACE is directed by some of the nation?s most highly
regarded experts on learning in the fields of clinical and neuropsychology,
visual and auditory processing, and education. These experts have
been responsible for hundreds of professional articles, research
projects, books, publications, and lectures throughout the world.
Their purpose is to ensure that new developments in learning are
applied to help those with cognitive deficiencies succeed.
In the last few years, great strides have been made by
researchers to expand our understanding of how the brain works.
This has allowed the creation of better learning models and remedial
strategies to help those who have difficulty learning. Today,
PACE is at the forefront of using this knowledge to make significant
improvements in learning skills.
Why
are most PACE training procedures nonacademic? Academic content could cause some students to resist training
because it may seem too much like school, which the student may
associate with negative experiences. Also, the short-range goal
of PACE is improved learning performance. PACE improves
the student?s learning performance so that the student is able
to learn more easily and efficiently. This then makes it possible
to achieve PACE's long-range goal of improved academic or
job related performance.
What is a training
task like? PACE training procedures are made up of tasks that are designed
to meet specific goals. The tasks are related, make repetitive
demands on a deficient skill, and progressively increase in difficulty.
This is a process-specific approach to training (as opposed to
a general stimulation approach). A process-specific approach targets
the same function systematically and repetitively with related
tasks. Using the power of sequencing (logically ordering a task
to build on previously strengthened skill) and loading (adding
progressive difficulty and distraction during the training to
increase focus, concentration, and to drive the new skills into
automatic mode) produces rapid, lasting results. As a brief example,
a procedure may call for the student to add numbers from two columns.
After this is completed successfully, it is done in time with
a metronome. Upon the successful completion of this stage, the
student will add the two numbers and subtract one from the total.
Later they may add the numbers, then subtract one from the first
pair, two from the second pair and three from the third pair,
and so on. In this way, skill is re-enforced by repetition, and
attention, concentration skill, and focus are enhanced by the
loading-up of additional different but related mental tasks. Similar
techniques, appropriate to the skill being trained, are designed
into each of the procedures.
Why
is PACE provided one-on-one rather than in a group? PACE is done one-on-one for two reasons. First,
the activities need to be sequenced according to each student's
skill level. Each training task demands very specific skills.
The student needs to be constantly challenged. If the task is
too easy, it's boring. But if it's too hard, it's frustrating.
Procedures that are challenging will cause the most improvement.
Second, we need to provide immediate feedback. Students need praise
when performing correctly as an incentive to keep working, and
they need correction when making an error so they are aware of
the mistake. Later, they learn to recognize and correct their
own errors. This one-on-one delivery maximized the results from
PACE, and confirms the providers value in the process.
Although these methods may be effective in correcting a sensory,
motor, or very specific academic problem, they have had limited
results in significantly improving learning performance.
PACE,
on the other hand, is a process-specific approach using
planned, repetitive exercises that place demands on deficient
mental functions. When the student masters the exercise, a more
demanding exercise that targets the same mental skill is available
to continue the training.
Do
all PACE students progress at the same rate? No. Normally a student with fewer deficient learning
skills will progress faster than a student with many. Each
procedure is graded according to difficulty and tasks become
progressively more complex. PACE is regulated by mastery, so
the number of tasks completed during training differs from student
to student. In other words, once the student passes a task,
he or she is then allowed to progress to the next challenge
(a more difficult task).
Do PACE students
get frustrated? Seldom. Because we start at the point the student
can achieve and then gradually increase the demand - like a
video game - the student gains ability and confidence. At times
the student may get frustrated in the same way she or he would
with a video game.
Do the results last? Yes. The skills developed are used each day the student
is in school or at work. They are constantly being used and
therefore don't regress. This retention is reflected in a study
that showed that 98.7% of the one year follow-up cognitive test
scores were at least as high as they were at the completion
of PACE.
Why
does PACE require so many hours per week? We believe that getting big, fast changes are far better than getting slow, gradual changes for two reasons. First, it is easier to get parents to commit to working very hard for 12 weeks than one hour a week for 18 months. Second, it's important that students see big changes quickly - this will increase their self-esteem and they'll be motivated to work even harder because they can see the payoff. The challenge of making time for 3 provider sessions and three additional parent sessions per week is rewarded with the biggest, fastest changes in learning ability and ease available anywhere.
How
do we know if we are getting results?
Our training is not done in secret. Parents are required to
spend at least 3 hours per week doing procedures with their
child. Therefore, parents will know if improvement is being
made.
If
we're not seeing results, what do we do? Stop. If at any time you are not satisfied that the
changes are not worth the time, money, and effort, stop. We're
here to help get maximum improvement in the shortest period
of time. If it's not happening - don't continue.
What does a PACE
program cost? PACE is licensed to providers who set their own fees.
The fees vary by location and type of provider. However, in
most cases, the fees are similar to the fees charged by tutoring
centers.
How
does PACE differ from academic tutoring? PACE tackles the cause rather than the effect. If
the reason for learning difficulties is poor instruction, then
academic tutoring is the correct solution. But if there is a
deficient underlying learning skill, then academic tutoring
is only a stopgap and will need to be repeated year after year.
PACE, on the other hand, "cures" the cause.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes, most providers offer a guarantee based on the following policies:
If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with PACE, you may
discontinue training before the fifth session and get a full refund of all
personal payments. The initial session, which includes the additional
testing, is considered one of the 38 total sessions.
If you decide to discontinue after the fourth session, any advance payments
will be refunded on a prorated basis.
If, upon completion of the twelve week program there is not
at least a two-year increase in a deficient skill as determined
at the initial testing, we will provide three additional sessions
and testing without fee. If the gain is still not achieved and
you are still not satisfied with the program, at the request
of the party to this agreement, we will refund the full fee.
Can
I talk to someone who has gone through PACE?
We wish everyone would. Our greatest supporters are our own
providers, parents and students. Privacy issues prevent us from
publishing the names and phone numbers of all our students,
but a select list of providers have agreed to accept phone calls.
In respect for their time, please select only one provider to
call. Click here for provider references.
This web site includes dozens of testimonies. These were transcribed
directly from parents and students of our providers. All testimonies
are presented here as received with this one exception: PACE
training has helped many families overcome not only learning
difficulties, but the relational and social difficulties that
a frustrated student often faces. In cases where the past difficulties
overcome by the PACE training would be hurtful or embarrassing
to the student, the names have been changed. The testimonies
however are accurate. Click here for
parent and student comments.
What results does
PACE get?
PACE's pre- and post-test results show changes in cognitive
skills which are unmatched. And our studies are not just done
on small control groups of 15 to 25 students but on thousands
of students and by a multitude of providers throughout the country.
Average gains in deficient learning skills are greater than
3.6 years in only 12 weeks! These gains are reflected in
IQ scores that show an average 28-point increase where IQ was
below the norm and an average 9-point increase where IQ was
initially above the norm! For more details click
here.
How
will PACE effect dyslexia (poor reading)?
Numerous studies have shown the major cause of poor
reading is the inability to 'unglue' sounds in words, blend
sounds to form words, and analyze sounds within words. In other
words, most students with reading problems struggle to hear,
analyze, and separate the individual phonemes in words.
Furthermore, it has been shown that children don?t automatically
learn to segment words into sounds simply because they are exposed
to a reading system.
PACE includes procedures that evaluate, pinpoint, and
develop the underlying mental skills to the advanced level required
to assure fast and efficient learning-to-read skills. Beyond
this, the developers of PACE have also developed a revolutionary
new sound-based, one-on-one reading and spelling program called
Master The Code. For more information see www.masterthecode.com
How
does PACE effect motivation and self-image?
Internal motivation comes from within a person. It is a person?s
individual need ? for a reason that others may not even be aware
of ? to attain a goal. Those with a history of learning problems
are often lacking in this area. They do not feel that they can
attain goals, so they do not have the motivation to try to attain
them. The possibility for improvement seems so poor that they
do not sustain the maximum effort that should be put forth to
accomplish a task. Therefore, in PACE we make sure students
quickly achieve many small successes. In many cases, within
three weeks, students have moved beyond what they had previously
thought would be impossible, and are then ready and eager for
new and greater challenges. Success breeds success, and as students
experience improved skills and capabilities their self-image
will soar!
Do you have a trial
program? Most providers offer a four-session money back guarantee.
This gives you a chance to test the waters. If after four sessions
you don't feel comfortable, doubt the effectiveness, or for
any reason you don't want to continue, stop. Providers don't
want to continue unless you fully support the program. (Check
details will your provider)
How
does PACE handle mistakes and errors?
To accomplish a task, a student needs feedback so that he or
she can understand what is correct and what is incorrect. If
the student performs a task correctly, the trainer reinforces
the performance by giving immediate praise. This will create
a sense of accomplishment in the student and an internal motivation
to keep trying to succeed. Besides positive reinforcement, the
student also needs corrective feedback. If the student performs
the task incorrectly, the trainer informs the student of the
error and has the student repeat the task. Then, when the student
understands when an error has occurred, he or she can enter
the second stage of correction. This involves the student correcting
his or her own errors and repeating the task on his or her own.
Finally, the student is allowed to continue a task without interruption
? even after an error ? as long as he or she is aware of it.
How long
does it take to complete PACE? PACE is a 12-week program. Post-testing is done to
determine progress. Because the average improvement is about
3.6 year gain for each deficient skill, most students are then
at or above their age level. At this point providers, parents,
and students can determine if they need and want to continue.
Our recommendation is that as long as the gains being made are
worth the time, money, and effort - continue, and if not
- discontinue.
To
what degree can mental skills be changed? Mental skills may sometimes appear fixed, especially
since IQ results have been used for years to classify and label
people as having a specific level of intelligence. But
the truth is that we do not have to accept poor mental skills,
because we can improve them. They are not fixed. A numerical
IQ result is simply an average of the many mental skills that
are tested by an intelligence test. This average reflects a
person?s present level of mental functioning ? not a
fixed ability that is constant across a life span. Mental skills
are learned skills and can, therefore, be practiced and improved.
For years, we have known that we can modify and improve mental
skills. But most efforts at helping students with learning problems
still ignore this knowledge. Instead, many people try to modify
the student?s environment.
What
studies show that mental skills can be modified? There are numerous studies that show this modification
is possible. The following is just a sample of these studies
supporting the fact that a wide range of mental skills can be
? and have been ? improved.
Using a program aimed at developing reasoning and figural
classification skills, Jacobs showed a measurable
improvement in these skills, a better retention rate, and
a transfer of skills to related tasks.
Meichenbaum was able to improve mental performance
in a variety of therapeutic situations by modifying the inner
speech patterns of children and adults, which shows that learning
and memory skills can be trained.
Blank revealed IQ gains of 14.5 points in a one-on-one
program that lasted 75 minutes per week over several months.
The IQ gains dropped to only seven points when the amount
of training was reduced to 45 minutes per week.
Bloom and Broder, using an individualized problem-solving
training program, obtained significant gains in grades if
there were more than seven sessions.
Lindamood reported individual reading gains averaged
2.4 years in a four-month period for eighth and ninth graders
who received auditory-conceptual training.
Greenspan showed a significant improvement in directionality
and a reduction of reversal errors after using perceptual-motor
training.
Impressive training results have also been documented by
Feuerstein, Holzman, and Trabasso for reasoning;
Belmont, Brown, and Wanschura for memory;
Klahr and Sieglerfor problem solving;
Farr, Hendrickson, Walsh, Brown, Getz, Halliwell, Rowell,
and Rosner for visual processing; and Peters,
Rose, Yates, Varner, and Turner for auditory
processing.
Click here for study results of
the PACE program. The results not only show tremendous changes
in processing skills (a 3.6-year improvement in 12 weeks),
but also a significant transfer to higher mental skills (a
23-point gain in IQ).
Neurobiological-based facts and scientific studies show how skills
can be modified. But, the question of how training exercises can
benefit everyday life remains. The answer is transfer.
Transfer occurs when a person applies some previously gained knowledge
to a new situation that requires a similar task. For example,
a person who learns to play a card game can apply this knowledge
to help him or her learn how to play other card games. The first
game teaches the person how many points cards typically are worth,
how the cards are typically divided among players, which cards
may be considered "trump," and the value order of the
cards. If a person can learn these rules that are common to most
card games, he or she will find learning unfamiliar card games
easier.
The same is true for mental training. A student who learns how
to use visualization to remember a list of presidents will be
able to use this same strategy to help him or her remember a story
or spelling list as well. And a student who learns to do two or
three tasks at one time (such as count by three while following
a moving object and clapping in beat) will be able to listen to
a teacher and take notes at the same time. Each skill learned
in PACE will transfer to help the student perform other activities
that use the same skill.
Not only is this transfer "horizontal" (similar tasks),
but also it is "vertical" (affecting higher mental skills).
If a person learns a skill that a higher mental skill is dependent
upon, that higher mental skill may be improved as well. In other
words, a student who learns to process information faster, concentrate
more, visualize, remember, and conceptualize auditory patterns
better will find learning much easier and faster. PACE targets
the processing skills that academic skills rely upon to make learning
easier and more efficient for the student. Then, the student will
no longer have to learn to process, but can process to learn.
See parent and student comments.
