Listen to the comments by Gill Smith, Head Teacher (Feltham Community College, UK), following the 2011 pilot run by Gertrude Garrow, for 16 SEN students aged 14 years of age. Sue Hughes, Educational Psychologist, monitored the pilot. Report below.
“We chose students with a range of difficulties ranging from behavioral problems to non-attendance…”
Report by Sue Hughes, Educational Psychologist, for the pilot run by Gertrude Garrow at Feltham Community College, UK. for 16 students aged 14 from a special unit for illiterate children with serious behavioral problems.
In the first session with each student, I was disconcerted to note the very high level of emotional instability and behavioral problems. This was the case with more than half of the students and even in the one-to-one they were difficult to manage. They tended to be surly and aggressive and all were hyper anxious.
The majority were quite rude and uncooperative, some were abusive, some ran away, one needed a familiar adult to sit with him throughout the testing. Nearly all were late by at least 30 minutes. Most did not want to do the tests or did them reluctantly and all my efforts and skill were required to get the results.
There was a mixture of other conditions such as Apparent Language Difficulty (shown on the WASI) and English being a second language (EAL). One boy’s English was very poor indeed and who used only little names not sounds.
I noticed a big difference in the attitude and behavior of the pupils between the first and second session.
All arrived on time and sat down calmly and waited to be tested. I had no need to manage or encourage and all were confident, purposeful and polite.
Not once did any one of them give up on a word. They made determined and repeated efforts to decode them. Some were annoyed when the NARA rules meant that I had to tell them the word after they had tried for a few seconds and said, “I could have done it, Miss.”
They all conveyed a sense of mastery and ease and were very self-assured.
When I asked what they felt about the project, all were enthusiastic and all would have liked to do more if they could.
“I feel much more capable now of reading…instead of…getting frustrated and just giving up, I can get myself motivated to sit and read…I love it! Just to be able to read a book. Now I can read and write, it changes everything.”
A class of sixteen, 13-14 year-old SEN students, experienced reading level gains of up to 2-years after only 12-hours of AZL teaching
“it should be made an option for everyone.”
“We chose students with a range of difficulties ranging from behavioral problems to non-attendance, and what became clear was that all students attended regularly, all came to look for their teacher, and behavioral issues no longer seemed to exist.
They became less confrontational, relaxed and willing to learn, something we’d failed to achieve in the last three years…
At the end of the course the comments the students made were amazing, they described the course as: …brilliant…fun…exciting…they loved the music and colour.
One student said, “Miss, if I had that four years ago, can you imagine where I’d be now…it should be made an option for everyone.”
Independent assessment of the students by Anthony Glassberg saw a retained difference after 30 hours and less cumulative teaching time that could be defined in years for student after student.
“I am in no doubt this study demonstrates a large superiority in reading gains brought about by this system over a well taught orthodox reading course.”
“Retention is really difficult, because young people have to move quickly, they don’t have the patience…traditional methods are too much like school, and our students have a problem with the school learning system, whereas the AtoZeasy Reading System (AZRS) is totally different…this would be so quick… it works! I’m astounded! People with years of experience are amazed…everybody is amazed! We want to use it (AZRS) with every young adult we have coming in here…I think that it would be a crime not to be able to offer this to everybody, at that age group especially.”
I was disconcerted to note the very high level of emotional instability and behavior difficulty in more that half of the 16 students – all aged 14. Even in one-to-one they were difficult to manage. They were aggressive, rude, uncooperative, hyper-active, abusive or a combination of these…. Most did not want to be tested. on the second occasion ..12 hours teaching… all arrived on time sat down, waited to be tested, were confident, purposeful and polite. They all conveyed a sense of mastery and ease and were self- assured. One boy said, “It’s brilliant, everyone should do it….If there’s this difference in two weeks, think what four years could do.”
All five children had been diagnosed as having severe long-standing, specific learning difficulties… (developmental dyslexia)…. After 15 hours teaching …there was a significant improvement in their self-confidence…all of the children said they were delighted that they were able to read books which interested them…no longer frightened or anxious about reading…. This reading system is revolutionary.
“I feel capable now of doing it…instead of…getting frustrated, just giving up, I can get myself motivated to sit there and read…I love it! Just to be able to read a book. Now I can read and write, it changes everything.” (Katie (age 18 years), London, England)” Katie was employed as a receptionist by a car hire firm following 30 hours of teaching.
Ian 16, a traveller left after 12 hours of teaching time, but came back later to say that he had taught his sister and mother to read. 14 year old, Fiona had reading gains of 10 years in 20 hours of teaching. Fiona had been having private tuition from the age of six, but failed to read.
A class of sixteen, 13-14 year-old SEN students, experienced reading level gains of up to 2-3 years after only 12-hours of AZL teaching. A 13-year-old boy SEN student who had been attending a special school from the age of six, is now attending a regular school after only 30-hours of (AZRS) teaching. Three-year-old children reading phonetically after less than 10-hours of (AZRS) cumulative teaching time.