A Better Mousetrap
Overview
Intelligent Intervention is an interactive multisensory literacy program specially developed for children in grades 2-6. It fills the void of state-adopted textbooks that typically do not adequately address the widespread problems of poor spelling, improper grammar and weak reading and writing skills. Target populations for this program are: learning disabled students, English-language learners and underachieving general education students whose academic performance may be lagging as much as four years below that of their peers. Students floundering at the bottom of the at-risk pool are ideal candidates for this unique program. Every aspect of the program has been carefully tailored to meet the demanding needs of underachieving students. Teachers can expect to see the following changes in their students:
- Immediate gains in reading and writing
- Ability to use proper grammar, spelling and vocabulary
- Improved reading comprehension and fluency
- Improved written expression
- Improved ability to complete reading and writing assignments
- Improved willingness of recalcitrant students to participate in class
- Improved ability to assess one's own work
- Improved self-esteem due to personal accomplishment
Program Characteristics
Intelligent Intervention adheres to a fundamental pedagogical tenet--children learn best when instruction follows a continuum from simple to complex. Certain syntactic elements such as contractions and quotation marks, commonly found in K-6 language arts programs, have been purposely omitted in the introductory lessons to facilitate rapid learning. The absence of idioms, slang and complex sentence structures also helps to avoid confusion. Such literary conventions are introduced only after students have mastered basic English. This unique developmental approach allows for accelerated instruction that results in accelerated learning.
Students are first taught to associate familiar animations with simple declarative sentences. A consistent question-response format is used to trigger students' responses to the animations. After students have become grounded to a set of basic questions and responses, the complexity of sentences is increased with the addition of adjectives and prepositional phrases. Highly-structured interactive lessons coupled with specific exercises that strengthen visual memory effectively promote the exponential growth of students' linguistic repertoire. Depending on the needs of your students, Intelligent Intervention can be used for just a few months or an entire school year. Criterion-referenced tests located in Teachers Tools will help you to determine when student mastery of the material has been achieved.
Level 1 is specially designed for students who are just beginning to learn English or native speakers with underdeveloped oral language skills. This innovative program uses animations, occasional music and animated text effects to optimize students' acquisition of fundamental reading and writing skills. Click the image below to try out a sample lesson from Level 1 with your students.
Level 2 is designed for students who understand English, but struggle with poor verbal skills. This intermediate level is especially suitable for students who may have a fair understanding of phonics, but continue to read word-by-word with minimal comprehension. Click the image below to try out a sample lesson from Level 2 with your students.
Level 3 challenges students to read and write sentences that reflect their advanced understanding of English syntax and semantics. Click the image below to try out a sample lesson from Level 3 with your students.
Please note that YouTube limitations restrict the use of the program's navigational features. In addition to using the pause and play button, you can gain control of slide presentation by adjusting the slider on the progress bar at the bottom of your screen. When using sample lessons with your students, teachers are expected to take an active role by pausing the program as needed to highlight important points and provide additional explanation or interpretation for English-language-learners.
Levels
Level 1 is specially designed for students who are just beginning to learn English or native speakers with underdeveloped oral language skills. This innovative program uses animations, occasional music and animated text effects to optimize students' acquisition of fundamental reading and writing skills. Click the image below to try out a sample lesson from Level 1 with your students.
Level 2 is designed for students who understand English, but struggle with poor verbal skills. This intermediate level is especially suitable for students who may have a fair understanding of phonics, but continue to read word-by-word with minimal comprehension. Click the image below to try out a sample lesson from Level 2 with your students.
Level 3 challenges students to read and write sentences that reflect their advanced understanding of English syntax and semantics. Click the image below to try out a sample lesson from Level 3 with your students.
Please note that YouTube limitations restrict the use of the program's navigational features. In addition to using the pause and play button, you can gain control of slide presentation by adjusting the slider on the progress bar at the bottom of your screen. When using sample lessons with your students, teachers are expected to take an active role by pausing the program as needed to highlight important points and provide additional explanation or interpretation for English-language-learners.
