The Thinking Center uses the most researched methods and techniques to deliver an appropriate reading program to each student. Students start at different levels and progress through the components they need. For most students, 24 sessions makes a big difference. For other students, 36-48 sessions allows students to reach their intended reading goals. The following is the flow of our reading system. Students start in different places with the same goal: to be able to manage words more efficiently when reading.
Sequencing is alphabet mastery. It involves the ability to know and say the order of the alphabet forwards and backwards without singing the “Alphabet Song.”
Rapid Naming of Colors, Objects, Digits and Letters is the ability to retrieve target phonological codes from long-term memory which can affect fluency.
Phonemic Awareness (PA) - a phoneme is the smallest unit of spoken and written language. PA instruction teaches students to focus on and manipulate phonemes in spoken syllables and words.
Phoneme Segmentation (PS) is the ability to manipulate sounds inside of a word.
Phoneme Blending (PB) is the ability to push sounds together to read a word correctly.
Auditory Processing (AP) is the ability to manipulate sounds in and out of a word.
Auditory Discrimination (AD) is the ability to discriminate comparisons, word discrimination, sentence completion, absurdities, and rhyming words.
Auditory Memory (AM) is the ability to follow verbal directions in sequential order, make comparative matches, sentence imitation, recalling word patterns, immediate recall of information, and describing past experiences.
Auditory Perception (APer) involves the ability of determining the accuracy of information, following verbal directions, and using inferences to draw conclusions.
Auditory Association (AA) involves conceptual matching, sentence construction, sequencing of events and following verbal directions.
Auditory Synthesis (AS) involves the ability to complete phrases and sentences logically, manage word completions and blending, and syllable blending.
Auditory Comprehension (AC) refers to drawing conclusions, phrase and sentence completions.
Sound to Symbol Mastery is the ability to know which sounds match which written symbols of the English written code.
Code Knowledge is the mastery of the English written code.
Fluency refers to students who are able to read orally with speed, accuracy and proper expression. Fluency training is a critical component for reading comprehension.
Comprehension “is the essence of reading” (Durkin, 1993). Reading comprehension is a cognitive process that involves three clear steps: vocabulary development, text comprehension instruction and strategies.
Guided Oral Reading provides students with practice of managing the written code of the English language that offers immediate feedback and error correction. “It has a positive impact on word recognition, fluency and comprehension across a range of grade levels” (Report of the National Reading Panel, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2004).
