RapidLearn: Positive Learning Support (Summer School)
What is RapidLearn?
RapidLearn is an evidence-based advanced learning centre that delivers specialised educational programmes to children, aged between 6 and 14 years old, with various educational requirements. Children are grouped with peers of a similar age (e.g. 6-8; 9-11; 12-14) and ability profile to work on predetermined goals, with the aim of maximising basic learning skills and academic potential.
Who do our programmes target?
RapidLearn is designed for children or young adolescents with learning difficulties related to dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), those without diagnoses who nevertheless struggle with learning, or those who simply wish to accelerate their academic performance. RapidLearn is not equipped to address the needs of children with significant/severe behaviour or developmental problems.
Why should my child attend RapidLearn?
The science-based instructional methods used in RapidLearn can yield as much as four to seven times more learning than traditional teaching methods, making RapidLearn ideal for students who are falling behind in school.
Students attend RapidLearn to:
- accelerate learning
- enhance academic skills
- improve fluency in relation to academic goals
- enhance attention-span
- enhance self-management/ goal setting skills
- catch up with peers at school
What happens on entry to the programme?
On entry to RapidLearn, your child’s educational skills may be assessed in relation to educational goals outlined in the national curriculum, or other specified target objectives (e.g., language skills). In conjunction with additional relevant assessments and consultation with the child’s parents, an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) with specific educational objectives is developed by the Directors of Education.
The IEP generally includes identified short and long-term educational objectives for each individual child. When the child commences a learning programme, data are recorded on an ongoing basis to (i) demonstrate progress toward educational objectives, and (ii) indicate that the programme needs to be adjusted if progress is not demonstrated. All data and information relevant to each individual child are filed on a confidential basis in accordance with appropriate ethical standards.
Overview – what sort of learning is involved?
At RapidLearn, we target fluency in basic educational skills including:
- Reading
- Writing
- Spelling
- Maths (addition/ subtraction/ multiplication/ division)
Within each learning course/programme, additional skills targeted for improvement include:
- Comprehension
- Attention
- Self-management skills
- Goal-setting
- Positive classroom behaviours
We aim to provide effective research-based tuition to help each child to realise their full potential for educational achievement. We work on a reward-based (positive-reinforcement) system, with proven evidence-based teaching strategies, and we target important component skills that are foundational to more advanced learning. Children cannot
RapidLearn classes are run over a 1 hour period, with each session targeting a specific educational skill. Reading, writing, spelling, and comprehension goals are each allocated 1hour time slots, while maths goals are allocated 2 hours to include addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Attention, self-management, goal setting and positive classroom behaviours are all targeted throughout each session. See Appendix below for a detailed breakdown of classes.
In-depth information about classes:
Initial assessments of academic, learning, and performance skills are conducted with each student to develop individualised education plans (IEP) with target objectives. Educational targets are set based on the National Primary School Curriculum, with instruction aimed at building fluency in the required areas. Students with similar needs and goals are grouped together for instruction. Groupings may be subject to change depending on the student’s progress or individual educational requirements.
- Foundation Skills (FS) Comprehensive Classes
In the foundation skills classes, we focus on three main skills: comprehensive reading, writing, and mathematics. Within these skill areas, we focus on the relevant concepts, principles, problem solving, and organizational aspects. As part of every lesson, we also practice comprehension, attention, self-management skills, goal setting and positive classroom behavior.
1.1. FS comprehensive reading programme includes basic prerequisites such as print awareness, phonemic awareness, vowel-consonant blends, sound associations, letter-sound relationships, spelling rules, and phonetic and sight reading. A focus extending beyond phonetic reading is of particular importance for English reading as many words do not conform to general rules or cannot be phonetically read. Reading fluency is the first key focus. Intensive and applied practice in key target reading areas ensures that students achieve a high level of reading fluency. For example, the most commonly used words in the English language (Dolch Words) are targeted for fluency initially, moving then to fluency across a range different material. Comprehension is the next key focus. Reading needs to be meaningful to students to foster enjoyment and advanced learning. We teach students to understand and associate meaning to words, retell stories, and make connections between stories and their own experiences. Comprehension skills include recalling text in sequence, comparing and contrasting, emphasize key points, making inferences, asking questions, and grammar.
1.2. FS comprehensive writing programme includes mastery of key component skills in handwriting, transcription, dictation, spelling, grammar, and mechanics. Focus on these foundation skills is particularly important as a recent NCAA curriculum review found that approximately 20% of teachers “hardly ever or never” incorporate key lessons on spelling, grammar and punctuation into the writing process. The RapidLearn writing programme also focuses on foundations for effective and organizational writing skills, including selecting a topic, brainstorming details, and logical sequencing of details, sentences, paragraphs, short-stories and reports.
1.3. FS comprehensive maths programme focuses on mastery of counting, number recognition, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. These key maths skills are intensively targeted to ensure fluency in responding. The programme also focuses on using mathematical language; speaking and writing about maths; maths facts and concepts; and thinking, reasoning, and problem solving skills. Comprehension and generalisation are targeted by translating learning into problem solving, and integrating maths into real life situations
2. Advanced Skills (AS) Comprehensive Classes
When students graduate from the foundation skills classes, they then have the option to progress into the advanced skills comprehensive classes. Here, students learn advanced skills, based on the National Curriculum, in the three core areas of reading, writing and maths. They also learn practical strategies to help them to study and perform successfully in other academic areas. The programme focuses on the use of textbooks, studying, participation in class discussions, and test taking.
2.1. AS comprehensive reading programme
2.2. AS comprehensive writing programme
2.3. AS comprehensive maths programme
RapidLearn instructional techniques
Continuous monitoring and programme adaptation: During the implementation of our programmes, student performance is consistently monitored. RapidLearn directors, teachers and students use these data to make decisions about how best to adjust the programmes to suit the students’ needs, until pre-specified learning objectives are achieved. All data and information relevant to each individual child are filed on a confidential basis in accordance with appropriate ethical standards.
Direct Instruction: Direct instruction methods are commonly used to teach basic academic skills. In Direct instruction, teachers will present scripted lessons to the students. Teacher and students go back and forth many times with their questions and answers. Teachers praise and correct student responses until all children are accurate. The explicitness and careful progression of direct instruction lessons aim to develop flawless skills very quickly.
Errorless Learning: Errorless learning is an instructional technique that allows for the reduction or elimination of errors during learning trials. A reduction in errors is important in facilitating learning.
Precision Teaching: Following successfully completed lessons; students practice their skills until they become fluent using Precision Teaching. Fluency in prerequisite skills is vital for building on subsequent related skills faster and more successfully. Students practice fluency alone, in pairs, or in threes. During practice, students time themselves on fluency materials until they meet predefined criteria within a time limit (usually 1 minute). Students record their timed performance on specially designed charts, called Standard Celeration Charts, and compare their progress to the minimum rate lines. Their comparisons let them track their own progress. Practice is spaced and cumulative in order to maximize its effectiveness. These sessions ensure that students retain the skills they are taught; can perform them for extended periods; and can easily apply them to new learning requirements. Precision Teaching also teaches students important goal setting, self-monitoring, self-management, organizational, and cooperative learning skills. This systematic method of evaluating instructional methods has been shown, in validated research, to produce far greater achievements among students than more traditional teaching practises.
- SAFMEDS – a strategy commonly used with Precision Teaching as a method of training to fluency. The letters stand for “Say All Fast a Minute Every Day Shuffled”. This training has been shown to improve fluency performance across a number of educational settings.
Think-Aloud Problem-Solving (TAPS): Teachers use the TAPS method to coach students to think out loud, through talking, writing, diagramming and other supplemental activities which support thinking, using specially designed protocols that represent effective ways to work through problems. Students are taught five key repertoires that are required for effective reasoning and problem solving. Then they coach each other to "get fluent" in using the TAPS protocols and these key repertoires to solve a range of problems. Once TAPS fluent, they will coach each other's use of TAPS to master content and skills across a typical school curriculum. They also use a version of TAPS to edit and improve their writing skills. In more advanced classes, there is a shift from teacher-directed to student-directed learning, where students master learning skills using Think Aloud Problem-Solving, which transfers them from teacher dependency to independent learning.
As students study, they use Layng and Robbin's Fluent Thinking Skills method. This method teaches students a specific question-generating and answer-predicting method that points out discrepancies between what they already know and any new learning that they need to do, greatly reducing their study time.
Cooperative learning techniques such as Slavin's Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) also motivate student practice to fluency. In STAD, students practice in small groups, earning points, grades or privileges for the group by improving their individual performances.
When are classes held?
Classes take place over 1 hour one or two days per week, in the evenings; and for 1-2 hours on Saturdays. Please contact one of the educational directors to inquire about available time slots.
What is the cost?
You can choose between a range of options including an hourly rate with no commitment; a starter ‘trial’ option for three weeks; or our short course option for 6 weeks.
RapidLearn Hourly Fee:
Flat rate of €35 per hour (choice of all, or selected educational modules, as listed above)
RapidLearn starter ‘trial’ period:
3-week course including your choice of educational modules: €95 for 3x1hr weekly sessions.
RapidLearn short courses:
6-week course including your choice of educational modules: €180 for 6x1hr weekly sessions.
Assessment and consultation: An initial consultation with the Director or Co-Director: Parents may opt for a brief (25 mins.) or extended (1hr.) consultation at a cost of €20 or €50, respectively. If however, you already have the required information from assessments conducted by other professional sources, and do not require any additional assessment or consultation, no initial fee will apply.
Who runs RapidLearn?
RapidLearn is run by:
Directors:
- Dr Carol Murphy, BCBA-D (Director of Education)
- Dr Michelle Durham (Co-Director of Education)
- Professor Dermot Barnes-Holmes
- Dr Yvonne Barnes-Holmes
Associates:
The instructional staff members of RapidLearn are drawn from registered postgraduate students at the Department of Psychology, at Maynooth University. All postgrads are experience in Applied Behaviour Analysis teaching methods, and are fully supervised by directors with the internationally recognised BCBATM qualification (doctoral level).
More Information
Contact Dr Carol Murphy (BCBA-D) at Carol.A.Murphy@mu.ie or Dr Michelle Durham at kellym50@tcd.ie