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Frequently Asked Questions
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Can you give me a
quick overview of PACE?
Yes, here is a very quick 11 point overview.
- 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 non-academic
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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." For more on the misinterpretation of
achievement and IQ scores
click here.
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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 life-long
learning handicap.
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Where can I find help?
The purpose of PACE is to help
people learn easier, faster, and more efficiently. To do this, we
first determine if any learning skills are deficient. If there are, we
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, we 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 childrens' 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.) We can give you the
name and telephone number of a provider in your area, help you become
a provider (college degree required) , or train you to tutor your own
child.
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Is
PACE based on clinical results or laboratory studies?
PACE was developed in clinical settings
using real people with real learning problems but 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.
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Why are
most PACE training procedures non-academic?
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.
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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.
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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.
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How
is PACE different from other remediation programs?
Traditional help for individuals with learning problems has typically
focused on one of four methodologies:
- sensory therapy (vision, auditory)
- motor therapy (speech, occupational)
- psychotherapy (motivation)
- academic remediation (remedial reading, learning
disabled programs, tutoring)
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.
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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 differ 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).
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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.
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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.
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Why does PACE
require so many hours per week?
We believe that getting big, fast changes
is 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
stop-gap and will need to be repeated year after year. PACE, on the
other hand, "cures" the cause.
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Is there a guarantee?
Many providers (check with your provider)
offer two guarantees.
(1) If after four sessions you are not completely satisfied there is a
full refund.
(2) If after the training is completed there has not been at least a
two year improvement in a deficient learning skill, and you are not
satisfied, there is a full refund.
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Can I talk
to someone who has gone through PACE?
We wish everyone would. Our greatest
supporters are our own parents and students. Your local provider will
likely have the names of people you can contact. Also, please look
through the parent comments on this website. They are not doctored (in
fact, they are not even the best of the best), but the bulk of the
comments on this website come from one office during a three month
span. Click
here for parent and student comments.
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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 ten weeks! These gains are reflected in IQ
scores that show an average 28 point increase where IQ was below the
norm and an average 13 point increase where IQ was initially above the
norm! For more details
click here.
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How will PACE
affect 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 to
advanced levels the underlying mental skills 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
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How does
PACE affect 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!
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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 or 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)
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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.
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How long does it
take to complete PACE?
After 12 weeks, post testing is done
to determine progress. Because the average improvement is about 3.6
year gains 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.
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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.
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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 Siegler for 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 10 weeks), but also a significant transfer to higher
mental skills (a 23-point gain in IQ).
Neurobiologically-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 it is
also "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.
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