DISCOVERY PROGRAM at BBS
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,
who have been called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28
What is a learning disability?
Children with learning disabilities exhibit a wide range of symptoms, including difficulties with reading, writing, spoken language, memory, mathematics, and/or reasoning. The primary characteristic of a learning disability is the discrepancy between the student’s potential for learning and actual academic performance. These children do not typically learn by traditional classroom instructional methods and may be incorrectly labeled lazy and slow learners. Current educational research indicates that early intervention programs, which utilize well-designed, evidenced-based identification screenings and systematic, explicit instruction, will reduce the number of children who continue to have learning disabilities.
How is a learning disability diagnosed?
An educational battery of formal and informal tests is used to discover areas of strength and weakness and to identify specific learning difficulties. A psychological test is administered by a licensed psychologist and used to determine the student's intelligence quotient (IQ). These test results are compared to academic test scores, and patterns of performance are noted and analyzed.
The Discovery Program
The Discovery Program is an educational intervention program established by the National Institute for Learning Development in Norfolk, Virginia. The Bible Baptist School Discovery Program is accredited as an NILD Program of Excellence. It exists to provide learning support for students with average to superior intelligence in grades K-12, who have special diagnosed educational needs that cannot be fully met through the regular classroom. In addition to its BBS students, the Discovery Program has serviced public school and home school populations. Enrollment is based on an annual, contractual agreement; the typical Discovery student spends three to five years in educational therapy. NILD Educational Therapy® is administered by licensed educational therapists to produce more efficient perceptual and cognitive functioning.
NILD Educational Therapy® Distinctives:
- All-age inclusive
- Deficit stimulation
- Individual
- Intense
- Integrative
- Parental involvement
Each student is encouraged to become an independent and competent learner in the regular classroom and is challenged to fully develop God-given abilities to glorify Him and serve others. Contributing factors to the length of a student's involvement in the BBS Discovery Program include the severity of the deficit(s), the family's commitment, and student's initiative.
Educational Therapy
Individualized educational therapy is administered twice weekly in 80 minute sessions, which are usually scheduled during classes or study halls. Educational therapists stimulate cognitive development through interactive language, strategic thinking, and mediated learning. Parental involvement is critical to the student's success. Training is provided for them to follow through at home with certain crucial elements of the therapy process such as Rhythmic Writing, an NILD core technique, and to monitor educational therapy homework. The cost of the program is in addition to the regular school tuition.
Core Techniques
The Core Techniques are:
- Rhythmic Writing
- Blue Book Phonics
- Math
- Buzzer
- Dictation and Copy
Recent Research Supports NILD
A specific three-year longitudinal study was conducted with 72 students, 47 in an experimental group, and 25 in a control group. Students in NILD Educational Therapy® significantly outperformed students in the control group in measures of general and verbal IQ and made statistically significant gains over time in decoding, spelling and math. Data from related research continues to support the NILD approach. NILD is committed to ongoing data collection and analysis. Although NILD has documented success stories for over twenty years, this study provides statistical data which validates the belief that with proper stimulation, the brain can actually overcome deficient cognitive functioning.
Recommended Reading
- Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think and What We Can Do About It, By Jane M. Healy, Ph.D.
- Uncommon Gifts: Transform Learning into Blessings, By James S. Evans
- Classroom Success for the LD and ADHD Child, By Suzanne H. Stevens
Further Information:
Discovery Program at BBSMrs. Lynette Tress |
National Institute for Learning Developmentwww.nild.net |