Study that shows astonishing progress in students’ reading and reading test scores

The principal of C.L. Milton Elementary School in Laredo, Texas has just announced the results of a study that shows astonishing progress in students’ reading and reading test scores.

This is the nations largest pilot study of its kind. The study followed children performing daily balance and sensory activities with The Learning Breakthrough Program. After only four months of twice daily program use, eighty-three 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students, all with Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD and other Non-Specific Learning Disabilities had, on average, a 75% greater amount of reading progress as compared to a control group of non-learning disabled students from the same grades who did not participate in the program.

According to the school principal, learning-disabled children typically progress in reading ability only 25% to 50% as much as non-learning disabled students over the same period of time. Before and after testing revealing this 75% improvement, with everything else being equal, demonstrates extraordinary progress in students regularly performing Learning Breakthrough activities. This also illustrates a narrowing of the gap, which usually widens, between learning disabled and non-learning disabled students.

The Learning Breakthrough Program is a balance and sensory activity program designed to help better organize brain processing in order to improve a child’s overall functioning in areas of learning such as reading, writing, comprehension and focus. The program is suitable for those 7 years and older. Improvement becomes permanent after 9-12 months of use for fifteen minutes twice daily. Because The Learning Breakthrough Program strives to improve on a foundational level, it addresses a wide variety of issues.

The program can not only help struggling children catch up, but can also help gifted children excel. It enables parents and educators to address the roots of processing problems, rather than just the symptoms. It does not replace skills training or tutoring. Program use will make those efforts more effective. Balance, coordination and sporting ability also benefit. This program is designed to be easily used at home by parents, but can also be utilized in conjunction with school curriculum by educators around the world.

According to Dr. Irvine Mason, Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, “It is difficult for many to understand how a physical exercise program can improve reading, writing, comprehension and attention ability. My initial skepticism was replaced with excitement after a careful review of the program, research and user reports. With one in six school children diagnosed with a learning disability and probably an equal number that fall through the cracks, widespread use of a non-medical program such as this will have a significant impact on not only the children and families involved, but society as well.”

"As the parent of a child with dyslexia who was also identified as gifted and talented, I had looked at everything I could find,” says Mrs. Ratliff, principal, C.L. Milton Elementary School. “The balance and sensory exercises that are part of the Learning Breakthrough Program made sense to me. So much so, that I took a leap and integrated it into the school. Simultaneously, my 8-year-old son used the program at home each day. After 5 months of program use, his reading level jumped by 2 years. My goal was to guide other parents who I knew from experience were as frustrated and desperate as I was in trying to help their children succeed," adds Ratliff.

How did the program develop? In the 1960’s Dr. Frank Belgau, then director of the Visual and Motor Perception Lab at The University of Houston, began experimenting with children who had high IQ’s and were having difficulty reading. Influenced by groundbreaking NASA research, Dr. Belgau began using balance exercises and found that reading ability improved. He first published the program in 1982. Since then, he has trained numerous education specialists, clinical practitioners and parents on how to administer the program. In 2003, the program was revised to be easy to use in a school or home environment without the need for specific training.

How is the program used and what does it accomplish? The program entails a child watching a video recording which takes him or her through tasks such as throwing beanbags, tossing balls at a bounce back target and tapping a hanging ball, while standing on a unique balance board. The simple activities take about 15 minutes to complete. For maximum benefit they should be performed twice daily. The program comes complete with all equipment needed and a step-by step instruction manual. Combinations of various activities aim to strengthen most all areas involved with learning and performance. We use many of our senses together when we learn. Thus, each individual follows the same program. However, each person will progress to more challenging levels at different rates. The program is uniquely designed to allow for this. As one reaches higher levels of balance during activity, brain reaction time speeds up, which has a positive effect on attention difficulties. Underlying foundational structures involved in learning get progressively stronger thereby improving cognitive ability and performance such as reading, writing and comprehension. Moreover, it is fun to use, making it easier for children to stay committed.