Our Approach
Evaluation
Whalen Learning Center believes each child's learning makeup should be celebrated. It is our goal to unlock the potential in your child.
Our approach to a psycho-educational evaluation is unique and valuable. We focus on the underlying neurodevelopmental functions required to perform an educational task by identifying the special way a child's brain receives and processes information - the essence of understanding how a child learns.
Whalen Learning Center focuses on eight neurodevelopmental functions related to learning:
- Attention
- Temporal-Sequential Ordering
- Neuromotor Function
- Memory
- Language
- Spatial Ordering
- Higher Order Cognition
- Social Pragmatics
A Whalen Learning Center evaluation will demystify your child's learning makeup. We utilize research-based assessment and instructional methods to provide a clear understanding of the way your child actually learns. Assessment results will culminate in the preparation of a written report of our findings, and a learning blueprint for your child. Through understanding how he/she learns, your child will be able to use his/her strengths to overcome areas of learning deficits.
During the demystification process we will discuss your child's blueprint, highlighting his/her unique gifts and challenges, while explaining strategies (including such options as ADHD treatments and ADHD alternative therapies) to overcome performance hurdles by harnessing his/her potential. The end result of this demystification process will be the creation of a specifically designed learning program for your child.
Evaluation Summary
Each family will be provided tools for your child's learning success, containing:
- Psycho-educational report
- Blueprint
- Learning profile highlighting your child's unique gifts and challenges
- Linking the profile to performance and offering recommendations for the classroom, home, and additional support
- Instructional tools and templates for use by your child (in both CD and hard copy formats)
How We Differ
Most large chain and independent learning centers provide a superficial skills assessment and generic approach to tutoring, failing to identify a child's underlying learning pattern. Whalen Learning Center is different. Our staff is skilled and trained in evaluating your child's unique learning pattern. With this knowledge we are able to formulate instructional strategies specifically tailored to your child's individual needs. Utilizing this approach helps to unlock your child's potential.
Instruction
Whalen Learning Center provides differentiated instruction from highly trained and credentialed staff with years of professional experience in the field of education. A clear understanding of your child's learning makeup will be integrated into individualized reading, writing, organization, and study skills instruction.
Whalen Learning Center utilizes a variety of research-based instructional methods focusing on reading decoding (phonemic awareness), reading sight words, reading rate (fluency), reading comprehension, writing content, writing fluency, written organization, and auditory attention.
Whalen Learning Center emphasizes educating the whole child. We also specialize in helping students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other organizational or study skill difficulties understand how to increase their performance. With the increase in ADHD diagnoses, many parents are wondering about possible ADHD treatments and ADHD alternative therapies. At Whalen Learning Center, our instructional strategies for students with ADHD and organizational difficulties focus on using the child's strengths to overcome their attention weaknesses. Through understanding how his or her mind works, a student with organizational difficulties or ADHD will be better prepared for tasks in and out of school. |
