Today's classroom is more academically diverse than over. And even though schools offer a variety of programs and resources some learners continue to perform below grade level. So how can teachers accelerate learning for every student? It all starts with the brain.

The 60 Minutes program on Channel 9 (Australia) on Sunday June 1, 2014 included a segment about the Arrowsmith School, and featured some children from the 35 Australian families currently at the school in Canada. 

The Arrowsmith program was developed by Barbara Arrowsmith- Young and uses the principles of brain plasticity to improve the learning abilities of children with a range of learning disabilities including dyslexia.

Families who have gone to the Arrowsmith School report very significant improvements in their children. If your child has a severe learning problem, they may be able to be helped by the Arrowsmith program.

Right now it is necessary for them to go to Canada because there are very few places in Australia and New Zealand where the program is available. Of course this involves considerable cost/financial sacrifice and potential disruption to their families as one parent usually accompanies the child to Canada.

An alternative for families contemplating relocating to Canada for the duration of their child’s attendance at the Arrowsmith School is to consider Fast ForWord, a brain plasticity program that improves learning capacity for all students, including those with severe learning difficulties.

Parents of children with dyslexia can be overwhelmed by conflicting advice about how best to help their children.

Often well meaning friends and others professing to have a “cure” for dyslexia can confuse parents anxious about their child’s inability to read as well as other children of the same age.

Fortunately there is a lot of well conducted science now available to inform us about how to improve the learning outcomes for those with dyslexia. The scientific research is clearly indicating that there is a strong link between many children’s poor auditory processing skills and their struggles with reading, including dyslexia.

Is your child having difficultly learning to read? Is he or she reluctant to read?   There are a number of reasons why some children struggle with reading, even with the best teachers and diligent, encouraging parents.

Maybe you have had his, or her, eyesight checked. No problem there. (Of course children with poor sight, or other visual problems like inability to track their eyes from left to right across a page will not find it easy to learn to read. And you need to have any visual problems treated as a very first step to help them).