Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I get grinds for my child at home, will that do?
Grinds mainly cover the school work and curriculum, they will not tackle the fundamental issues as to why the child has difficulty learning, eg. problems with memory, sequencing etc. These issues need to be resolved so that the child can learn. At SMART Education every child's program is different because we plan an individual programme to suit the child's abilities and needs.
Q: What is the benefit of a SMART Assessment?
If you are unsure of what type of assessment you need, what type of difficulty your child has, or are on a waiting list for a NEPS appointment, then a SMART Assessment will help you help your child. The benefit of a SMART Assessment is that we can look at all the areas of a child's development and learning. We can provide a full report and discuss with parents the various options available and refer onto the professional service that best meets the child's needs, eg. speech and language therapists, educationl psychologists, occupational therapists etc.
Q: How do I get Fast ForWord set up for my child?
There are several Fast ForWord programs available depending on the child's age, reading ability and level of learning difficulty. It is best that the child be assessed first so that the correct program is selected for your child. If you have an assessment report carried out by an Educational Psychologist you can forward us a copy ans then we can advise if the program will be suitable or you can
contact us for an assessment. This will also help us plan together how long your child will need to stay on the program.
We then set up your laptop or PC with the program. The child works on the program at home 5 times a week and you will receive a weekly email report as to their progress. Every day the child's progress is reviewed in the centre and we are available to talk to the parents by phone and email.
Parents see results quickly using Fast ForWord and we can re assess your child's reading after the program is completed to measure the gains.
Q: When is the right time to have my child assessed?
The earlier a child is assessed the quicker we can use appropriate interventions and the quicker you will see results. We sometimes see children during the pre school years when parents are concerned if their child is ready for school and we see students up to Leavinf Certificate level. However the usual age when problems such as dyslexia appear would be in 1st or 2nd class. If you have concerns that you want to discuss in confidence with us why not give us a call in the mornings on 091 555 230.
Q: I think my child may have dyslexia?
There are many definitions of dyslexia but basically it is difficulty learning to read and spell. It affects all aspects of literacy, reading, spelling, writing and sometimes working with numbers. Recent research shows that children may have difficulty with short term or working memory as well as phonological awareness, that is the ability to break up the words into sounds and to blend sounds together. It is thought that up to 10% of the population have dyslexia. Dyslexia runs in families and research is ongoing into the nature of the causes .
Generally parents may start to notice a problem in senior infants or 1st class, however there can be signs as early as age 3. If your child is aged 5 - 7 and you are concerned
download or print out our checklist. If you observe 10 or more of the items on the list you should have your child screened for dyslexia.
Checklists are available for all agegroups, please
email us and we can send you the checklist.
Q: How can my child be helped?
There are many programmes developed to help children overcome their dyslexia. One the most effective programmes to date in Ireland has been the Fast ForWord(c) program. This program is available for all children throughout Ireland to use on a computer at home. Fast ForWord improves all aspects of learning as well as literacy because it works on 4 key areas, memory, attention, processing speed and sequencing. The program has been developed in America based on years of neuroscientific research, and has been proven to rewire the brain and improve learning capacity.
Our independent research results show gains of up to 3 years in reading ages in just a few months.
(click here to see report)
Q: How long do classes last?
Most children attend for one class a week for a few terms. Each class lasts 1 hour. For some children who need more interventions we may see them initially every day for a month or so before they change to a weekly class.
Q: What are the opening times?
For assessments we open on Saturdays, weekday mornings, and all day during the holidays.
Classes run from 3 pm to 8 pm, Monday to Friday, during term time.
