Why Learning Solutions?

By Robert H. Arnio, Ph.D.

All children are created equal-but not the same. Some have the gift of a great voice, and most can learn to sing by just joining in with others. Some are gifted athletes, while most can at least perform the tasks required in physical education. And some are gifted academically, while most can learn reading, writing and math through group instruction int the classroom.

But some children need private voice lessons if they are to successfully sing in a choir; some need private golf lesson to avoid being a hazard on the course; and some children have neuropsycological differnces that required a littlle more expertise and a lot more instruction time than most other children. For these children to receive an equal education, it must be more individualized.

American education continues to look for the best teaching methods to help all children. Special education is currently a transition into a "Response to Instruction-RTI" model that it is hoped will identify and serve learning disabled students more effectively and at a younger age. Instruction strategies are now evaluated on their proven outcome and all must be"research based" to have credibility.

Teaching and learning have benefited from the advent of computer technology with MRI scans actually watching the brain while learning to know where deficits are and what procedures change the brain scans with subsequent gains in academic performance. We know the problems in reading consist of phonological processing and orthographic deficits we call dyslexia, of difficulties in more language- based disorders, and because of attention, processing speed and working memory problems. Not only can we test for these, we now have specific procedures to correct these deificts once they are diagnosed.

With a background in reading and learning disabilities from the Children's Reading Clinic at the University of Iowa, I have been evaluating children and teens for over thirty years. Learning Solutions of the Black Hills was created to provide educational evaluations and academic therapy for such children. In addition to having research based remedial intervention programs in reading, spelling, math and handwriting, we also treat many of the underlying neuropsychological deficits causing learning problems. These include phonological awareness, processing speed and attention skills. In this publication, you will see some testimonials from the parents of some of our children.

Robert H. Arnio

Licensed Psychologist

Certified School Psychologist