The challenge of teaching children to read is too important to remain on the sidelines.
Enter the Palm Desert-based nonprofit Integrated Learning Institute (ILI), which for the past two summers has provided a boost in pre-reading skills for K-2 children who had yet to discover the joy and magic of the written word.
Whether students were hampered with learning challenges, or were innocent victims of COVID-based policy decisions that reduced “learning” reading time, ILI was there in summer 2021 and 2022 with an intensive, hands-on, four-week small group intervention that placed an emphasis on auditory skills.
It made a difference. “Plus, it was a lot of fun,” said Cynthia Moses, ILI founder and executive director.
Fun, but with a serious and vital result. “We don’t know the full effect COVID had on reading development of very young learners,” Cynthia said. “But we do know that these children are progressing into higher grades where there is no longer ‘how to read’ instruction. They are expected to ‘read to learn’ by third grade, not still be learning to read.
“Our objective was to give these children the tools needed to progress with developing skills that will put them in a better place to respond to good instruction. Their added confidence is a happy outcome for their parents as well.”
Founded in 1990, Integrated Learning Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving students with a variety of learning difficulties through application of National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) Educational Therapy techniques. NILD Educational Therapy stimulates areas of weakness in perception and cognition. Through individualized intensive interactive stimulation in a one-on-one environment, students gain the skills needed to become independent learners.
For more information, contact the Integrated Learning Institute Palm Desert office at 760-218-9773 or visit www.integratedlearninginstitute.org.
