 Learning to Read
Stage1 - Initial Decoding
The majority of students who experience difficulty acquiring decoding skills do so not because of visual perceptual problems, as commonly believed in the past, but because of problems with the phonological aspects of language.
An understanding of the phonetic structure of the English language is a must if a poor reader is to become a good reader.
Stage2 - Fluency
It is only when the decoding process becomes automatic, that is, both accurate and rapid, that attention is freed for higher level reading comprehension skills.
Without rapid word recognition one cannot go on to stage 3
Reading to Learn
Stage3 - Reading for Meaning
Once reading becomes both accurate and fluent, the task of reading becomes one of understanding the content. It is during this stage that students expand their knowledge base.
Students acquire new knowledge when they comprehend the text.
Comprehension increases the knowledge base.
Students who are reading below their grade level lack significantly in their knowledge base.
 Stage4 - Relationships and Viewpoints
In stage 4 students are expected to read more complex material from various sources. Effective reading is critical to success.
A child that has difficulty in reading falls further behind in high school.
Stage5 - Synthesis
Ideally, this is the type of intellectual pursuit that occurs at the college level. The reader synthesizes the information from a variety of sources to form hypotheses. Formal reading instruction does not accompany stage 5 reading. Stage 5 reading emerges as a result of intensive study in a content area.
“I cannot thank Robin and Steve Blaha with Academic Associates enough for all they have accomplished with my son Mark. Your program has helped Mark in many ways. He has always loved reading and now he is able to read more fluently and has higher comprehension. You provided a kind and loving environment where Mark could learn and grow. When Mark first started your program last year his vocabulary was at a beginning third grade level and when he graduated he was at a ninth grade level. That’s what I call a successful program. After graduating, Mark continued with advanced reading and progressed from Instructional/Frustration to Instructional, another huge success. Mark is now ready to move on independently thanks to the tools you have provided. The tools will always be with Mark and he can use them as building blocks for future growth. As you know, reading is the backbone to all things in life; without reading you would be unable to learn other subjects such as mathematics, social studies, etc. I highly recommend this program to anyone who has a child struggling in reading and or comprehension. Mark once was asked by his school teacher if he had three wishes what would they be and two of Mark’s wishes were typical childhood wishes, but the third wish broke my heart. His third wish was that hard things would become easier for him. How profound for a third grader. I would like to thank Robin and Steve for making Mark’s wish come true. Your are a blessing to our family and to so many people. Sincerely, P.M.,” Roselle, IL
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“… though their root problems with reading were different, the program worked well for both children… [They] made immense progress with word decoding. Now my children have a new level of confidence in their own reading skills and the resources they need to grow in their reading aptitude. I would recommend this program for all students who wish to improve their reading.” K.B., Roselle, IL
“This is a note stating how very pleased we are with the reading education that our son, Cory, received at Academic Associates. His reading skills are greatly improved, helping him in all areas of school and life. We are assured now that he has the proper foundation for years of learning ahead. He loved this program and was sad when he graduated. I feel his speech, pronunciation, and vocabulary were also greatly enhanced, because he was released from his school speech therapy while enrolled in the reading program. I know the reading practice and lessons improved his speech in wonderful ways… I highly recommend this program.” Sheri H. Roselle, IL
“I would like to thank you for the help you provided Joshua while he attended Academic Associates Reading Clinic. I compliment you on the program’s effectiveness and am proud to say that I can see a huge improvement in not only Joshua’s reading ability, but in his overall attitude towards reading. I would highly recommend Academic Associates Reading Clinic to any new or struggling reader. The program breaks down phonics rules in a step by step way that is easy for readers of all ages to comprehend and apply. More importantly I feel that having the parents be a part of the tutoring session helps them better understand the many phonics rules so they can be reinforced while reading with the child at home. In many ways the reading clinic not only helps the child but also educates the parents on how they can better help their child at home. I am thankful that we chose to have Joshua attend the reading clinic and compliment you on a job well done.” J.B., Bartlett, IL
“When we began Academic Associates, my eleven year old hated to read. Now after forty-three hours, he states that he loves to read! What a miracle!” D.B., Chicago, IL
“I wanted to let you know, we got G’s Illinois MAP scores back from the spring. G. is now in the 91st percentile for her grade level. The previous test was 63rd, for a 28 percent increase. She was able to be moved into the regular classroom reading groups, with limited assistance. She is so much happier in school and of course we are thrilled. Thanks again, you made a huge difference in G’s life.” P.M., Arlington Heights, IL
“What a joy it was when my son started asking me if he could read out loud to me. He would never have done that before.” D.K., Bartlett, IL
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