Combinations Help Readers Unlock Words: Woodridge Uses a New Approach, by Casey Banas, Chicago Tribune, Dec. 9, 1998. "In September 1997, Lewis brought in Ricki Linksman, a Naperville reading consultant, for a conference on literacy skills. After that session, the principal and teachers developed their program over the next year and began using it in September.... -- Robert Clinkert, associate superintendent for instruction in Woodridge Elementary School District 68, lauded the Sipley plan for its 'extraordinary quality' and has told the teachers, 'Your plan is a model plan for the district and schools across the nation'."

”2/3 of the students in grades 1-3 rose from 1-7 grade levels in reading above grade level in one school year. "In that one year, I learned more about teaching reading from this training than from my entire college education."  --M.S., Teacher, Farragut Elementary School, Joliet, Illinois (1996)

"Before using the program, 2/3 of our students in grades 6 and 8 scored below state average on Illinois state reading tests. After 8 months of using the materials and program, 2/3 of the students in grades 6 and 8 scored above state average on the Illinois state reading tests." --Principal, Lincoln Middle School Chicago (1999)

“Using this program, significant gains were made in our district in elementary, middle, and high school on the CTBS (Cognitive Test of Basic Skills) test. Our ISAT (Illinois Standards Achievement Test) scores in reading showed significant growth. Gains in reading ranged from 1-8 grade levels in 9 months in the elementary, middle, and high school grades. From 86%-99% of students in grades 105 accelerated to read from 1-8 years above grade level in reading within 9 months (including regular ed and special ed students). In the middle school, students rose from 1-6 years above grade level. In the high school 99.5% of students grades 9-12 rose from 1-2 grade levels in reading in 9 months.”   --M. Smith, Asst. Supt. Curriculum, Manteno School District

“We need to get past the assembly line way we teach and test. Through the use of technology and the Keys to Reading Success program, teachers can easily manage “progressive monitoring,” diagnostic testing and reporting for students on an individual basis. This in turn allows teachers to customize each student’s learning needs…what could be better?” --Vicki Dewitt, Technology Hub Director, Edwardsville, Illinois

What teachers have to say about the Keys to Reading Success training:

"The teacher training in reading is the best I have ever taken." --Special Education Teacher, Naperville Consolidated School District #203, Illinois

"The course in how to teach reading stretched my thinking about learning. The material was practical, hands-on, and relevant. Excellent trainer. It is the best course I have taken in years." --High School Title 1 Reading Teacher, Downers South High School, Downers Grove, Illinois

"I now have some tools and tests to evaluate why some of my students are not learning and to  have techniques to teach to all my students. I recommend that every teacher take this training--it will open your eyes and hearts."  --Teacher, Aurora Public Schools, Illinios

Title 1 Success story

A 1st grader was not reading on level by mid-first grade. The parents and teachers were so concerned that they wanted to do an evaluation to see if he had a learning disability. During the waiting period for his evaluation, the Keys to Reading Success Accelerated Phonics Program was used with him in his Title 1 class. It was discovered that he was a kinesthetic learner. He used the kinesthetic component of the Keys to Reading Success Accelerated Phonics Program, and within months, mastered all the phonetic patterns and was not only able to read well at a 1st grade level, but accelerated into 2nd grade level reading, while still a first grader. By the time he was evaluated by the psychologist, they discovered he actually had an I.Q. in the 140's and he was then placed in a gifted program. Had we not discovered his learning style and taught him through that method, he may have fallen even further behind in his reading level and it may have taken years to find out that he did not have a learning disability.

Keys to Reading Success Accelerates Learning at the University Level

“Using Keys to Reading Success and its accelerated learning techniques such as teaching through learning styles has helped our university football team have its first winning season ever. The athletes learned the plays faster and better through these techniques. We also had our best academic year ever, using Keys to Reading Success for our academic support to our athletes.” --Head Coach, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia

“Every teacher should use Keys to Reading Success. It is the most complete program of reading available. It is an excellent training tool for new teachers.” --College Instructor for Graduate Education Courses for Teachers, Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois

Keys to Reading Success Gains Made at National Reading Diagnostics Institute since 1993

Keys to Reading Success™ contains all the diagnostic tools, teaching materials, and methods used at the National Reading Diagnostics Institute, Naperville, Illinois, a national center for accelerated learning techniques applied to reading and all content areas subjects that has helped students K-12, college, and adults learn to read within as little as 16 once-a-week sessions. Keys to Reading Success™ has raised student reading levels on average from 2-5 grades and often 6, 7 and 8 grade levels above in months. Clients who personally receive reading diagnosis, learning style and brain hemispheric preference assessments, and reading instruction come locally from Naperville and the surrounding Chicagoland area, from districts throughout Illinois, from public elementary, middle, and high schools and private schools, including college preparatory schools such as Benet Academy and Marmion Academy). Clients fly in from as far away as Florida, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Arizona, California, New York, Texas, and other states to seek out expert advice. With its online technology, teachers and parents are now able to access the Institute’s proven, rapid techniques.

Higher Education and Corporate Clients and Users
Liberty University
Kaplan On-line University
3M
Microsoft Business Solutions
MSF (Massachusetts State Financial, Boston)
National Louis University
Waubonsie Community College
Jenner and Block and Associates Law Firm
Literacy Volunteers of America
Olivette University
DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services)

Press Reports

From Cedar Rapids, Iowa "Gazette": "Author Ricki Linksman has plenty of tips for parents who want to be sure their kids love to read, and can read well. Her book, "Your Child Can Be a Great Reader" argues that parents should supplement school education with home tutoring in reading, and she offers lesson plans to that end." (January 3, 1999)

From the Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas: "This step-by-step guide is designed to help children overcome every kind of reading problem and get back up to grade level or beyond. It is filled with short, fun activities to do at home and provides pointers to boost self-esteem and motivation." (Jan. 24, 1999)

From "Woman News," New York, New York: "There is a way to learn anything you want rapidly and successfully. The technique can be applied to any sort of learning in any field you choose. Each of us has a superlink--the easiest method for us to fully learn information....Once you've found your superlink, you can use it to learn in ways that are easy, effortless, and automatic." From How to Learn Anything Quickly, by Ricki Linksman--as published in an article in New York's Woman News called, "Mind Power: Smarten Up! Tap into Your Brain's Superlink--Learning Becomes Easy, Effortless, and Automatic, April 1998 edition

From San Diego Parent: "All children in California will be reading at grade level or above by the end of third grade." With this promise, California state leaders have made reading instruction in the early grades (K through 3) a top priority in the public schools. So while the politicians are trying to do their part, how can parents help their little readers measure up? According to Ricki Linksman, author of Your Child Can Be a Great Reader, parents should first figure out their child's learning style. "Research shows that each of us receives information in different ways," Linksman explains. "Visual learners learn better through their eyes, auditory through their ears, tactile learners by touching, and kinesthetic learners by moving around.:--from an article in the L.A. Times and San Diego Times, "What is Your Child's Reading Style? If You Know How Your Child Reads You Can Help Him/Her Learn, by Judy Molland, March 1999

Kansas City Parent: From article, "Improving Reading Instruction: Many Schools Are Weak in Providing Instruction in Reading Comprehension," by Siobhan Kellerman: "In her book, Solving Your Child's Reading Problems," Ricki Linksman, M.Ed., suggests that comprehension involves a variety of skills including an understanding of details (information usually found right in the text), main idea (what the passage is about), and time order (the sequence of events, or what happened first, next, and last), using judgment (considering the consequences of actions), inferencing (assuming things that are not directly stated in the text), and the ability to make predictions (anticipating what will occur next in the story). These are all crucial components to understanding what we read."

L.A. Parent: From article: "What is Your Child's Reading Style? If You Know How Your Child Reads, You Can Help Him/Her Learn, by Judy Molland: "'All children in California will be reading at grade level or above by the end of third grade.' With this promise, California's state leaders have made reading instruction in the early grades (K-3) a top priority in the public schools. So while the politicians are trying to do their part, how can parents best go about helping their little readers measure up? According to Ricki Linksman, author of Your Child Can Be a Great Reader (Carol Publishing, 1998), parents should first figure out their child's learning style. 'Research shows that each of us receives information in different ways,' Linksman explains. 'Visual learners learn better through their eyes, auditory learners through their ears, tactile learners by touching, and kinesthetic learners by moving around.'...Where reading is concerned, Linksman points out one more factor parents must consider: Once the information is received through the senses, either the spatial right hemisphere or the linear left hemisphere of the brain tends to dominate, also helping to determine the child's reading style. 'If your child favors the left hemisphere, then he/she will prefer the step-by-step approach, sounding words out letter by letter, and using phonics,' Linksman says. 'Favoring the right hemisphere means that he/she prefers to learn the full pattern of words (rhyming patterns such as at: bat, cat, hat, fat), and getting the big picture.' In your child's classroom, you should find both phonics and whole language in place. A State of California Framework adoption in 1998 clearly states that the question is not whether to teach 'phonics' or 'whole language' but how to teach phonics in context, so that children make connections between letters, sounds, and meaning....The key is a balanced approach and attention to each child's individual needs. It is important that children are learning decoding techniques and, at the same time, practicing reading as a pleasurable activity."--L.A. Parent, and Tips for Parents, Sacramento County Office of Education)

Changing Lives

"My child has made tremendous gains in a short time. His self-esteem has risen dramatically."  --A.P, Parent, Naperville

"In 6 months, my 4th grade child, who was reading 3 years below level, came up to grade level and is doing well in school." --Parent, Lisle

"My 10th grade son went from grades of 'F's" and 'D's' to 'A's' in 4 weeks. His study skills,  comprehension, and memory has improved tremendously." --Parent, Westmont

"My kindergartener is now reading 3rd grade books, and doing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division due over several months time." --Mr. R.M., Parent, Naperville

"For the first time, my 2nd grader could read on his grade level, and his self-esteem has increased tremendously." --Parent, Chicago

"I home school my children and I learned how to accelerate their reading at home." --Parent, Batavia

"My gifted child loves the challenging activities." --Parent, Downers Grove

"We wanted our 4 year old child to qualify for a gifted school but she didn't achieve the necessary score on her first test. Within less than a year, she not only learned to read at a 3rd grade level, but was able to qualify for the gifted school. We are so thrilled with the results." --Parent, Wheaton

"Our teenager did not score well on the practice test for a high school entrance exam to a college preparatory school. After a few months of work areas of need were targeted and our teen got 99% on the actual entrance exam and was admitted to the preparatory school."--Parent, Lisle

"Our son was in special education classes since 1st grade and by 7th grade still had not learned to read. Using the Keys to Reading Success reading diagnosis, learning style test, and instruction, our son learned to read in months and no longer needed to be in special education. His self-esteem has gone up and he is so happy now." --B.B., Parent, Miami, Florida

"I am 26 years old and throughout my school career was labeled dyslexic. I never learned to read, and ended up with a job and career that did not interests me. I wanted to college. Within 6 months I learned to read well enough to pass the college entrance examination, and have been admitted to a college that will prepare me for the career I want." --A.L., Chicago

I am in my 50's and could never read… Through the learning style test, I discovered that I couldn't read because the method used in the school when I was growing up did not match the way I needed to learn. I learned how to read in my best learning style and I can now enjoy books. Literacy Volunteer of America received Keys to Reading Success training for free as a service of Keys to Reading Success so that tutors could keep working with adults who wanted to learn to read."  --J.S., Chicago

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