The Progress & Performance of cognitive and phonological training for this level of the MD4 Reading program are shown below by training area. To view all skills trained in each individual area please see the "Skill Training by Area" below.
Area 1 - Optic > Visual Perception
Student has demonstrated more highly trained degree of skill in accurately perceiving the difference between dissimilar types of visual information of average complexity. In this level of training groups of letters has been introduced and the student has shown that they are capable of tracking at speed and picking out specific letter groups correctly without reversals and rotations.
Area 2 - Recall > Sequencing & Tracking
Student has demonstrated a more highly trained ability to accurately capture, remember and retain a series of shapes, and identify that sequence in order while tracking at higher speeds. This accomplishment demonstrates skill in sequencing, and memory at a moderate level. The ability to correctly sequence information beyond simple letters continues to grow and the student is demonstrating these abilities at a higher level of difficulty and complexity and in a shorter amount of time.
Area 3 - Array > Visual & Auditory Memory
Student continues to build strength in strengthen their immediate, short term and long term visual sequential memory and demonstrated that they have an initial ability to retain four pieces of information that they have seen only once for a limited amount of time and replicate that data in its correct sequential order three times while experiencing distraction. Iso-sensory techniques have been employed in this process. This is the beginning of training with four pieces of data.
Area 4 - Audio > Phonological Awareness & Memory
Student has achieved a higher degree of elision skills and is able to breakdown a word that has been heard into its pieces and determine what sound remains when a syllable is removed from that word. Student has demonstrated a stronger ability to use syllables that they have heard to form real phonologically regular words. Multi-sensory tool are being employed to assist in this process. Student may not be completely independent in this area at this time but are beginning to gain proficiency that can be translated to other words containing the same syllables.
Area 5 - Tactile > Visual Motor Integration
Student has demonstrated a higher level of visual perception and visual motor integration skills by being able to reproduce master shapes consisting of six sub-shapes in a specified amount of time. At this level, the student is provided with the sub-shape outlines as a guide. The skills demonstrated are critical to both the reading and writing process. At this time, the integration process is growing but not maximized.
Area 6 - Bamboozle > Eidetic Processing
Student has mastered and been able to retain a list of forty irregular words of a fourth grade level bringing their total words mastered to four hundred. Student has not been allowed to misspell these words and has been strictly restrained from ingraining incorrect spellings. Multi-sensory techniques have been employed in this process.
Area 7 - Harmony > Phonics
Student has achieved a moderate degree of skill in using open and closed syllables to successfully form nonsense words. The use of nonsense words is desirable because it eliminates the possibility of students referring to words already known to be successful in the exercises at this level. The understanding and use of open and closed syllable is critical to fluency and the student will receive additional training in this area.
Area 8 – Swift > Fluency
Student continues to build reading speed and comprehension by reading sentences three times at increasing speeds and answering comprehension questions about the material read. Three hundred sentence readings have been completed in this level with three thousand completed overall. This process also incorporates the phonics principles trained at this level. Student is not yet reading fluently but is gaining speed without sacrificing comprehension.
Students who have successfully completed the forty training exercises comprising Level 17 of the MD4 Reading curriculum have successfully demonstrated dedication and extremely significant levels of skills in a wide range of areas and completed six hundred and eighty exercises in total or eighty five percent of the overall program. The specific skills trained can be found in the "Skills and Abilities Developed" section below. To view specific skills trained in each "Area" of the curriculum please see the “Skills Training by Area" below.