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 moderate degree of skill in accurately perceiving the difference between a number of pieces of visual information of average complexity. In this level of training student has built on their existing visual perception to reach a fairly high level of expertise with shapes.
Area 2 - Recall > Sequencing & Tracking
Student has demonstrated that they can accurately differentiate between the sounds of similar sounding words and remember the location of those words on a grid. This accomplishment demonstrates skill in sequencing, phonological awareness, 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 auditory sequential memory and demonstrated that they have an initial ability to retain three pieces of information that they have heard 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.
Area 4 - Audio > Phonological Awareness & Memory
Student continues to build skills in the area of recognizing individual syllables and using those syllables. Student has demonstrated a basic ability to break words into individual syllables and identify how many syllables are in a given word. 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 begun to visualize a master shape consisting of four smaller shapes without outlines and to duplicate these master shapes by rotating and placing smaller shapes inside the master. Hand to eye coordination has been increased as well as visual perception. These skills are critical to both the reading and writing process. At this time, the student is allowed liberal time to complete the integration process.
Area 6 - Bamboozle > Eidetic Processing
Student has mastered and been able to retain a list of forty very basic irregular words of a third grade level or below bringing their total words mastered to two 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 significant skill in the recognition and use of consonant blends in different locations in words and has proficiency in this area of training. Multi-sensory techniques have been used in this process. The understanding and use of consonant blends 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 reading have been completed in this level with fifteen hundred sentences 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 5 of the MD4 Reading curriculum have successfully demonstrated a fundamental level of skills in a wide range of areas and completed two hundred exercises in total or twenty-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.