Zoo-phonics® works exceptionally well with special needs students.
Besides learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD and dyslexia, children who, having been diagnosed with autism (including Asperger’s Syndrome), apraxia, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, etc., have quickly learned the alphabet, and have been able to learn to read, spell and write through the Zoo-phonics® methodology. Children (and their parents) quickly see their own progress, and self-image and confidence grows. Children have been successfully mainstreamed or included because of the efficiency of this program.
Zoo-phonics® works exceptionally well with students with learning disabilities because it is concrete, uses pictorial mnemonics, is kinesthetic and multi-modal.
With Zoo-phonics®, children learn to read and spell through their eyes, mouth, ears and body. If one perceptual channel is weak, there are three other channels to take over and support the weak one. For example, if a child has an auditory deficit, his/her eyes, mouth and body will take over and help him or her to access, understand, memorize, use and transfer the new information. Children learn though Zoo-phonics® when no other program works.
The colorful Animal Letters and Body Movements (Signals) engage the child and hold his or her attention. Because the curriculum is so playful, children not only want to learn, their behavior improves because the children are on task and happy while learning through Zoo-phonics®. Instead of telling children to “sit down and be quiet” we encourage them to wiggle their hands and body and make sounds (letter sounds)!