PACE

Purpose and Background The Processing and Cognitive Enhancement (PACE) program was developed to train cognitive learning skills. It is what many affectionately refer to as “mental boot camp.” To train cognitive learning skills, PACE applies the most recent scientific research on learning. Too often, this type of information sits on universities; shelves and may not be applied until many years later. PACE is at the forefront of making sure the most up-to-date research is used to improve a child’s learning. Prior to the development of PACE, a number of its founders were involved in a pilot program which was located in over 200 healthcare offices across the United States and Canada. The results were outstanding! The training had a significant impact on the learning skills and lives of the thousands who participated in the program. The problem was that the pilot program was designed for a more limited purpose, and many children had needs that were not being addressed. The need for a more comprehensive program lead to the development of PACE. Who Can Benefit from PACE? Students who are performing below their potential or who may have learning difficulties will benefit from PACE. In addition, many high achieving or average students who want to perform mental activities faster and more efficiently, can benefit from the intense cognitive training provided by the PACE program. A child with learning difficulties will usually demonstrate one or more of the following behaviors which do not seem to improve with simply extra work or tutoring:

Trouble staying on task

Working too slowly or too hard

Difficulty with reading comprehension

Problems remembering

Poor reading, math, and spelling skills

The Method Condensed Length Unlike programs that take 12 to 18 months to complete and produce very gradual changes, the PACE program makes very significant changes in a much shorter period of time. If a child sees changes in his or her performance, it will raise the child’s self-esteem. This will make the child want to work at improving his or her skills even more. Learning becomes easier and less stressful. In fact, by the second session, all students participating in the PACE program − even those in kindergarten − were able to name the presidents of the United States forwards and backwards. The techniques used in the PACE program develop memory and visualization strategies which improve the students ability to create mental images. Our students will go to school and recite the presidents in the front of the class. This does amazing things for the self-esteem of a young child who normally struggles in school. Teachers, peers, and parents will know the child’s abilities are far greater than before, and so will the child. Intense Sessions One-on-one training is extremely important; especially when one considers that a child in public education in the United States gets only an average of six and a half hours of one-on-one instruction over a 13 year period. Our summer intensive PACE program provides 72 hours of one-on-one training over 8 weeks. There are two reasons for one-on-one training. The first is feedback. When the child does something correctly, he or she is praised. When the child makes an error, he or she is made aware of it so that it can be corrected. Immediate feedback allows faster learning. The second reason for one-on-one training is appropriate sequencing of stages for advancement. This means the program is personalized to the child’s deficiencies and needs. If a task is too difficult, the child will become frustrated. If the task is too easy, child will become bored. So the therapist designs the task to be challenging and then slightly increases the demand of that task to force the deficient skills to improve.