Learning Connections is an Australian community resource centre that empowers parents, teachers and carers to access multi-media and educational literature which is pertinent to those who are dealing with behavioural problems, learning difficulties and attention disorders. Learning Connections instruct teachers and parents’ how to offer learning environments for the children which enables then to produce constructive changes in their own lives.
The Director of Learning Connections Centre, Maureen Hawke, Neuro Developmental Therapist, Clinical Nutritionist, Sound Therapist and Registered Nurse has been utilizing a holistic approach in treating children having developmental delay, attention disorders, learning difficulties and behavioural problems since 1976. Maureen is also the originator of Bright Start Program meant for parents that promotes the development of the child from birth to 2 and half years. She in addition trains teachers across Australia and globally in the usage and advantages of the unique Learning Connections Programs in various levels of schools.
The History of Learning Connections
Set up in 1976 to assist children achieve, the appropriately named Learning Connections Centre has since that time been offering effective and practical aid to children in their thousands, of all ages who are having learning difficulties, attention disorders, developmental delays and behaviour problems. Learning Connections is a fully registered not-for-profit and charity organization.
Designed by professionals, individualized activities assist in developing the physical, social and cognitive skills of affected children. The Learning Connections programs are in addition recognized for their very unique methodology to child development that is based on the link between a child’s primitive reflexes and the movement promoting learning; building confidence and improving emotional, intellectual and social skills required for success at school.
How Learning Connections is Different?
The intervention of Learning Connections for children having learning difficulties, attention disorders and behaviour problems is grounded on a continuous evaluation and treatment process.
The programs are unique since they prioritize the order of and then combine the advantages of primary reflex and sensory motor inhibition together with learning programs, nutritional programs and auditory training. These help the brain to restructure what was formerly disorganized hence freeing it up for learning of a higher order. They also utilize a variety of specific learning approaches which when utilized with their holistic approach are more effective than just tutoring or remedial programs alone.
A lot of children seeking Learning Connections’ assistance have previously been engaged in excellent programs; nonetheless, they’re still experiencing difficulty as those programs were not fully able to address those underlying root causes. In case the kid’s problem is just speech, then perhaps speech therapy may be all that is required. If the issue is only a reading problem, then learning support may suffice; and if the challenge is a visual difficulty, then eye training is going to remedy that problem. An approach that is compartmentalized does not address all the aspects of the kid’s problems.
Prioritizing the interventions becomes paramount in the effective treatment of the problem. Just like stacking blocks, we need to begin at the problem base. Different from remedial and tutoring programs, Learning Connections is not giving the children any more than they can do. Learning Connections is treating the cause.
For most of these children there are discrepancies in the manner they process both auditory and visual information plus delays in their primitive reflex integration. However, with enhanced "brain wiring" due to the Learning Connections Program and strategies, the strong foundations for their development are being laid down. Whenever this happens, the learning programs get more successful.
The program activities of Learning Connections stimulate diverse brain areas that include the vestibular ocular cerebellum loop, responsible for improving auditory and visual processing, and in promoting integration of the kid’s primitive reflexes. The specialist learning programs of Learning Connections, which have been proven for over 30 years, accord children a noteworthy learning breakthrough.
The Learning Programs
A developing body of neuro-scientific study is supporting the suggestion that the continued existence of Primitive Reflexes further than the normal inhibition age plays an important role in learning difficulties. It is agreed that Primitive Reflexes offer signposts of one’s central nervous system lack of maturity. It is achievable to promote the maturity and to also detect and right any minor dysfunctions occurring in the child’s central nervous system via the usage of particular movements.
Learning Connections offers definite learning activities being part of the holistic strategy. Most of the children will at first become more triumphant learners when they get exposed to more precise right brained, tactile and kinesthetic learning activities together with their Learning Connections’ own program. As the immaturities causing the child’s learning difficulty are getting overcome, Learning Connections' detailed learning strategies begin to produce success.
Learning Connections is drawing on their broad assortment of activities and experience specifically fashioned to the individual’s requirements for promoting improved learning.
Sensory Motor Maturation Learning Connections Programs
This are meant to enhance the ability of your child to process all manner of sensory information. Through maturation and enhanced central nervous system reorganization, the child develops the basis essential for learning and attention. The children are then able to manage and organize their own mind, hands and body to effectively be able to express their skills and knowledge and then organize themselves for more motor learning tasks. These programs are employed in conjunction with unique Sound Therapy Programs, Visual Therapy and Tutoring Programs.
How Can Learning Connections Help?
Learning Connections has since 1976 assisted thousands of secondary, primary and pre-school children encountering attention disorders, learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
Learning Connections could assist if your kid has:
- Concentration or listening problems
- Delays in writing, reading, spelling and in doing maths.
- Social difficulties
- Impulsiveness and short attention spans.
- Delayed language and speech development.
- Difficulty in following given directions.
Learning Connections employs a holistic approach and has been successful since it treats not merely the symptoms but the underlying causes of the problems your child. Learning Connections offers individual programs and assessments for children of all the different ages. A therapy program which is home-based is particularly designed so as to suit the needs of your child and his or her individual learning style. Reassessment and support visits are done regularly as required.
