Help your student reach their full potential!

A: No. Tutoring is more intense teaching, a band-aid for the present. Our method is learning therapy and brain training, a permanent solution. While it may include tutoring, Synap2it! deals directly with the causes of learning difficulties, which helps your student get back on track more quickly! Cognitive abilities are brain skills needed to carry out simple and complex tasks. These skills can be improved at any age with training. Synap2it uses cognitive training to develop the underlying abilities one needs in order to be successful in the subject matter. Once our brain truly remembers, understands, manipulates, and uses the information, it is ours for life. Drills and tutoring certainly have their place, but we believe these approaches are most effective once the brain’s “muscles” have been developed to be able to use and apply the information confidently & creatively.

A: “SOI” stands for Structure of Intellect – a theory of the functions and products of human intelligence. It is a system of tests and training materials to develop intellectual abilities. Synap2it! uses the SOI system for assessment and training of abilities. Everyone who works with Synap2it! has undergone SOI training, and Renee Anderson & Becky Robinson are Advanced Associates with SOI systems. Learn more about the Structure of Intellect here.

A: The SOI test evaluates learning abilities – comprehension, creativity, problem solving, evaluation, and memory. It shows any strengths or weaknesses the client has in these areas. The test also determines the client’s primary learning style – figural, symbolic, semantic. All of this information provides a solid profile that helps the client understand his/her learning capabilities.

A: Anyone from 5 years old to an adult can be tested.

A: The SOI assessments are administered in-person by SOI specialists who have been trained in SOI. Just contact us to schedule a time that’s convenient for you.

A: Yes. SOI has developed materials that can train low abilities as well as enhance high abilities. Materials are available in both paper and computer format.

A: Each client’s program is individualized to target his/her strengths and weaknesses. The time it takes a client to complete his/her program depends on the test scores and the amount of time the student uses the materials.

A: Yes. A client can work on SOI materials at home. A cautionary note to parents: make sure your student has been tested and you receive a consultation so that you fully understand the analysis and the commitment required in order to see improvement.

A: Let’s look at this question first: do intellectual abilities have anything to do with academic achievement? Yes. So how does SOI improve this academic achievement which then carries over to academic test results? SOI trains the abilities needed for academic success. There are over 90 learning abilities that were identified by Dr. Mary Meeker and her team. SOI narrowed those abilities down to the 26 that are considered crucial to academics. She then developed training materials designed to increase those abilities. Since 1974*, studies have been done to show that SOI training abilities leads to improved performance on standardized achievement tests. The analyses were made to determine whether SOI instruction significantly affects learning abilities and whether learning abilities scores are associated with school achievement. The answer to both is yes.

* Jerry Coker-Patterson Road School- Research Studies, VOl. II, California State Dept of Education
Jackie Buisman-Sherwood School District- Research Studies, Vol. II, Oregon State Dept. of Education

A: Absolutely! We have implemented programs in a number of public and private schools across the country and worldwide. We are also available for training SOI testing materials can be used for the gifted and/or talented programs, as well as a way to improve the intellectual abilities of the special education students and any student in-between.

A study done from 2000-2006 by Bridges Learning Systems reported that the learning environment in the IPP lab reduced the disruptive behavior significantly for more than 80% of their students. IPP (Integrated Practice Protocol) trains sensory-motor and focusing abilities. The IPP program has been used in schools and private practices to improve attention span, memory, eye-hand coordination, reasoning skills, and self-esteem. When students progress in these areas, their behavior changes. Parents’ testimonies are the strongest evidence that their child’s behavior has changed.

A: Perceptual Skills include Visual and Auditory Skills, which are essential for reading, comprehension, following directions, concentrating, and many more. A few of the areas we screen and develop are:

• Board to Seat Work – The ability to see comfortably at reading distance and black board distance with accuracy. (note taking, unfinished work, eye fatigue & memory)
• Moving Across the Page – Pursuit, scanning ability (poor reading, comprehension, and short attention span.)
• Targeting an Object – The ability to visually fixate with accuracy and consistently and without eye and body movement on an object (if undeveloped, excessive rereading, also difficulty following object while body is moving or not).
• Aiming at the Target – An assessment looking at the binocularity of both eyes. Both Eyes are checked to see if they are aimed at the same target. (slow reader, loses place, and possible double vision).
• Eye Teaming – The ability of both eyes to work together
• Auditory Skills – Ability to hear the range of voice frequencies, skill of making auditory discrimination with accuracy, skill to process sequential auditory instructions and to focus with background sounds present.

A: General cognitive efficiency depends upon sensory integration. In order for the brain to process cognitive information, that information must first reach the brain in an accurate manner. This is not possible when the various sensory systems are providing conflicting information.

• Crossing the Midline/Mentally Crossing Midline of the Body – Use of reference point in understanding orientation (plan and carry out sequence of movements or thoughts in proper order of following directions).
• Balance – Motor experience is the foundation of mental development (sitting still and focusing on instruction are affected).
• Body in Space – This is the ability to sense where our bodies are in space without using your eyes. (Right/Left, directions, trouble with sports, and clumsiness)
• Eye-Hand Coordination – How the vision system is working with the motor system (handwriting, drawing, and sports).

A: Cognitive skills are essential for the brain to perform efficiently and effectively. Strengthening those cognitive skills in the areas of memory, problem solving, evaluation, visual/auditory memory, and processing will lessen the effects of ADHD. Did you know that sometimes weak visual processing will present itself like inattention? This is why it is important to screen the vision system. We are not referring to visual acuity and wearing glasses – we look for things like visual tracking, teaming, and targeting that form a basis for visual learning. Similarly, strengthening cognitive skills may lessen the effects of Dyslexia as well, opening the doors to reading.

A: Perception is attentiveness. It is the basis of learning. Our senses of vision, auditory, tactile, posture, balance, and physical synchronization must be integrated or working together. If one sense is stronger than another, a student will depend too much on that one sense or get over-stimulated and not be able to process the information presented quickly. The trampoline, bean bag, and other activities you’ll see students using at the center are specifically designed to help the brain and body integrate with one another, therefore improving skills necessary to learn including: hand-eye coordination, concentration, sequencing, visual attentiveness, visual stamina, and more!