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NILD - How It Works

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity refers to your brain’s ability to absorb information and evolve to manage new challenges. You can build mental muscle by challenging your mind and giving it new experiences. Think of it as an internal rewiring process that allows student’s minds to grow and meet new and increased demands.

Research indicates that thinking can be changed through intensive, focused intervention. Students can be trained to think for themselves rather than depending upon a teacher or parent to think for them. Language and thinking skills are interdependent so that when one skill develops the other is also strengthened.

Student Review

“NILD is a very helpful and enjoyable way to help people with learning disabilities like dyslexia, and for me NILD has helped me get better at spelling and reading which I used to be horrible at! I have done NILD for two and a half years and I have found it fun and I have seen my spelling, reading, writing and math improve over this time. NILD is a great thing for people with learning disabilities, in my opinion, to help them improve.”

Daniel, Form 2

Educational Therapy v Tutoring

Educational therapy goes far beyond tutoring. Our individualised interventions strengthen the underlying causes of learning difficulties, rather than simply treating the symptoms as tutoring does.

NILD Educational Therapy® teaches your student “how to think” rather than “what to think”. Tutoring typically focuses on content while educational therapy builds efficient learning processes.

The focus of NILD Educational Therapy is the development of clear, efficient thinking. Students are given tools to enable them to overcome specific learning weaknesses. NILD Educational Therapy is skill-oriented, improving basic learning skills so students can learn and retain content.

Students become better able to:

  • Direct focus and attention
  • Apply self-regulation strategies
  • Develop thinking and planning skills.
  • Build visual and auditory skills for reading, writing and math.
  • Improve spelling & written expression.
  • Grow a deeper understanding of math concepts.

Parent Review

My son has been attending extra lessons/remedial sessions since he was in Grade 2 and has struggled academically through his school career. He has continually found it difficult to understand what he is reading and to comprehend the questions asked. In the 3rd term of Form 3 he began his NILD programme. His reading age has since improved by 8 years after 6 terms of NILD. He is so happy to be able to read and understand. His English teacher cannot believe his progress in terms of reading, writing and understanding topics. I highly recommend NILD to any dyslexic child. My son has had huge encouragement and support by his amazing NILD tutor, Lorna McCosh.
Mrs S
“I can honestly say that lessons learnt from NILD are for life. She has really appreciated the concept and uses it every day. At the school prize giving, 2 years after our graduation from NILD, she was awarded the ‘English’ prize, even though she is dyslexic. Much gratitude to NILD and those teaching it. Needless to say I have recommended it to many people and would do so in a heartbeat.”
Michelle

Who is a Candidate for NILD?

Poor spelling, illegible handwriting, inability to express thoughts verbally or in writing, and difficulty with reading and math are common indicators of a learning disability.
Learning disabilities are diagnosed through a battery of tests that measure and compare students’ potential with their actual performance.

A student is required to have an initial assessment by an educational psychologist before entering NILD Educational Therapy® or if you suspect your child is dyslexic, contact nildinzimbabwe@gmail.com for details of dyslexic testing. This assists in tailoring a student’s NILD sessions to his/her specific needs.

The educational therapist also administers a series of tests to gain a deeper understanding of each student’s learning strengths and challenges.

Student Review

“When I found out about NILD and knew it could help me I thought I’d give it a try, and little did I know it would change my life and actually make me want to succeed at school. I highly recommend NILD for changing my life and helping me so much and thank you Lorna”.
Ben, Form 4
I thought I had to do NILD to prove how stupid I was but it turned out I was doing NILD to help me show others how smart I am.
Erika
“I have been doing NILD for almost one year and I have improved so much! At first I hated NILD and now I like it as it is fun and helps me a lot. I never used to read for fun because I could not, but now I do every night and I have finished two books in one week. NILD is great!”
Neha, Grade 7

How NILD Educational Therapists help

NILD educational therapists look at the underlying thinking and processing skills. As a result it takes longer, for it is building concepts and thinking skills so students can learn for a lifetime. NILD sessions are one-on-one.
NILD educational therapists, have met rigorous training requirements and want to know how the student learns and how to make them into efficient and independent learners. They mediate students to defend their answers and to reflect upon their thinking processes. Students transition from dependent learners to those who think and reason independently.
Students complete their programmes when they become independent and successful in the regular classroom, and this usually takes a minimum of three years.
Strategies learned in educational therapy should enable students to remain independent and successful throughout their school years. They generally develop skills to pursue a career in the field of their choice.

Parent's Review

Both my daughters are Dyslexics and I do not think that they would have coped with conventional schooling had they not done NILD. Not only did NILD improve their spelling, reading and math it also taught them that although having learning difficulties is in some areas a disadvantage it gives you a heightened ability in others. Doing NILD in Primary school made them able to focus on achieving their academic potential in High School.
Heidi