What is the Mariposa Reading Program?

The Mariposa Reading Program is a phonics-based program developed by George Gasek, Ph.D., speech-language pathologist.  The Program has been used successfully to teach students the letter-sound code which is necessary for reading and writing.

Dr. Gasek is the Director of Mariposa Reading Achievement Centre Ltd.

What about Marketed Phonics Programs?    

             Many phonics programs do not address the sound-sequencing problem. We have had many children referred to us who have tried a number of well advertised phonics programs. Children who do not have a sound-sequencing weakness AND who have good language skills AND who are well motivated AND who have a parent who can work with them on the program on a regular basis will most likely experience some degree of success.  Unfortunately, many of these programs give the impression that they are guaranteed miracle quick-fix programs. Not so! At Mariposa, we tell parents that we perform miracles...with a LOT OF HARD WORK!  There are no quick fixes.

Why hasn’t reading to my child helped?

Many parents have commented, "I don't understand why my child is having difficulty with reading. After all, I read to him everyday almost from the day he was born."  Our response to such a comment might be as follows: "If your child was born physically disabled such that he could not walk, would you expect him to develop walking skills by watching others around him walking or by carrying him around?" Of course not.  Reading to your child is extremely important. It helps to increase understanding vocabulary and language, and it stimulates imagination. However, if your child has a reading disability, no matter how much he/she is read to, it will not make it easier for that child to be able to read. Just like with learning to walk in the above example, the reading disabled child will need special instruction (like the Mariposa Reading Program) which addresses his/her weakness.

Is therapy covered by insurance?

Services provided by Mariposa come under the heading of speech therapy. Many group insurance plans cover speech therapy services.

How long is the overall duration of the program?

          This varies according to the student. Influencing factors include:

      age,

      severity of any learning disability,

      presence of language weakness,

      A.D.D. and/or

      attitude/behavior problems.

The average length of time to complete the program is 80 hours of work at Mariposa.

What can you tell me about Mariposa Reading Achievement Centre?

MARIPOSA is not a tutoring service but, rather, an outstanding clinic which specializes in the assessment and treatment of reading, spelling, writing and comprehension disorders. Its goal is to give clients the necessary foundational skills to become independent readers, spellers and writers. 

MARIPOSA has been in operation for over 12 years and provides therapy to clients ranging in age from pre-school to adult.

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©2004 Mariposa Reading Achievement Centre Ltd.