A visitor to a lab where students are going through the paces of the LDHope therapy would probably feel the program is a simple series of repetitive exercises. However, every item on the menu plays an essential role in producing the final product: an independent, successful student.

All parts of the menu are designed to work on specific learning skills, but each are dependent upon the others for success.

SENSE IT: This is the core of the menu. The four exercises incorporate multiple senses using sight, listening, speaking, and spelling to engage the student. These exercises target the initial stimulation of the word patterns, auditory discrimination, visual and auditory perception, and visual short term memory in a full integration of the senses.

DUPLICATE IT: These exercises offer time-based repetition of the word patterns presented in SENSE IT. The patterns start by moving from word analysis toward sight-word memory. Fine coordination of eye muscles are exercised for proper reading movements. Speech patterns change with correct modeling exercises.

CHOOSE IT: This builds language fluency. Word meanings become clear through context clues from sentences produced visually or with voice help.

MATCH IT: This exercise is a test of word meanings. Sensory integration occurs while hearing an auditory definition, exercising auditory memory, visually decoding word patterns, imaging the meaning, and matching that image to a definition held in auditory memory.

EDIT IT: This is a writing exercise that stresses auditory memory, sensory integration of motor skills (writing), and visual perception in writing and proofing. Endurance is exercised by moving from words, to phrases, to sentences.

RACE IT: This is a speed exercise that stresses auditory memory and visual perception with motor skills. Work to beat your time as you increase in the number of items.

MEMORY MATCH — This exercise is a memory matching game that emphasizes visual memory.

REPEAT IT — Lastly, this is a culminating exercise. It requires quick decoding of the same word patterns in the previous programs. Rapid decoding is required, leaving no time for word analysis. Endurance is exercised as the number of flashes are increased. As the flash speed becomes faster, visual perception skills become sharper.