Summer, 2010
To Parents and Students of High School Youth:
As a service to you, we have arranged this Summer for our students to participate in a special SAT Prep program specifically designed to improve their reading, writing, and verbal skills. Performance in these areas is especially important as the May and June times approach for ETS testing on the PSAT’s and SAT’s. It is always of real concern to us that our students improve their ability to read, write, and study effectively and critically - abilities that can significantly influence both the quantity and quality of their work both now in high school, as well as during the college years to come.
For skilled performance on the SAT’s, and even to meet the demand of our high school curriculum, our students are experiencing an ever-increasing need for proficiency at reading, writing, and study skills strategies. Especially in the area of reading, students now need to achieve a reading rate of 500-550 words per minute. Studies show that the average student reads at less than 300 words per minute. Work and study on the high school and college prep level requires that you be continuously up-to-date with your material and prepared daily for class participation. A deficiency in reading and study skills will detract from the overall benefits of your education. Often the difference between a good student and a poor or average one rests on the difference in his reading and study skills.
Accordingly, Modern Educational Systems has been invited to service our students. Their teaching and research have helped students for twenty-five years now in over 70 secondary schools and colleges in the metropolitan areas of Boston, Providence, and New York City. Presently, the course has been servicing Catholic Memorial students and Ursuline Academy students since 1993, as well as Bishop Feehan High School since 1999. Without exception, reports from every school using the program witness to increased critical reading and verbal skills proficiency on ETS exams. Our results indicate higher scores not only on the PSAT’s and SAT’s, but also marked improvement on other nationally rating exams that your child will be taking over the next few years – specifically the Iowa Tests and the ACTS exam, both of which are administered on the senior high level.
Now this program of instruction is being made available to you, and we invite you to consider a most outstanding opportunity to enhance your child’s overall academic performance.
Further information, including a registration form, is to be found on the last page of this enclosure. If you have any questions please call the Home Office number for Modern Educational Systems: (508) 668-9479. You may also contact Modern Educational Systems via E-mail at Modedsys@aol.com.
Sincerely,
Douglas P. Michaud, Ph.D.C.
Educator and Faculty Advisor for SAT Prep, and
Director of Modern Educational Systems,
Northeast Region
SUMMER REGISTRATION INFORMATION – 2010
Dear Parents and Students of Catholic Memorial High School:
Below is the summer registration form for the Modern Educational Systems SAT Prep Sessions at Catholic Memorial High. This form can be mailed at any time to the address posted below. All applicants, however, should also contact the Modern Educational Systems Office by phone for more specific information and for class scheduling. Applications can be received up to the time of the course offerings, but course schedules are worked out on a first come, first serve basis at the time of registration. Each class is limited to twelve participants. Late applicants often no longer have access to every course section that will be offered. Appointments with the counselor are also welcome if parents and/or students wish to meet the instructor. Further discussion is in fact encouraged with respect to the program overview, course expectations, preliminary diagnostic procedures, and criteria for testing analysis. One-on-one tutorial offerings are also available for both Spring and Summer sessions. Parents are welcome to sit in for up to three student sessions – free of charge – in order to experience for themselves the power and effectiveness of this course and its skills.
HAVE OTHER SCHOOLS USED THE MODERN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM?
M.E.S. Programs have been implemented successfully and repeatedly in more than 70 elementary schools, high schools and colleges in the New York, Boston, and Providence area, to over 13,000 students. Successful courses have been implemented into the curricula of such well known schools as New York Polytechnic Institute, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, St. Agnes High School, Cathedral Prep, St. Mary's High School, Ursuline Academy, Bishop Feehan High School, St. Dominic High School, as well as here each year at Catholic Memorial High School since 1993.
WHERE WILL THE COURSE BE GIVEN? HOW LONG IS IT?
The July course offering will consist of two 3 hour sessions weekly – 6 sessions in total over a three week period. Classes will be held right at Catholic Memorial in an air-conditioned classroom. Time choices available are: Monday and Wednesday mornings (9-12), or afternoons (1:30-4:30); also, Tuesday and Thursday mornings (9-12), or afternoons (1:30-4:30).
Alternate or “Make-up” class times are available by appointment on Friday mornings from 9-12. Diagnostic testing will be scheduled as part of the first class in the July session. July sessions begin the week of July 12th. .
ARE THE RESULTS GUARANTEED? THE COST?
As insurance of your success, the Modern Educational Systems unconditionally guarantees verifiable improvement in performance upon completion of the course. Tuition is $475.00 and convenient payment plans are available. Tuition paid in full at the time of registration will be discounted 20% to $380.00.*
We look forward to hearing from you. For your convenience, we have also included a mail-in enrollment form below.
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Send registrations to: Modern Educational Systems, 15 Deerfield Road, Walpole, MA 02081
Also, for further info, call Mr. Michaud at the Home Office for M.E.S. (508) 668-9479; or contact via E-mail at Modedsys@aol.com.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Please enroll my child:_________________________________________________________
___ For Summer Session: two 3 hour sessions for three weeks in July__________.
___ Enclosed is $475.00 student tuition in full.*
___ Enclosed is $175.00 deposit. Please bill me for one half the balance at the start of classes and one half the third week of the program.
___ Review for former students. $175.00 registration fee only
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
NAME ADDRESS TELEPHONE
*tuition is discounted 20% (i.e., $380.00 total cost for the course) if payment is made in full at the time of registration. Payment of the 20% discounted tuition is expected within one week after phone registrations. A 10% discount price is accepted if payment is made in full by the time of the start of classes (10% discounted price is $427.50).
COURSE DESCRIPTION
PART 1: BASIC CRITICAL READING AND STUDY SKILLS OVERVIEW
PART ONE OF THIS COURSE EMPOWERS STUDENTS WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO READ WITHIN WEEKS AT 300-500 WPM+, WITH CONSISTENT HIGH COMPREHENSION. THE VAST MAJORITY OF STUDENTS TODAY ARE READING WELL UNDER 300 WPM WITH ONLY AN AVERAGE OF PASSING COMPREHENSION OR EVEN LESS. IN THIS COURSE STUDENTS QUICKLY EXPERIENCE RAPID READING RESULTS COMBINED WITH HIGH COMPREHENSION SCORING ABILITY. SUCH SKILL WILL GIVE THEM SIGNIFICANT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE VERBAL SAT’S. CRITICAL READING PROFICIENCY THEN BECOMES THE BASIS FOR OUR EFFECTIVE STUDY SKILLS STRATEGIES. PLEASE READ BELOW FOR MORE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON PART ONE. THE RAPID READING AND CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES TAUGHT IN THE “MES” SAT PREP COURSE ARE NOT OFFERED AS PART OF ANY COURSE IN THE CURRICULUMS OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WE PRESENTLY SERVE.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Part I is designed to develop critical reading skills and verbal exam test-taking skills. This focus is chosen specifically with a view to higher performance scoring ability for your student on the whole range of nationally rating exams your child will face over the next few years.
In fact, Modern Educational Systems offers the only prep course for increased proficiency in verbal skills exams, that targets the increased reading skill needs that will be required by students particularly on the PSAT and SAT’s.
With respect to the critical and urgent need for increased reading skill on the part of students across the U.S., consider the seriousness of the following research results. Consider too the many advantages and benefits below that only MES courses have to offer.
Independent research by private organizations and major universities across the nation has produced some startling figures and conclusions:
1. Twenty-three percent of college freshman dropouts are due to inadequate reading and study ability.
2. A minimum level of performance of 500 words per minute is necessary for a student on the high
school and college levels to cope adequately with curriculum reading assignments.
3. Efficient reading and study are no longer a luxury but a vital process necessary to academic success.
Reading is the fundamental tool of learning. Better readers achieve more.
4. Students incapable of reading for high comprehension in the 300-500 wpm speed range, will be hard pressed even to finish the verbal component sections of the PSAT and SAT’s within the allowed time limits.
All students face a similar problem. Therefore, we have selected Modern Educational Systems, a professional teaching and research organization, to staff and conduct a reading and study skills program for our students.
WHAT WILL PART I DO FOR THE STUDENT?
All instruction in the 12 hours of Part I is on an individualized basis. Cooperative counseling with our Guidance Office and faculty will help to insure maximum benefit to the student with regard to application of techniques to school work. An important feature of the program is that the students will be trained on their own school textbooks. There is little practice required outside the class and eight of the 18 hours can be devoted to reading actual school texts. Reading rate will be doubled in only 6 hours, thereby reducing outside reading time by 50%. Thus, the 18 hours are not in addition to a student's efforts but inclusive of them. The main objectives of Part I are to train the student to read at speeds equivalent to thought and to develop a personally effective study procedure. Some areas covered in Part I are: Critical Reading and Analysis, Reading and Thinking, Visualization, Note-taking, Outlining, Difficulty Reading and other pertinent areas. Each student will be further trained in the skills of test taking, retention of information, and the relationship of reading to the learning process and communication skills.
PART II: ADVANCED STRATEGIES
PART TWO OF OUR COURSE COMBINES RAPID READING ABILITY WITH ADVANCED CRITICAL READING AND TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES. THE APPLICATION OF ADVANCED SCANNING SKILLS WHILE READING MAKES STUDENTS INCREASINGLY PERCEPTIVE CONCERNING THEME CONTENT, MAIN IDEAS, AND IMPORTANT DETAILS. STUDENTS ALSO LEARN THE KEY STRATEGIES (DISCOVER THE “CSI” APPROACH!) FOR MASTERING THE SAT SENTENCE COMPLETION SECTION.
IN THE WRITING SKILLS COMPONENT, STUDENTS ARE EXPOSED IN DEPTH TO ALL FORMS OF LITERARY SKILLS TESTED ON ETS EXAMS: “IMPROVING SENTENCES”; “IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS”; AND ALL KEY STRATEGIES FOR SKILL ON “THE WRITING EXERCISE.”
A FURTHER COMPONENT OF OUR PART TWO WILL TEACH “MOTIVATIONAL SKILLS.” MANY OF OUR STUDENTS GIVE PRIMARY CREDIT TO THESE SKILLS FOR THE SHARP INCREASE IN THEIR VERBAL SAT SCORES. PLEASE READ BELOW FOR MORE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON PART TWO.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Part II of our course builds on the more basic strategies of Part I. It further develops critical reading ability and the study of test taking strategies designed to increase performance ability on the verbal skills type questions that students face from the Educational Testing Service (source and architects of the PSAT and SAT Exams!). These questions largely assume standardized form from High School Entrance level tests through College Board level exams.
The student finishes the verbal skills and test taking strategies of PART II, with increased proficiency in answering all types of actual SAT verbal component questions. Even the vocabulary lists alone are worth a minimum of a 100 point increase in performance scoring results. Students are taught vocabulary skills without extensive memorization procedures. They are exposed to increased concentration skills; reading for main ideas; skimming and scanning; study and test taking methods in depth; and increased memory tools and techniques. Students have reported on a normative and consistent basis vastly improved ability at both reading and verbal skills, as well as exam taking. We are committed to these results for your student or additional training will be provided at no additional charge.
Detailed Summary of Part II:
1. Primary emphasis on Application of Critical Reading and Thinking Skills to SAT level readings, to the Sentence Completion Questions and to the Writing Skills Questions on the PSAT and SAT verbal.
2. Continued focus on reviewing, reinforcing, and developing further the basic skills of Part I, as they specifically apply to increased proficiency in verbal skills exams.
Better Comprehension Building Vocabulary
Critical Reading and Analysis Structure of Reading Material
Passing Exams Proper Eye Movement
Getting the Main Idea Better Memory
Structure of Reading Material Educated Guess Method
Skimming Advanced Scanning Strategies
Effective Writing Skills
Sentence Error Identification Strategies:
Redundancy Misplaced Modifiers
Diction Errors Parallel Construction
Paragraph Improvement Strategies:
Transitional Devices
Content Improvement Questions
Revision Questions
“The Prompt” - Theme Related Strategies in Writing
3. MOTIVATION SKILLS: This is a key component of Part II. Modern Educational Systems is the only school that includes the teaching of motivation skills as a part of the preparation for higher SAT scores.
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