Accelerative Learning: ICAL Products

ICAL Products

ICAL has a variety of educational products previously available only to our educational and corporate clients.

In response to many requests from teachers, corporate education departments, and home-school parents, ICAL will be releasing the following products, beginning in Summer 2009.

We call the series “Success Sparks”, because once a student’s interest is sparked through a successful learning experience, then the student develops a taste for more…and is on his or her way to lifelong learning! Success Sparks products will be available in English and Spanish.

Watch for these new products for students:

Success Sparks: Story Books

These are short 3-hour modules designed to “spark” an interest in reading and literacy skills using the innovative ICAL Inside approach. Based on the concept of building comprehension and self-esteem, these courses allow students to experience selected books from 12 different perspectives using the Multiple Intelligences.

As they move from activity to activity, students build success in reading comprehension. Most importantly, they build the self-esteem that is vital to intrinsic motivation. In short, they learn to enjoy reading and continue it as a lifelong habit.

Some of the titles that will be available include:

If You take a Mouse to School

Make Way for Ducklings

Inch by Inch

Amos & Boris

Miss Rumphius

The Great Kapok Tree

The Lorax

Success Sparks: Chapter Books

Using the same unique approach as Success Sparks for Story Books, ICAL uses the most well-known chapter readers and allows the teacher or parent to guide the student through ICAL’s 12-step sequence. These modules are 4-5 hours in length of directed activities as well as the time outside of class to read the short novels. Students achieve the same results using chapter readers at their level – they comprehend the material faster, enjoy the process more, and begin to practice the lifelong habit of reading.

Some of the titles that will be available include:

Charlotte’s Web

Hatchet

Caddie Woodlawn

Success Sparks: Project Based Learning

In Success Sparks Projects, ICAL takes a general subject area such as literature or history and allows the teacher or parent to guide the student through a series of steps where each step builds on the success of the previous one.

Incorporating multiple intelligences and using critical thinking skills are crucial to improving project skills. Projects enhance critical thinking skills, cross pollinate core subject skills and gives teachers and parents an innovative approach to teaching.

The teacher introduces concepts and provides guidelines and suggestions for students. Most time is spent with students working out the details in a more self-directed manner rather than relying on the teacher. The teacher spends much of the lesson time in facilitator mode, assisting students, providing feedback and guidance, observing group dynamics and ensuring that each student stays on task. There is a detailed grading system for each student which the teacher completes on an ongoing basis through classroom observation, and evaluation of student output and student presentations.

This allows the student to develop the discipline and experience the satisfaction of accomplishing a longer-term project. Presentations to the teacher or parent are the mastery demonstration of a job well done and a huge boost to the student’s self-esteem…not to mention all the cross-curriculum, grade level content the student has acquired!

Some of the projects that will be available include: