Our Learning Concepts
CEI incorporates concepts that are devoted to helping the illiterate learn. These concepts are practical and have been proven many times over with "at-risk" learners.
I. Learner Understanding
CEI programs, developed by the CEI's founder, are the result of more than thirty years of practical experience with learners -- determining how they learn and why they do not learn. Successful informal assessment techniques were pivotal in developing effective educational methods for "at-risk" learners. The key to these methods is the understanding of individual learning styles and needs, based on three distinct facets:
A. Intellectual
- Ability and achievement
B. Emotional
C. Physiological
- Psychological issues environmentally created
- Genetic personality factors
- Processing information through the senses: visual--auditory--kinesthetic (muscle movement)—tactile (touch)
II. Self-Esteem Development
Developing individual educational programs with better learner understanding coupled with major emphasis on self-esteem development. Unless a learner believes he is capable of understanding...learning is impossible.
III. Think versus Memorize
Learning to understand and assimilate speeds the learning process. Typically, "at-risk: learners struggle with rote memorization. By contrast, CEI's approach develops conceptual learning vs. rote memorization.
IV. Systematic/Concrete Learning
Concrete or hands-on learning, systematically, holds the language arts curriculum together. (Please note attached Howard Gardner Theory)
V. Multi-Sensory Teaching
Many "at-risk" learners do not effectively process information, using auditory and visual channels. CEI emphasizes the use of all senses in learning.
