How long does it take to go through the IdeaChain Reading Comprehension Program?
Careful consideration was given to the pacing of the IdeaChain comprehension program to allow for maximun flexibility. Generally it takes 6 weeks to 3 months to go through the IdeaChain program. Six weeks is galloping through and not necessarily recommended. Three months is an average time and it could take 4-6 months or more for a student with significant comprehension difficulty. Our goal is to allow for an individual or family to decide on a moderately-paced program compatible with normal family/school routines or an intense, emersion program that is appropriate for some older students and adults. Top

How much time do you need to spend each week on IdeaChain?
Four sessions a week are recommended for optimum IdeaChain implementation. Many families spend some weekend time as well as some weekday time working on the program. Initial lessons may take 45 minutes. As you become familiar with the activities, many families spend 30 minutes or less on a day's session.

When you begin the program, all of your IdeaChain lessons will be done with the materials we provide. As you learn the activities, we recommend that you begin doing the activities using material from a student's homework or, for an adult, using material from the workplace. This approach can allow you to overlap homework support with doing the lessons or, for an adult, to more quickly apply new skills to workplace situations. We support you in transferring your new comprehension skills as quickly as possible to achieve academic, professional or personal goals. Top

Is IdeaChain suitable for adults?
Yes. In fact, it is excellent for the individual who feels that professional and economic opportunities are being limited by their ability to quickly grasp and understand information. Other individuals are hungry to break out of a stale job and learn a new profession -- but need to improve learning skills to do so. IdeaChain program clients include college students, graduate students, individuals with a Ph.D., medical doctors, computer/information technology professionals, sales professionals, business executives and more.

While it is helpful for an adult learner to have someone else such as a family member or friend to interact with on occassion, it is not a necessity. Many adults, either for privacy or out of necessity, go through the IdeaChain Reading Comprehension Program by themselves. Top

Will IdeaChain help those who have trouble reading the words?
If an individual has been through a sound, multi-sensory phonics program and still has not had satisfactory results, IdeaChain is an excellent additional support program. Reading words requires an individual to connect letters (shapes) and sounds. The shapes and patterns of letters may not be stable in the mind. Although IdeaChain does not work with letters specifically, it does have an impact on stabilizing images and therefore supports word reading. Top

What kind of support is available for individuals using IdeaChain?
Your investment in IdeaChain includes toll-free personal support and coaching. MindPrime's 800 number is displayed prominently on the front cover. If you have a question, getting an answer is as simple as picking up the phone and dialing 800-460-8484. If someone is not available to speak with you immediately, we arrange a convenient time to call back. Once we know your individual personal needs, we can provide specific suggestions for applying the IdeaChain strategies to school or work related goals. Top

Does IdeaChain help with math?
IdeaChain can be particularly helpful when working with math word problems. Many individuals have difficulty because they cannot mentally see the situation described in the problem. Once they grasp the action in the problem, they are able to do the calculations correctly. Additionally, memorizing math facts has a visual component which can be strengthened by using IdeaChain. Top

Can IdeaChain help me communicate better?
Yes. Improved communication skills are one of the early changes that you can expect with the IdeaChain program. Effective communication relies heavily on two elements, mental organization of your thoughts and an understanding of how a listener grasps information. Both of these issues are addressed directly by the activities included in lessons one and two. The improvements show up in both oral and written communication. Top

How do I know if IdeaChain will help me or my child?
Please review the profile on the home page of our website (Do you see yourself -- or your child -- in this profile?). If you click the word MORE after each point of the profile, you will see additional comments about that particular characteristic. Adult and child characteristics are listed separately. Individuals who fit multiple characteristics of the profile are excellent candidates for the IdeaChain program. Top

What is the youngest age at which someone can use IdeaChain?
Generally, we start at 6 years old. On occasion, when a family is aware of a child's significant language difficulty at an early age, we have used IdeaChain with children as young as 5 years old. In this instance the IdeaChain comprehension program can be an excellent support for family interaction. We recommend that anyone working with a child below the age of 6 contact us directly about how to customize the program for use with a young child. Top

How is IdeaChain different from what my child will get working with a tutor or in a private learning center?
In almost all school instances, tutoring situations and private learning centers, the individual is taught academic strategies. That is, the child learns how to locate facts, how to locate main idea, how to develop a summary, draw conclusions, make inferences and so on.

Students who have been exposed to these strategies year after year in school and have not responded, are not likely to find them effective. The IdeaChain program goes to the heart of reading comprehension difficulty. It addresses the fact that individuals cannot pull isolated pieces together into a whole or grasp and understand concepts easily because of weak mental imaging. Working with IdeaChain provides an effective comprehension strategy which does not repeat what an individual has done in school. Top

Do you send out sample lessons?
IdeaChain's process is a step by step process that cannot be explained by looking at one piece of the program. That is why MindPrime does not send out sample IdeaChain lessons. However, we do offer a money back guarantee so you can have the entire program in hand to review in your own home or school. That way an informed decision can be made by looking at the entire program. If the program does not fit your needs, send it back for a prompt refund. Top