Feedback
The following is a sample of comments from Rapid English Teacher Training feedback sheets:
“A fantastic resource, especially with the National Curriculum connection. The layout is easy and students will have no trouble. The program is designed to enhance and encourage students’ self-esteem as well as ensure they make progress.”
“Excellent! Our students will love this as much as we did.”
“Thank you Norman for developing a great program! We promise to do it justice.”
“This is such a mature approach which encourages students to interact.”
“I especially liked the ethos of students and teachers working together and the work being driven by the students’ needs.”
“Brilliant! This will help me. We will have fun with this with young people.”
“What a super way to develop paragraphs!”
“This is a good way to analyse your own handwriting and an easy way to encourage young people to look at their own. It is very clear and easy to use.”
“The Power Reading system is fantastic! It is good for learning and speaking.”
“The Power Reading system is very helpful to find out how sentences should be broken down especially because I work with non-native speakers. I can now understand the difficulties they face with pronunciation.”
“All teachers should be exposed to the Rapid English method.”
“The Student Tracking System was very well presented. Teaching is based on assessment!”
“I like the fact that students can repeat exercises as often as they want to ensure they are clear about basics before moving on. This means students can go at their own pace.”
“I like the way there is a gradual process with making the stages more difficult rather than the students being intimidated by exercises too hard for them at the beginning.”
“The more I do, the more I want to continue. It is such a fantastic tool!”
“It is all so clear and easy to understand. The computer program was simple to use – even for me!”
“I found the Sound Grammar and Power Reading system great fun. There were clear results and clear progress. I enjoyed the hands-on approach.”
“Rapid English is a much more fun way to approach teaching and learning.”
“Felt that it has all come together. Loved this session. Can’t wait to use it.”
“Everything was clearly explained.”
“I can see this program gives success very quickly and I can see it being helpful for our pupils.”
“Very good. Well presented with plenty of opportunity to work through programs and try things out. P.S. Don’t often write this positively in feedback forms!”
The following is a sample of comments from Student Feedback sheets at Reading Youth Offending Service
ML, student:
“I thought it was going to be rubbish but it was not too bad. I will come back again.”
DS, student:
“I have noticed a big difference in my reading it is getting much easier. I am happy with how things are going. I think that I have done well today and that it is helping me.
“I am happy because I can read better and I am much more confident. My mum and my girlfriend have both noticed that I am reading more and a lot better. This makes me much prouder of myself and they are both prouder of me.”
AW, student:
“I feel better. My handwriting has already got better.”
DT, student:
“It was ok today. We practised the word list. In general it is going fine. I have learnt how to speak properly and read. My reading is loads better. Yes I do enjoy it. There are less people than a class room and it is easier to learn. You need bigger computer monitors. I read magazines and plans now.”
JS, student:
“I feel better with spelling and tenses. I have already started to use what I have learnt in essays at school. My handwriting is more controlled when I write.”
GP, student:
“I think it went fine and I think my reading is improving.
“I think it is going excellent. My reading and handwriting are much better. Today I did an exercise that taught me how to write in the past with the right spelling. It was jokes because it had a timer and I was getting good at it. I like coming here because I learn a lot and that makes me feel like I can do more. My home tutor has noticed the difference in my work and has now started reading Of Mice and Men with me, something I would not have been able to do before. I can also read text messages, read stories and write letters to my friends which I could not do before. I am getting better all the time and that makes me feel good. It makes me feel proud that I am doing well at something worthwhile. I like English more now than before.
“I can write well now.”
TH, student:
“I think it went well today. I'm seeing an improvement in my handwriting and sentences. I am enjoying coming to the lessons. I find it easier to concentrate here as there are less distractions. I think that the stuff we do here is better than at school and it is easier. The teachers although slightly dopey are nicer than at school and could be a lot worse.” (NB The main “slightly dopey” teacher was Norman!)
LH, student:
“I am definitely learning, the bits I have practised are easy, it feels like they are not even there as I don't have to think about them. It is only the new bits that I have to think about.”
MC, student:
"I thought the tenses were a load of rubbish when I first saw them on the wall, but now I know what they are for and I can do them".
CB, student:
“Now I can sit down and relax and I am getting much better at reading and writing.”
The following quotes from Rapid English Trainers and Students in Brighton are taken from the Evaluative Enquiry commissioned by Brighton & Hove City Council
“It has absolutely changed a lot of kids’ attitudes towards education. When they become more confident about their skills, they can become more confident about learning.”
Rapid English Trainer, Brighton
“One of the things I really like about the programme is that you can use it quite flexibly…you can tailor the level to the young person’s ability.”
Rapid English Trainer, Brighton
“It’s really easy to praise them for [their improvement], and you can see the effect that has on their confidence.”
Rapid English Trainer, Brighton
“It’s a straightforward programme and it’s easy to learn how to navigate around it. I think as a system it’s really easy to use.”
Rapid English Trainer, Brighton
“I always got positive feedback from the kids and I could see them getting into it. They get that instant feedback, which means as a trainer you see that fast improvement as well, which makes it instantly rewarding to deliver, and gives you that drive to want to deliver it well.”
Rapid English Trainer
“There is an element of pride in what they are printing out.”
Rapid English Trainer
“My skills have definitely improved. Like with my handwriting, that’s a lot better. And with reading. I’ve read two books now. I wouldn’t really read before, but now I know I can do it, I wouldn’t worry at all about reading now.”
Rapid English student
“I loved working on the computer. I just love computers!”
Rapid English Student
“You can see yourself getting better at something.”
Rapid English Student“
It’s like making learning into a game.”
Rapid English Student
And some more examples of feedback
Not only have I seen this system raise improvement but, perhaps even more importantly, I have seen it do much for a young person’s self-esteem and confidence to the point that they have WANTED to engage and work with me to continue to build on their current performance.”
Lyn Oualah, Teacher/Education Adviser, Reading Youth Offending Service, Berkshire.
“You have definitely tapped into something very special. I have worked with this student since year 8 and I can see the massive impact that Rapid English is having on his self-esteem, sense of achievement and his outlook for the future. So, on behalf of Highdown, thank you so very much for the work you are doing with him. We greatly appreciate it!!”
Polly Skates, now Head of Inclusion at Reading Girls School
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