Who we are
What is The Alpha Learning Center?
The Alpha Learning Center has three components: Primarily, it is a diagnostic center which tests whether students have learning disabilities or are merely exhibiting symptoms of dyslexia (which includes varying degrees of memory and processing delays). Secondly, we offer one-on-one remediation in reading and math, assisting all students who are at risk or struggling to maintain minimum grade level standards. And thirdly, we seek to increase public awareness of learning challenges and how the brain functions. This is accomplished through conferences and parent meetings, and speaking at the Associated Christian Schools International. When parents and teachers are informed of causes and remediation for learning challenges, they can work together effectively as a team to help the students.
The Objective
The Alpha Learning Center is committed to be the best resource of the most effective educational remediation practices with a special emphasis on helping the non-reader achieve his or her full potential.
The Vision
Our vision is to collaborate with families and schools to begin immediate intervention while simultaneously seeking grants and foundation funding in order to meet the greater need of our community thereby removing the financial burden from families and schools.
The Staff
All psycho-educational testing, remediation and training provided by the Alpha Learning Center Program is by accomplished Marianne Cintron.
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The Founder
The Founder of Alpha Learning Center
Founder, Marianne Cintron, has been an educator for ten years. She and her family are returning residents to Glendora after residing in San Dimas for five years. She has been married for 18 years to Willy, while Richie and Laura both attend Glendora High School.
Ms. Cintron began her educational career subbing for the Charter Oak Unified School District and has taught in four local school districts, including Glendora in 2001. She has earned two credentials and two Masters: in Special Education and Multiple-Subject. She began her private practice four years ago as an Educational Therapist. During this time, she was an adjunct professor for Azusa Pacific University while directing the remedial program at Foothill Christian School. This past year she has taken a break serving as a Supplemental Educational Service (SES) Provider, in order to return to school, complete her research, and connect with the local community businesses. She will resume as a SES provider in September and is currently looking for 20 teachers and college students for her program to serve 300 up to students in Pomona and Azusa.
Ms. Cintron has been passionate about helping the students with “specific learning disabilities” typically those with higher intelligence and classified as the dyslexic population (which comprise 15-20% of our population). Her research with APU supports her Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, which is about a specific reading program that teaches students to read by changing the brain. She loves to share how “Reading from Scratch” sends music to the right hemisphere of the brain while phonics is sent to the left hemisphere, which bypasses the corpus callosum (a lazy referee in dyslexic students). This scientifically based method of learning is called “Enhanced Lateralization” and was researched 20 years ago on adults in Massachusetts. It really works! Adults and students using “Reading from Scratch” are making 3-5 year gains in 1-2 years.
Ms. Cintron recently presented “Reading from Scratch” at the Hawaiian International Conference on Education and plans to present again in October for the International Dyslexia Association and Association of Educational Therapists. She is learning how to write grants which will allow her to offer this intervention at no expense to schools or families. She is interested in speaking at schools, to parents, and to philanthropic organizations to inform them of this great program. In October, she will be conducting her research in the Charter Oak Unified School District, giving back where she began her educational career.
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The Method Used
We use a scientifically proven reading program entitled Reading from Scratch, which isolates auditory input to the brain in order to help non-readers retrain the reading side of the brain, which is the left side. By sending music through an earphone to the right side of the brain and phonics through a separate earphone to the left side of the brain, students are literally retraining the left side of the brain to read. Students with average or above average intelligence will benefit from this dichotic method while others may use the phonics-based program without the music component. |
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| "I would like to thank you for all your support, enthusiasm and patience with my son ____. First, I would like to tell you that your teachings were very helpful to my son in his reading, writing and comprehension. We have noticed such a radical change. Previously, he had bad grades on his writing tests and now his grades have improved incredibly. Above all, we have noticed a change in his writing skills, reading and his interest in school." read more |
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