The Arrowsmith programme was established in Canada by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young over 40 years ago. It has been available in Aotearoa New Zealand for eight years.
It is a programme that works on the brain’s ability to change – that is the brain’s neuroplasticity. So if a person wants to strengthen their cognitive speed and capacity or has a learning difficulty, they can be assessed and a programme developed that is designed to meet their specific needs.
To begin with, only children could enrol in this country, and at just three schools, one each in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Christchurch school has now closed, but for the last three years a private school in Auckland, A1 Student School, has offered the programme for both children and adults.
Then in 2020, in response to Covid-19, Arrowsmith made the programme available online throughout the world.
“This has opened up opportunity for people of all ages, whether they are a school-aged student or working adult,” says Pip Block, Principal of A1 Student. “You can now register online at www.a1student.com. The course comprises a daily call with a trained Arrowsmith teacher, 30–40 minutes call each day of the week. It is like having a private tutor every day. We work around the lifestyle of each adult. In addition, the student can work online by themselves and do extra exercises.
“The programme for adults addresses issues that people have had their whole life. At work it might be note taking, data input, reading, writing, numbers, remembering instructions. We have seen people involved in sport improve their performance as they are able to read the game and process information faster. It can be issues like not having emotional intelligence which can lead to people giving inappropriate responses. It may be dyslexia, or auditory memory challenges. For example, one woman who was forced to suspend her programme for a few months re-joined and was amazed – she found she could remember what she had learned. In the past she said, she would have forgotten everything she had learned and would have had to start at the beginning again. Research has shown there is no drop-off even years later; the changes in the brain pathways become permanent.
“It’s not a silver bullet, though. It takes a lot of commitment, and it can be a long, challenging process. Commitment and engagement are critical to success in the programme.
“The programme is able to strengthen areas of the brain that cause dyslexia and change the way people operate in literacy; it strengthens learning capabilities.”
A1 Student School requires a minimum commitment of a year to allow neuroplasticity to occur. Signs of improvement will often be noticed well before this time. The fees start from $6900+gst, depending on the number of exercises in which the student engages. Not all students require a full Arrowsmith Cognitive Assessment or an Educational Psychology assessment prior to enrolment.
There’s a push for the programme to get some government funding so that those less able to afford it can see if it works for them.
We talked with one of A1 School’s adult students, Nicole, who has been doing the programme this year. She had read Barbara Arrowsmith-Young’s book, The Woman Who Changed Her Brain. Her son has difficulty with memory and processing information and Nicole has similar but fewer challenges. So she decided to try the programme for herself.
“I have a problem with processing information quickly and I would also like to improve my visual comprehension. I have thoroughly enjoyed doing the programme. My tutor has been very helpful and patient and I like being able to work at my own speed. You set yourself tasks that you think are impossible – then down the line you find they are not impossible. So it is good for your confidence. I am now noticing slight changes in my brain. It is sharper and I can retain more information. The programme teaches you how to separate things out so that you can remember them. I do think my son would benefit from the programme.”
Pip says that students must meet specific criteria in order to be accepted into the school. “We take a case-by-case approach as not one person is like another. We offer a free 15 minute call to discuss the student’s needs.”