PACE develops the underlying processing skills that are critical to learning. This includes auditory and visual processing, attention, processing speed, phonemic awareness, logic and reasoning, and memory. We do this one-on-one with your child through fun and intensive activities. It's all about helping your child become a better learner, one skill at a time.    

We find PACE to be beneficial for students of all ages with learning disabilities, as well as with students who want to be more efficient, get better grades, and more. PACE is a GREAT way to make maximum impact on a large number of critical learning skills in a short period.

PACE is fun, well-planned, and has everything your child needs in one organized system. Students and families love the success rate!

PACE works on the underlying processing skills that are critical to efficient learning. We often use PACE to lay the foundation for Master the Code, our reading and spelling program. Master the Code develops phonemic awareness, visual awareness for words, and an understanding of the phonetic code of the language.

We have found PACE and Master the Code to be exceptionally helpful in overcoming many of the issues struggling students face. 

Together, these programs combine elements from the best research available to deliver an easy-to-use and extremely effective package.  

In 1985 an informal symposium was held in Appleton, Wisconsin, that has changed the way we look at learning difficulties.

Specialists in special education, clinical and cognitive psychology, occupational therapy, central auditory processing disorders, visual processing, learning disabilities and memory research from a number of universities and professional clinics met to ask and answer one question:

"How can we best help individuals experiencing learning difficulties so that they can learn easier and faster?"   

Led by Dr. Ken Gibson, a specialist in pediatric visual processing, and his brother, Keith Gibson, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, the symposium reviewed the existing research on brain and memory function, visual processing, and learning theory.   

For over 15 years, the two brothers had been gathering clinical experience with both children and adults. They had observed that some patients seemed to attend better and recall important facts more easily when they were given short, but intense periods of training. They now asked the question,

"What kind of learning has the greatest impact in the shortest possible time?"   

The Gibson brothers developed a series of recall exercises, which rapidly improved concentration and memory abilities. Soon they were ready for the first test.

It was essential to assess each student thoroughly before and after the training to see how effective the procedures were. The initial results were outstanding.

Not only did the first 35 cases register almost three years' improvement in about three months, but also a year later, 98.7 percent of the test findings were at or above the post-program level.   

In the same manner as learning to ride a bicycle or play the piano, the ability had been reconfirmed by use and was an active part of their mental tool kit. In addition, the grade scores of the children confirmed that the training had translated into superior academic performance.

Once the fundamental principles had been established, the program underwent ten years of review and experimentation. Other educational, psychological, and medical specialists were brought in, and modifications were made as new research became available. It was soon discovered that students with attention problems (ADHD), dyslexia, memory deficits, and other learning disabilities were benefiting.

Unlike other specific learning disability programs that focus on behavior management or specific academic skills, PACE seemed to improve the brain’s processing ability. For the first time in educational history, a complete program had been developed that would do for mental abilities what exercise does for the body.

By 1995, all of the effective components were in place. The program was given the name "PACE," the acronym for Processing And Cognitive Enhancement.

It has rapidly become the leading cognitive training program in the USA. Over 700 professionals in more than 350 schools, clinics, hospitals, and training locations have participated in the development, testing, and clinical use of the PACE program to date. PACE continues to collect data from offices across the country and critically reviews the results to maintain quality control.

The purpose of the intense PACE program is to produce significant changes quickly so that the student sees the changes and stays motivated to learn. The program is now distributed worldwide, including in Knoxville, TN by licensed therapists and educators, and is available for both adults and children.