Real Help for Reading & Spelling Struggles

Master the Code (MTC) is the effective, results-focused reading and spelling program we use to help boost students' abilities in the following areas:

Memory ⁠— the ability to remember the sound-symbol relationship

Segmenting ⁠— the ability to separate or unglue sounds

Blending ⁠— the ability to put together sounds to form words

Auditory analysis ⁠— the ability to manipulate or analyze small changes in groups of sounds

Processing Speed and Working Memory ⁠— the ability to retain incoming information and properly process it quickly

Attention ⁠— the ability to stay on the given task

Visualization ⁠— the ability to create and use mental images

MTC was developed by PACE, the cognitive skills training program we use, and the world's leading cognitive training company.

MTC was developed with the understanding that many students don't have the underlying skills needed to learn to read quickly and efficiently. Even if a spelling teacher or reading tutor is teaching your child completely and sequentially, any of the following difficulties will prevent your child from completing lessons with proper speed and retention:

A severe auditory processing deficiency
Not concentrating adequately
Working too slowly
Poor memory skills
Inability to create good mental images

MTC is designed to strengthen these problem areas and more. We have found that with the necessary skills in place, students learn rapidly. This is why MTC is only available to those students who have undergone the PACE program. MTC continues to use cognitive development activities similar to PACE to continue growth in foundational learning skills. Students learn and learn how to learn at the same time!

We use MTC to evaluate, pinpoint, and develop-to-advanced-levels the underlying mental skills required for fast and efficient learning-to-read skills. Current scientific research shows that MTC develops the underlying skills that are necessary to read proficiently.

A Deeper Look at MTC for Reading and Spelling

To learn our alphabet code, your child must master different levels of complex logic in sequential steps. Many children do this naturally, but sometimes students need help.

This is where MTC comes in. To start, we use MTC to help your child blend, segment and analyze sound. We use nonsense words for this exercise, so your child doesn't rely on their memory of words they already know.

We practice segmenting words into isolated phonemes and blending isolated sounds into words. We also help your child encode (spelling), decode (reading), and write to ensure they clearly understand the code's reversibility.

This may sound complex and difficult, but the program is designed to engage students. Many of our learners don't even realize they're developing complex skills!

What Does MTC Cover?

Sensory Instruction - Sometimes, our students struggle to pronounce and differentiate between sounds in our English language. If this is the case for your child, we can provide sensory instruction about how their mouth, jaw, teeth, tongue, lips, and vocal cords interact to form individual sounds. We have found this to be beneficial for some of our students.

Spelling - After your child learns the most likely spelling for each sound, we introduce alternative and less likely spellings. For example, the /n/ sound can be represented by an 'n' (note), 'kn' (knot) or 'gn' (gnat). We teach alternative spellings from most likely to least likely.

Alternate Spellings - To help your child learn to choose the most likely spelling for a word, we use drills and practice. The methods we use are designed to help your child store letter patterns and their probability in long-term memory. No more random guesses!

Sounds that Overlap - We also use MTC to teach your child about overlaps of the code. Overlaps are letters or letter combinations representing more than one sound. For example, the letter 'u' can indicate a number of different sounds, like "cut," "full," "cute," and "ruin."

Overlaps often create problems for readers. As we introduce new vowel spellings, we use multiple exercises to teach your child how letters can overlap to create a number of sounds.

We have found that the MTC method of handling 1) alternative spellings and 2) code overlap without 3) memorizing rules, can reduce "sight words" by about 75%!

Reading and Spelling Skills Become Automatic

MTC is designed to help English reading skills become automatic for students used to passive reading lessons they forget easily. MTC is equally beneficial for older readers with underdeveloped reading habits who tend to fall back into old, ineffective reading patterns.

What is Included in MTC?

When you or your child enroll in MTC, you will receive a kit with CDs to boost reading and spelling skills. We use the following training methods to give your child the best chance possible at tremendous reading and spelling improvements:

Immediate Feedback (one-on-one training allows for immediate correction of errors and encouragement of correct responses)

Concentration (the training drills require full attention which brings faster results because of less time off task)

Sequencing (an introduction of tasks and information from simple to complex in small enough steps so that new material can be mastered quickly and easily)

Stretching (constantly pushing activities to more demanding levels that challenge or stretch the student skills to improve)

Loading (adding a task upon a task concurrently thus forcing automation and mastery of skills to a subconscious level)

Using these techniques and aligning the sequence of reading and spelling instruction with the logic of our alphabetic system, can result in rapid reading and spelling mastery and automation.

Is MTC an Effective Reading and Spelling Program?

MTC has helped thousands of students become exceptional readers and spellers.

While you or your child may or may not achieve the same results, MTC achieves 2-3 times the improvement of other reading programs. MTC is based on the latest scientific research and is one of the top-performing reading and spelling programs in the U.S.