Stern Center for Language and Learning - Vermont - Because all great minds don't think alike!

The Stern Center for Language and Learning is dedicated to literacy for all children and adults. Many people who struggle with reading, writing and mathematics do not learn the same way as those who easily achieve literacy. They may be challenged by learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, by attention deficit disorders, or by differences in the way they learn best.

Our educational experts promote success in learning by helping children and adults reach their full potential. With facilities in Williston and White River Junction, Vermont, and on-site services in schools, we support students and teachers throughout the region.

Educational Evaluations

The Stern Center's diagnostic assessment reveals how an individual learns best and is essential in planning an instruction program for those who learn differently. The educational evaluation is based on a series of tests that assess intelligence, academic achievement, language, and emotional and behavioral issues related to learning. Stern Center evaluations include a pre- and post-evaluation conference with parents and/or students. We also provide an extensive written report detailing test results and recommendations for instruction. In particularly complex cases, test results may be reviewed by a Stern Center evaluation team. Evaluations involve assessment in one or more of the following areas:

• Cognitive Assessment measures both verbal and non-verbal learning ability and potential.
• Linguistic Assessment focuses on oral language abilities, including receptive (understanding) and expressive (usage) language.
• Academic Assessment examines achievement in academic skill areas, including reading (phonological processing, decoding, fluency, and comprehension), written language (including spelling), and math.
• Behavioral Assessment evaluates behavior within the context of the learning environment and is recommended when there is a question of how classroom behavior may be impacting school performance.
• Social Skills Assessment evaluates social abilities within the context of home and school. This assessment usually requires an observation at school.
• Psychological Assessment evaluates emotional and social behavior and is recommended when there is a question of whether attention, self-esteem, anxiety and/or impulse control (i.e., attention issues may be affecting learning or quality of life).
• Neuropsychological Assessment evaluates learning and social behavior and links them to specific brain function – this type of evaluation is recommended when there is a history of neurological difficulty or head injury.

If you have questions, or would like to schedule an evaluation, please contact Greta at 800/544-4863 or 802/878-2332.

Instruction

We offer individualized instruction in all academic areas. Instruction builds upon learning strengths and helps students compensate for areas of difficulty. The Stern Center is dedicated to helping all students reach their academic potential, whether they are experiencing great difficulty mastering basic literacy competencies or they simply wish to refine a particular skill.

Our clinical teachers work one-on-one with students during one-hour sessions once or twice each week. They plan each session to develop the student's academic skills. During one session, a student may spend the hour completing an activity designed to build a specific reading skill, practicing that skill by reading aloud from a literature book, and writing to develop language skills. During another session he or she may learn strategies for solving math word problems.

Individualized Instruction is available in the following areas:
• Learning to Read
• Reading Fluency
• Reading for Meaning
• Writing Mechanics and Grammar
• Math Operations
• Math Problem Solving
• Study and Test Taking Skills
• Enrichment Projects for Gifted Learners

Small Group Instruction is also offered in the following areas
(at our Williston facility only):
• Social Skills
• Study Smarts: Study Skills and Test-taking Strategies

The individualized instructional sessions include a parent conference, pre- and post-instructional inventory and written report.

If you have questions, or would like to schedule instruction, please contact the instructional scheduler at 800/544-4863 or 802/878-2332.

Diagnostic Teaching
For students with a complex learning profile, diagnostic teaching extends the evaluation process to include informal evaluation and short-term instruction. During diagnostic teaching, an evaluator spends one or more sessions working individually with the student to supplement information gained from formal testing.
Information is gathered through:

•Teacher-student interaction
•Analysis of responses to a variety of teaching strategies and materials
•Nonstandardized test measures

If you have questions, or would like to schedule diagnostic teaching, please contact the diagostic intake scheduler at 800/544-4863 or 802/878-2332.

School Consultation
Stern Center staff frequently serve as consultants and work collaboratively with school personnel as they develop educational programs for particularly perplexing students. School consultation may include one or more of the following:
•Observation
•Observing within the classroom, resource room or throughout the school setting
•Demonstration Teaching
•Modeling a specific teaching strategy or sequence with appropriate materials
•Informal Assessment
•Using non-standardized tests to help in educational program design
•Prescriptive Program Designs
•Designing curriculum for specific skill areas such as phonological awareness, structured language, reading comprehension, written expression, study skills, math
•Individual Education Program (IEP) Development
•Using evaluation data to assist in developing IEPs suitable for students with unique learning profiles, incorporating appropriate teaching strategies, and designing creative service delivery models
•Record Review
•Reviewing a student's cumulative assessment file in order to make educational recommendations
•Data Analysis and Curriculum Planning
•Analyzing test results within a student’s cumulative file in order to develop an •instructional program
•Telephone Conferences
•Participation in Mediation and Due Process Procedures

If you have questions, or would like to schedule a school consultation, please contact Dana at 800/544-4863 or 802/878-2332.

Each year, the Stern Center provides educational services to over 900 children and adults. We are pleased to share a few of our many success stories.

Do you have a success story you would like to share with us?
Please e-mail us at learning@sterncenter.org.

Stern Center Scholarship Program

The Stern Center offers scholarship support for our evaluation, instruction, consultation and counseling services for children and adults.

"It is with pleasure that I write to describe my daughter's experience at the Stern Center. Emily made vast improvement in spelling and written expression. . . it is hard to separate the importance of the academic achievement from the importance of what that achievement has done for Emily's self-esteem. Her self-esteem went through the roof!"
- mother of Emily, age 15, Stern Center scholarship recipient

I want to thank you for letting me come to the Stern Center.
I think my Stern Center teacher is the best to learn things with because she makes it fun to learn.
- Jamie, grade 7 - 2001 Stern Center scholarship recipient

How can I apply for a scholarship for Stern Center services?

To apply for a scholarship, please print this form and return it to:

Scholarship Committee
Stern Center for Language and Learning
135 Allen Brook Lane
Williston, VT 05495

You can also request that an application be mailed to you by contacting us at 800/544-4863 or learning@sterncenter.org. We would be happy to help you complete the application, either at the Stern Center or over the telephone.

As a nonprofit community resource, the Stern Center is committed to serving individuals from all income levels: our goal is to make financial support for our programs available to all those in need.

Has the Stern Center's scholarship program grown
over the years?

Scholarships for Stern Center students have increased from $6,700 in FY89 to $130,000 in FY06

During FY06, 130 of our students received $130,000 in scholarships
100% of all scholarship support goes directly to students
Range of scholarships: $100 to $4,000

Q. Why the Stern Center for Language and Learning?

ANSWER: Because all great minds don’t think alike.The Stern Center for Language and Learning exists because there is a need. A need for literacy - for all children and adults. But we do not all learn the same way. Some of us are challenged by learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, by attention deficit disorders, or by differences in the way we learn best. The Stern Center is dedicated to helping identify learning differences and challenges...to finding solutions that allow all great minds to learn.

ANSWER: The Stern Center is a nonprofit literacy resource dedicated to enriching the lives of learners.The Stern Center’s nationally recognized team of experts promotes success in learning by helping children and adults reach their full potential. Founded in 1983 by Dr. Blanche Podhajski through the generosity of the Bernice and Milton Stern Foundation, the Stern Center staff includes more than twenty-five talented professionals. We provide educational assessments and instruction for individuals, professional development for educators and research on new approaches to learning and literacy. So successful is our quality approach to learning that our programs are being replicated across the country.The Stern Center is sustained by the growing generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations.

Q. Where are we?

ANSWER: Our primary facility is in Williston, Vermont, with a satellite office in White River Junction

Q. What do we do?

ANSWER: Through our direct services, professional development opportunities and research programs, we evaluate and teach over 800 students annually in all areas of learning, including: reading, writing, spelling, math, and study skills.

Instruct and design programs for over 2,000 educators each year to share information about different kinds of learners and teaching strategies most successful for them.

Conduct research about how people learn - and effective ways to teach them.

Promote partnerships among parents, educators and medical professionals to ensure learning success for students.

Offer a growing number of scholarships for our services.

Develop educational products to promote successful learning.
Serve as a local and national resource for literacy.

ANSWER: The Stern Center is not a United Way Agency, and we do not receive state or federal funding. Thanks to the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations, we provide literacy services as well as professional development to education professionals. Support for Stern Center programs helps keep the cost of our services down and provides for a scholarship program for families who would be unable to receive these vital services without your help.