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#85886 02/15/17 03:35 PM
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I got a seminar on Photoreading coming up. I'm told there is a welcome pack of goodies but it doesn't say what is in that welcome pack? Anyone have any ideas?

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The pack has what you'll need for the seminar. All you need to bring is a book you'd like to read and a pen (if you have a favourite) there is usually writing tools.

Alex

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What is included in the pack? There seems to be a lot of secrecy and its a little off putting. One place I inquired about told me over the telephone some things, and then another place told me something completely opposite. Do different places give different packs out? I am really starting to worry that this is sounding more and more like a scam!

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Not a secret, the specifics are up to the instructor what they add, what language you're doing the seminar in. You'll receive quite a few handouts and produce a few worksheet to take home so most instructors will include something to store it in.

You'll receive what you need to do the course. What we need you to have, to successfully complete the seminar. We don't have to rely on half the students not having what they need in order to participate in the seminar.

Not everything is handed to the students at the very beginning of the seminar by most instructors. The kit may include more or less of the stuff that will be handed as the days progress. Since students take the kits home first night and promptly forget to bring it back for the following days. Most of it won't be in the kid the first night.

Alex

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Okay - I find that really concerning. It means that near enough each and every PR seminar is going to be different and the materials can be different too. If the kits were identical that would ensure consistency both in the teaching and learning parts - but if you get one set of things one place, and another set of things another - then that has to have a huge impact on the training provided.

Whilst I am trying to keep an open mind, I also think that when I take the seminar, if it doesn't live up to what it promises - I will be writing about it for others to read because its really unsettling.

With trainings that I've done previously, most times you all get the same materials - so there is next to no difference. Whilst I can understand/appreciate there is good reason not to divulge or give everything all at once on the get go - the fact that people are able to add different handouts and different worksheets means that there is no way that the teaching can or will be consistent.

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You get everything you need for the course. The material in other languages is translated. As said, some instructors hand out everything in the welcome pack. I do not. It's handed out during the course.

All the instructors listed on Learning Strategies website are certified instructor, teaching the course in the same format. Making sure we cover the same parts of the course. Some of the handouts are replaced for country more local product.

If you take a seminar with a certified instructor again, you bring the material you were provided with (save you purchasing the material again.)Also the handouts can be updated by Learning Strategies.

You will have reference material, exercises you've done and review material. It will be in the language that you happen to take the course in.

Alex

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So I went and did the first day, and struggled throughout the whole of the first day. It didn't work at all for me, and I kept asking questions to try and figure it out and in the end the instructor offered me a refund. I didn't do 2nd day, but based on my first day experience I can honestly say photoreading didn't work for me at all. Even down to doing a reading test, we had to use the photoreading book and the beginning particularly is written in such a format that isn't normal to what I usually read. When I told the instructor this - I was of course to blame. Everything was my fault, and not at all to do with the system. I photoread two books guided, and couldn't have any conscious recollection. It may have gone into my subconscious mind, but that is of little to no use to me. I am staying away from all of Learning Strategies stuff now. It is too woo woo for my liking and the fact that I was to blame for not photoreading is really just reflective of it not being a process suitable for everyone. Someone challenged the instructor, to read an 18 page report and the instructors response was that he wasn't there to prove photoreading works to anyone. I hear that it works but I saw little to no evidence of it during the first day and so that for me was an indicator that it is a bit of a scam. I have yet to see anything that proves - unless of course you refer to the product by Learning strategies which is an advanced dvd set costing some $200 plus dollars. If such schemes did actually work then there would be external validation for such processes and clearly there is not. As for my so called refund, well the instructor decided to wait till the 2nd day to tell me this, and asked me to leave quietly and that I would get a refund the next day. I told him that I had taken the cds home and listened to them that evening in the hope I might grasp something - and so sent it special delivery. Sadly there was no one there to accept the package, and they rearranged for delivery. Our postal service attempted to redeliver it again and there again was no one to sign for it - so I guess the refund is out the window. I'm taking legal advice now as I am not happy with the lack of service. I did everything in my power including attending the 1st day and turning up for 2nd day - but it just leaves a dirty taste in my mouth.

If someone is thinking of doing the photoreading system, please do your research and make sure its right for you. I did and everything about it was so vague, and it differs instructor to instructor. One class I was looking at which included photoreading did so along other methods. If photoreading was so reliable then other methods wouldn't be necessary.

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Quote:
we had to use the photoreading book and the beginning particularly is written in such a format that isn't normal to what I usually read


I'm not clear what you are trying to say here? You mean you don't normally read in the English language?

Quote:
photoread two books guided, and couldn't have any conscious recollection.


The instructor would have mentioned that PhotoReading is not a conscious process and is not satisfying to the conscious mind. It's one step of the system the rest of the steps teach you how to gain comprehension of what you need from the text. I'm surprised that wasn't clarified. PhotoReading is not reading in the traditional sense.


Alex


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