A home grown online remedial reading programme has been launched in South Africa. The Virtual Reading Gym (VRG) is different from a lot of remedial reading tools out there.
The Virtual Reading Gym was developed for the delayed reader of any age, who can cope with a basic grade 2 text. Readers are not born with ready-made reading circuitry in the brain – this needs to be developed through a great deal of practice, and encouragement. For many this process is painless, but for others, it is fraught with struggles. Delayed reading can result in a wobbly academic self-esteem and a lack of confidence around learning.
The VRG treats errors as treasures, because the programme is tailored to the area of need, and the reader gets rewarded for choosing to work on their errors. Readers work with a more experienced reader/mentor who is able to create a supportive environment to practice targeted reading skills. The reading partner can be a parent, peer, mentor or therapist. The mentor is also supported through video demonstrations of every part of this reading tool.
“VRG’s major aim is to develop academic self-esteem. The developers of VRG understand that diversity is reality. One size does not fit all. Each reader starts at their own level and works on their own targets and at their own pace. Reading improvement is not a race.
To ‘wire-up’ a reading brain it takes practice and patience. VRG is dedicated to the thousands of delayed readers who helped to conceptualise this intervention. We encourage delayed readers to improve their reading skills,” says Elizabeth Nadler-Nir, inventor of VRG.
To find out more about VRG and how to sign up, go to the website