Ascend Program
We believe that when students gain an understanding of how they learn, they become empowered to advocate for their learning needs.
The Ascend Program at IMS was designed to support students with dyslexia and other diagnosed language-based learning differences. This program focuses on a multi-sensory, sequential, and cumulative approach to building language proficiency. Ascend tutorials and/or small group instruction is diagnostic, prescriptive, and tailored to the individual profile of each child. In addition to remediating language weaknesses, careful attention is given to identifying and supporting the unique strengths of our students.
Ascend on the Lower Campus
Available to Students in Grades 1–4
Focused small group instruction is provided 5 days per week for 45-minute sessions with teachers who are trained in Orton-Gillingham, a multisensory approach to teaching. In addition to their Ascend time, students will continue to receive supportive, focused, small group instruction for literacy in their regular classrooms and during designated literacy times. Our Ascend faculty will also provide support in the context of the grade-level classrooms. For a closer look at the Ascend program on the Lower Campus, click here.
Ascend on the Upper Campus
Available to Students in Grades 5–8
The Ascend Program is delivered in a school-within-a-school model. Students are placed in small group “pods” with no more than a 6:1 student-teacher ratio for instruction in language arts and social studies. Instruction includes content area academics, executive function coaching, metacognition, and learner independence. Instructors who are trained in Orton-Gillingham will deliver the language-learning program. This program is multisensory and designed to strengthen students’ reading and writing skills.
Other Courses: Some students will take traditional science courses with teacher support and classroom accommodations. Other students, when necessary, will have science classes in smaller instructional groups with an Ascend teacher. Students’ math and language placements will be individually based. At times, a multisensory math program will be the appropriate placement. Some students may be placed into Global Languages; other students will take a course in Language Acquisition and Development (LAD).
If you would like to learn more about the Ascend program, contact our Admissions Office today.