Local Learning Centre’s Work Goes Global

Press Release Sept. 17:  Maloney Method program featured at Copenhagen Social Research Conference

The Maloney Method teaching system was featured this month at a major European social research conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Dr. Robert Flynn of U of Ottawa presented a study on the effects of training foster parents to tutor foster children in reading and math. The collaborative research study involved the University of Ottawa, the Maloney Method and nine Children’s Aid Societies across the province of Ontario, The study showed significant improvement in both subjects over a one year period.

The research addresses the issue of academic achievement of foster children who often lag behind other students of the same age and grade level. The University of Ottawa study clearly demonstrates that with training and a structured system, foster parents can enhance the academic skills of the children in their care. Maloney Method was chosen as a research partner because of its highly successful results with a well structured program that parents could implement.

Michael Maloney has been providing teaching programs to students in many parts of the world for the past 35 years. The Maloney Method system of programs has won several major awards for teaching, educational software and published books on literacy.

“We are always thrilled to see our work promoted at major conferences by established research scholars and major universities.” Maloney notes. “Anything that enhances our credibility to provide solutions for struggling students is a great boost to our work”

Michael Maloney, founder of the centre and co-author of more than 30 books on literacy, is also involved in his local community as a Rotarian. His Rotary literacy committee spearheaded the Each One –Teach One project for disadvantaged children in conjunction with the Belleville YMCA and The Core Centre.

The Each One – Teach One literacy program has helped as many as 25 students per year for each of the past 5 years using volunteer tutors. Many of the tutors are senior high school students who require 40 hours of community service as part of their studies. “The great news is that our program is so easy to use that these students can consistently have success with students at risk of school failure”, says Maloney. “It really is a situation in which everyone wins.”

Rotarians are expected to support local and international literacy initiatives. The local Belleville Rotary club is currently supporting two major literacy programs; one in the city and another in the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The Maloney Method program is now involved in a follow-up study with the University of Ottawa and the CAS to replicate the results of the original research.