Purchasing:
Do you accept returns?
Unopened and unmarked merchandise may be returned to NRSI within 30 days. All returns must have a Return Authorization Number (to be obtained from one of our customer service reps). A-V equipment must be shipped directly to manufacturer for replacement or repair.
Can I buy online?
Yes. We now have key products available for purchase online. By January 2006 we expect to have many more of our products for sale online. To purchase online you need a MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card.
How much is shipping? How long does it take?
Shipping and Handling charges are:
$Up to $70 - $5.95
$71 - $599 - 9%
$600-$999 - 8%
$1000 & up - 7%
We usually ship within 1-2 days of receiving an order. Orders are shipped via UPS/surface unless otherwise requested. How quickly the order is received depends on the order destination. For faster delivery, an additional charge is required. Please call customer service for the charge.
Orders for Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada
Please add 15% S&H
($9 minimum)
Other countries add 25% ($15 minimum)
Add $1.00 for home deliveries |
Colored Overlays:
Why do Colored Overlays help some of those diagnosed as dyslexic?
Researchers are not sure. A 1991 research study headed by Dr. Margaret Livingstone, a Harvard neuroscientist, suggests that improper timing in the visual system's circuits could be a factor in dyslexia. That means that dyslexia is not uniquely a language problem. There are two major visual pathways. One carries out fast processes such as motion, stereoscopic vision, depth perception, low contrast and locating objects in space. The other specializes in color, detailed forms, high contrast and stationary images. Dr. Livingstone found that symptoms of dyslexia are evident in subjects whose two pathways function at different rates. Colored overlays seem to help synchronize the two visual pathways in some subjects. Research is ongoing.
Why are NRSIÒ Colored Overlays better than others?
NRSIÒ Colored Overlays consist of 24 different colors and intensities tested in actual classrooms with excellent results. We have both light and dark hues that do not scratch off, with an emphasis on high clarity. The unique CrystalClearÒ matte finish is manufactured to our specifications. All our overlay products come with screening instructions. Videos of real subjects and results are available.
How do I choose the right overlay color?
The best way is to purchase our 24-color Assessment Kit and test each youngster with them. To find out how, purchase either of Dorothy Henson-Parker's training videos now available in our catalog (Call us at 1-800-331-3117 to request your catalog). To view a portion of the video of Dorothy's procedure click here.
Can I buy individual colors?
Yes. After screening a child and identifying the color or colors that help, you can purchase individual colors. They cost $19.95 for a set of four large sheets (8-1/2" x 11") plus $5.95 for shipping and handling. ($6.95 for shipping to a residence.)
Power Reading:
Which Power Pak do I start with?
Start with a Power Pak slightly above the reading level of your targeted students. The program works best when you challenge your students. Learn More.
How do I use a Power Pak?
Use the stories with individual students or groups. Students follow along and listen to the stories two or three times, and then read back to a volunteer, teacher, or peer. Next, they do the follow-up activities (questions, writing activities, and games). For best results, use the program three to four times weekly for about 30 minutes each day.
I love the Power Paks, but I really would like to use them as a whole class activity.
How could I do that and still meet individual student needs?
After an initial time of your modeling, teaching, and practicing with the Power Paks on the overhead and through shared reading, begin to divide your class into four groups:
a. For those reading well below grade level (2+ years), put them on individual headsets listening to stories they have chosen from the Power Pak. Be sure to follow up with the comprehension questions, the game, and a readback.
b. For those reading just below grade level (1 year), put 2-4 students together on a listening center. Allow the group to choose the story, but make sure they do the comprehension questions/activity and the readback individually.
c. For those reading on grade level, put them in paired reading. Again, allow the pair to choose their own story from the Power Pak, but have them do the comprehension questions on their own. They would not need to use the audio.
d. For those reading above grade level, choose a Power Pak for their appropriate level and allow them to read the story and do the comprehension questions and the game on their own. They would not need to use the audio.
More information on Power Reading.
Carbo Recordings:
What is the Carbo Recorded-BookÒ Method?
Dr. Marie Carbo pioneered a technique over 25 years ago to audio-record written text in a way that teaches students how to read and improve reading comprehension. There have been many imitators since. Learn More.
How do Dr. Carbo's recordings help students?
Dr. Carbo's recording method incorporates known theories about how the brain learns and about the reading process. It is supported by years of research. Dr. Carbo models the phrasing and proper expression of the text to convey meaning. The student listens and follows cues, while looking at the printed text.
What makes Carbo Recorded Books and Power Paks different from other commercial
recordings?
Commercial recordings are made at a normal speaking pace, and are similar to reading a story to a child. Carbo recorded materials are designed to help students learn to read. The story is read at a slow pace, with particular emphasis on phrasing. This technique helps to synchronize the spoken and written word as the youngster follows along.
I am the parent of a child who's struggling with reading. What can I do at home to help him catch up?
Are Carbo recordings in your child's classroom? If so, the teacher may allow him or her to bring stories and tapes home to practice. If another program is being used at school, you may want to purchase a Power Pak or a recorded book slightly above your child's reading level. If he rubs his eyes and reads haltingly, try a set of our colored overlays. Good luck to you. He's a lucky young man to have such a concerned parent.
Reading Styles:
What are Reading Styles?
Reading Styles are a student's combined modality strengths and personal preferences as they apply to reading. Dr. Marie Carbo originated the concept of Reading Styles more than 25 years ago. Reading Styles are based on the learning style model of Rita and Kenneth Dunn.
Why is it important to know a student's Reading Style?
When a teacher knows a student's reading style, he or she can choose the reading strategies that will produce the best and fastest progress in all areas related to reading competence.
How can we know a student's Reading Style?
Dr. Marie Carbo developed a questionnaire that identifies an individual's Reading Style. That questionnaire is called the Reading Style Inventory or RSI.
<< back _________________________________________________
Reading Style Inventory:
What is the RSI?
The RSI identifies a student's learning style for reading. The RSI is an online questionnaire. The student answers the RSI questionnaire on a computer. The teacher scores the answers on computers in secoinds, and views or prints the RSI profiles for each student. The teacher can then implement the recommended reading methods and strategies. Learn more.
Do the RSI licenses expire?
No they do not.
<< back _________________________________________________
Staff Development:
I have attended a Carbo Reading Styles one-day seminar. What else will I learn through on-site training?
The topics in the seminar are similar to those in the Basic Phase 1 training. The on-site training is two days instead of one, which allows the trainer and the participants to explore the topics at a deeper level. In addition, the group size is generally smaller with on-site training, so it is a more interactive experience, and it serves as the basis for advanced training.
My district has mandated a basal reader. I know many of my students are falling through the cracks. Can the Carbo Reading Styles Program coexist with other reading programs?
Absolutely! The Carbo Reading Styles Program can be used as a primary or supplemental program. It's particularly effective with struggling students and can be used with small groups at listening centers. Power Pak stories are short. Reading and understanding the recorded story and answering the questions afterward can help a frustrated student experience success. The accompanying game and writing activities help to reinforce the information in the stories for the students, especially those who are tactile or kinesthetic.
I have relocated from another state. My last school had training in Carbo Reading Styles, and I know it works! My school does not have the budget for another school-wide reading program, but I know my students would benefit from the Carbo Program. What do I need to get started to set up my third grade classroom up as a pilot program?
You can get started with just a couple of Power Paks and some individual CD players or tape players and a listening center, which your school might already have. Use the Reading Style Inventory with your most challenging students to see if there are strategies you haven't tried with them. Purchase a basic set of colored overlays to help the students who might be suffering from visual distortions, and you're on your way! If you have a colleague who might want to be on board with you, see if he/she can attend a one-day seminar in your area. Otherwise, a copy of What Every Principal Should Know About Teaching Reading is a good foundation.
My school has had Basic Phase 1 and 2 training. What is "Technical Assistance" and how will it help us?
We offer several kinds of Technical Assistance. One type might be meeting with teachers on a particular grade level to address specific concerns. The more popular type of Technical Assistance is to have the trainer demonstrate strategies in classrooms, observe teachers in class, model techniques with the students, and prepare a report on the strengths and weaknesses of your program. Technical assistance can fine-tune a program and/or correct misconceptions.
I've heard the term "Reading Lab." What exactly is it?
A Reading Lab is a pull-out program for students who need reinforcement of their reading skills. A Carbo Reading Lab utilizes a number of hands-on activities and other strategies that are particularly effective with certain kinds of learners. Our Power Paks are short, high-interest stories that kids really enjoy. The recorded materials help students make great gains quickly. Our Reading Labs are places that excite and engage students and enable them to improve quickly.
How does Dr. Carbo feel about phonics?
Marie Carbo is pro-phonics. She is "pro" all reading methods. Dr. Carbo is against the overuse of any reading method that does not make learning to read easy and fun for a child. Often children with auditory processing problems have difficulty with phonics but can learn to read easily with other methods. In that case, Dr. Carbo would recommend less use of phonics for those children and greater use of the more effective reading methods.
The myth that Dr. Carbo is anti-phonics began when a major article of hers was published, in which Dr. Carbo analyzed the reporting procedures of Jeanne Chall in Learning to Read: The Great Debate. Dr. Carbo found that Dr. Chall made errors that favored a pro-phonics finding. Please see: "Debunking the Great Phonics Myth," by Marie Carbo, Phi Delta Kappan, 1988.
Note: The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) listed Dr. Carbo's research analysis of Jeanne Chall's work in an ASCD Infobrief, as one of the most important events in reading instruction in the past 150 years.
<< back _________________________________________________
Grants:
We are a school in the middle. We don't qualify for state aid or many grant programs because our students are middle class and average in their reading scores. Where can we look for grant funding?
We have heard from so many schools with your plight that we've put together some grants to help you. Please contact us at 1-800-331-3117, ext. 125. We'll be happy to assist you!
<< back _________________________________________________
