The Children’s Literacy Alliance addresses the root of the problem behind poor academic performance: poor literacy skills. It does this with a program specifically designed to boost literacy rapidly.
While many blame poor performance on “poverty”, “absenteeism”, and “anxiety or depression,” these issues all stem from poor quality education to begin with.
All education rests upon a backbone of literacy.
How do we boost literacy?
We use a program called Ollie the Elephant — Learning Made Easy, to rapidly boost literacy. This program is unique in that people of all ages can participate, and it will increase literacy regardless of the person’s existing literacy level.
It does this by addressing what other programs, schools, and academic systems fail to address: the foundation of literacy. It has to be experienced to be believed. It helps people between the ages of 8 and 80.
The entire program focuses only on reading comprehension and critical thinking.
It consists of a step-by-step approach that rapidly boosts both comprehension and critical thinking, one step at a time, with plenty of exercises to increase these skills.
This program cannot easily be described on a page. It is best experienced in person, either as a student, a tutor, or both. The results of the program speak for themselves.
Testimonials
The gratitude I receive from others …
For the past 30 years, I have been a professional underground water and gas leak locator. About a year ago, I was introduced to the Ollie the Elephant — Learning Made Easy program.
Once I saw the program, I knew immediately that it was the answer to the problem of declining literacy rates over the past fifty years.
I started immediately and completed the entire program myself. As a result, I experienced an entirely new level of understanding of what I was reading, hearing, and communicating to others.
I was so amazed by my new abilities that I decided to help others gain this new level of understanding. I began to volunteer as a literacy coach with the local Community Literacy Coalition.
As a volunteer, teaching this program has given me the ability to help others learn effectively and to communicate their own thoughts and ideas to others.
The gratitude I receive from others has a value that no amount of money could ever equal. I know no one who would not benefit greatly from doing this program. It is clear to me that with this program, we can truly raise the literacy levels within our communities.
— Pat J., Volunteer
I feel like a screen has been taken off
While doing step one of the exercises for the word “does” things completely changed in my mind. Suddenly there was an unveiling of the truth of the simplicity of these two words, and I could see there was a very distinct difference.
This is a huge epiphany!
I feel like a screen has been taken off and I can understand better!!!!
— CT, Teacher
I can read more easily
Having completed the full Ollie the Elephant: English Basic Words program I can see even more that every person in our community needs it.
Why? Real clarification of those “little-big” words is simply the foundation of everything in the language.
A comparison comes to mind: when one wants concrete, one has to mix some little rocks, sand, water, and cement. Cement is the glue that makes that mixture super-strong, and a skyscraper or a bridge can be built with it. Without it, one would only have wet sand and rocks mixed together. I think no one would want to walk over a bridge built with wet sand and rocks. Actually, there would be no bridge at all. Just a pile of sand and rocks.
And I would say that the “cement” is those words being clarified on the Ollie program. As without it, one can’t really understand a language and be understood when trying to express himself.
Without them one can’t really go to dictionary and read what the other “big” words mean. Or read anything, from newspapers to textbooks in schools, or job descriptions at work.
I write school textbooks. Despite my previous understanding of grammar, words, and language, I had many realizations throughout the program. I also read more easily and smoothly.
— MM, Teacher
I can express myself
I have experience a definite improvement in my literacy, and not just in my ability to understand fully what I read. I have also improved my ability to express myself without effort and to feel that I am understood.
Additionally, when I hear the English language, my ability to recognize when I do or don’t understand what I hear is much sharper.
I am much happier with my new ability and feel I can finally honestly help students.
— CT, Teacher
So simple, but so effective.
This is really fantastic. So simple, but so effective. Thank you for creating this method.
— Student
These are the nuts and bolts of the English language
All my life I did not know what I didn’t know. From today I will know what I know even if it is only one word (the word at). It is a start!
These are the nuts and bolts of the English language. I now have a communication tool with which I can express place and location. I didn’t get it until I got it.
What was life like before? When I was supposed to learn, I ran away. I didn’t know there was a structure of learning. My aunt was an academic. She worked for the government and told me, “If you cannot spell and read like the other guys, you will be called stupid.”
I felt guilty and ashamed. In the past, I was running a program to protect myself. That’s how I existed. I ran away!
When my kids came home for homework I went fishing! I would go to the end of the river with the fishing rod because I didn’t know how to communicate with anybody, including my daughters. I had to run away from my kids. I didn’t want to be confronted with the embarrassment that I couldn’t help. I felt guilt and shame all my life because I couldn’t spell, read, or write as the other guys could.
My mental health was very fragile. Nobody presented me with a system of learning and understanding. I never had that awareness that I could communicate through English.
I knew something was missing, but I was not aware of what was missing.
Ollie the Elephant is what I was looking for my whole life! In my education, this was hidden from the start. This is what was missing. I didn’t know that I didn’t know.
This program is like it’s made from heaven. This is amazing! The gradient work in it made communication so much easier and with that clarity of communication.
With that level of communication, I can express myself. I can be me.
— Student
This is exactly what we have been searching for!
This program is a miracle! It involves a revolutionary approach to learning, focusing on simple words with easy-to-understand illustrations and drills.
The simplicity and effectiveness of this method are truly mind-blowing.
This is exactly what we have been searching for!
— KT, Student
Life changing and life saving
Before this program, when I studied, I would quickly fall asleep. I was non-functional. I would just be fighting to stay awake. Instructors would ask when this started. I would reply that it began when I walked into the room, the first day. Nothing seemed to work.
I heard about the Ollie the Elephant program from a dear friend.
When I started the program, I would go “lights out” as soon as we opened a booklet. After hours of work, though, this lessened and lessened to where now the phenomenon is very light. I learned so much doing Ollie the Elephant, I now UNDERSTAND what the simple words are doing. They make sense. They have a purpose.
I also did the first portion of the Grammar program that William and Megan are writing. It’s amazing. Now, when I look up a word, I look at the part of speech, and it makes sense.
This program is life-changing and life-saving. It is changing my study life around, and I feel confident that I can now win in my studies. My situation wasn’t simply one of not persevering or having enough discipline, but one of missing/confused data.
I think this program is key and can help lots of people. Frankly, I think everyone should do it, because I believe it will speed up study for everyone and increase correct application.
I really can’t say enough positive things about this program. I think it’s vital.
— DG, Student
Smarter, faster, better.
For the past twenty years, I struggled to learn faster. I always felt very dumb, and it was only after doing this course that I was able to fix that completely. Now, I am excited to learn and read new material quickly.
— Ian, Student
An amazing and transformative program
This was an amazing and transformative program! Getting a firm, easy understanding of simple common words has given much greater certainty in life, in study, and communication.
This is one of the most essential programs for effective positive change on this planet. I have gained a much more exact understanding of anything I read, to the point that it has opened up my willingness to confront and handle every area of my life.
My ability to read and immediately act has dramatically improved. Thank you for providing this program!
— AJ, Student
Helped me fill in gaps in my understanding
I have never considered myself a slow or troubled student. I have also taught for over 15 years (Spanish, English, French, Italian, and Portuguese).
I knew there was a lack of understanding regarding simple words, but I could never bring myself to confront these, because “traditional” dictionaries don’t make it easy.
This program has helped me fill in gaps in my understanding. It has made me an even faster student now that I know with complete certainty what I have misunderstood, without overthinking or looking all over the text to find it (sometimes even going back to the beginning of the text or earlier tests!)
What a waste of time that was.
Thank you for this program!
— CT, Student