Recently, I had the incredible privilege of witnessing my 22-year-old son speak on a panel of young entrepreneurs—an event that underscored the personal growth he has made since his school days, which were marked by learning challenges. As he freely communicated his ideas, my watering eyes saw that beautiful boy connecting with the audience, making them laugh, and talking about the future.
I think of him aged eight, sitting in a classroom as bewildered as many others in classrooms and playgrounds today. Not understanding, not confident, not reading much and writing less. Seeing him confidently express himself on that stage was a moment of bliss—a stark contrast to the days when I agonised over his daily difficulties at school, especially the bullying.
His journey has climbed out of the confines of a hostile classroom, evolving into a narrative of excitement and self-discovery.
Reflecting on this poignant moment, I am reminded of the pivotal role APD played in his challenges. That dastardly fiend that disrupts the language, learning, and reading pathways in the brains of those with autism, dyslexia, and ADHD—or, in the neurodiverse universe, or the neuroverse, as we like to call it.
APD is not merely a hearing problem; it is an intricate challenge that hinders the brain’s ability to process sounds rapidly. This complexity often leads to difficulties in language comprehension, spelling, and overall learning.
It is often linked to neurodiversity, but it can also occur as a result of adverse childhood experiences, learning English as a second language, or even brain injury.
The lack of a definitive diagnosis can leave children like my son caught in a void—struggling without the understanding and support they are more likely to receive with official recognition.
The journey to bridging this gap is essential if we are to address the increasing rate of school refusal, as highlighted by the recent Senate enquiry into school refusal, which has already handed down recommendations.
My mission is to reach these children before school refusal and mental health issues set in. From experience, I have learned that as children progress through school and the curriculum becomes more demanding, children with APD fall further behind, increasing the likelihood of avoidance and refusal to learn.
With this can come the denial of the opportunity to thrive, express their unique brilliance, and solve the problems they can see in the world.
The power of neuroscience research and technology, used in programs like Learnerobics®, has brought hope to thousands of families around the world for more than 20 years.
In the day-to-day, seeing yet another student work to improve their learning skills and become a more confident learner reinforces the profound impact of my mission.
It is also encouraging to see how widely accepted neuroscience research is becoming. When I first discovered it some twelve years ago, there was scepticism within education about whether this research was helpful.
Fast forward to 2023, and the science of reading—a body of research from neuroscientists, cognitive psychologists, educators, and linguists—has shifted the way we teach reading in NSW schools back to a phonics-based approach.
This research has shown that phonics is how the brain needs to learn reading for it to be effective. While scepticism will take time to recede, the evidence that K–2 students receiving phonics instruction will increase literacy rates will become clear in the coming decade.
As I sit in the audience clapping for all the young entrepreneurs on the stage—including my smiling son—my eyes swell with water again.
I am a learning coach now, and I’ve helped more than a hundred students improve their ability to learn. There is no way that the mother I was just 10–12 years ago would ever have believed this was possible.
But through research, learning, and sustained effort, I’ve built a bridge from then to now. It wasn’t an easy bridge to build, but I’m incredibly proud of it.
The neuroscience foundation is solid and underpins my confidence to continue. An increasing number of students can walk across that bridge, and now my son is building his own—finding his own mission.
– Monique Peters
Learning Coach
Brain Wise Learning
For more information about Brain Wise Learning, click here.