Info About the Prep Kit

If the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta (LDAA) has its way, everyone who writes a Learner’s Licence examination will pass this test the first time!  And, ideally, aspiring drivers will retain the facts about driving which are so important for road safety, by using the new and unique Learner’s Licence Prep Kit created by the LDAA.

The LDAA boast experts in different types of learning methods. These experts created the Learner’s Licence Prep Kit to help students with learning challenges pass the test more easily.  Utilizing principles of Universal Design, they developed a product that not only helps students with learning differences, but a tool that can be used by anyone who wants to learn more easily.

Registered psychologist and learning strategist, Michele Pentyliuk comments, “Flash cards are a highly effective way of preparing for an exam and supporting retention of facts, both in short and long term memory. It helps a person who is studying to distinguish what they already know from items where recall may not be complete. ”

The LDAA’s team extracted the critical facts from the Driver’s Manual and put them on individual flash cards. The cards are packaged together in a handy case. Each flash card contains a question on one side, and the answer on the reverse. The information is in point form, terminology is explained, and graphics help clarify concepts.  There are a number of on-line products out there, but they are all in a multiple choice format.  “Not the best way to learn,” says Pentyliuk. “While students may recognize correct answers, they will learn more effectively if they practice recalling information.”

The Prep Kit was introduced to Alberta registry owners/managers at their annual conference on June 14, 2011. The 500 kits sold out immediately as did the next print run of 1000.  The LDAA is working diligently to ensure that supply keeps up with demand.  “It is a good problem to have,” says Kathryn Burke, Executive Director of the LDAA.  “The Kits have been flying off the shelves.  They are not just for students with disabilities.  Anyone who wants to prepare for the learner’s test will find this a great way to study.”

The Alberta Association of Registry Agents (AARA) has sponsored the product and is working with LDAA to communicate with the over 200 registries in Alberta.  Not every registry has the kits yet, but plans are to have them in every site throughout the province.  In the St. Albert area,

The kits sell for under $20.00 with proceeds from the sale used to fund the Right to Read project, the LDAA’s initiative to provide teacher in-service so that they can more readily identify children in Kindergarten and Grade 1 who may be at risk for reading problems and disabilities.