The Academic Gym Literacy Skills

Whether at home or in a pre‑kindergarten setting, Sylla‑Bear transforms early learning into a joyful journey that lays the groundwork for confident, lifelong literacy.

Imagine a learning companion that does more than just entertain—it builds the very foundation of reading success. Sylla‑Bear™ isn’t just a toy; it’s an all-in-one early literacy curriculum designed to nurture your child’s language skills. Through delightful songs that sing the alphabet, break down syllables, and even spell your child’s name, Sylla‑Bear teaches the sounds and structures of language in a fun, natural way.

ScholarSkills Sylla-Bear® sets the stage at the earliest age for kids to learn the skills they need to start to read. Sylla-Bear can help to prep and protect your baby's reading brain by syncing it with a sea of rhythmic syllables and songs. Check it out here.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I hope you have a great holiday season. Sincerely Mr. Vieira

And here's what I'm getting at: Your baby's brain makes 1 million connections between neurons every second of every day for the first three years. Babies' brains create neural connections to build the networks they need to wire the brain for all the functions that make us feel, move, and learn. For example, babies start building the networks for lifelong literacy success in those first three years. The best time to lay the foundations for reading is duri

This study illustrates that parents should proactively and intentionally create early linguistic environments that train their baby's reading brain. Parents and caregivers should sing, speak, and read to infants as often as possible. And instead of screen time, parents can use a vital tool such as ScholarSkills Sylla-Bear. 

If your child is a neurodiverse learner struggling with reading, join us for a transformative weekend retreat designed to activate the reading brain through joyful, movement-based literacy. T.A.G. (The Academic Gym®)  trains cognition through rhythmic exercise, multisensory routines, and whole-child care. Our retreats help kids build the confidence and skills they need to read and succeed—by engaging both body and mind in dynamic, science-backed learning. 🧠 What to Expect Ou

Did you know that reading difficulties are often inherited? If you had trouble learning to read due to traits of ADHD or dyslexia, chances are that your children will also struggle with reading.

Here's how movement creates mastery. In the academic gym we use VITAAL-K reading coaching (Visual, Interactive, Auditory, Adaptive, Linguistic-Kinesthetic) integrated with analytical spelling for reading. Students use a variety of exciting cognitive athletic activities to  embed the spellings and sounds into their heads.

AG VITAAL-K Coaching™ delivers the science of reading through rhythmic, full-body routines that activate cognitive, emotional, and linguistic systems simultaneously.

According to research published in the Biomedical Journal, systematic exercise routines during and after school are the best non-pharmaceutical intervention for students with ADHD. While “walking around the classroom” and other “movement breaks” are well-intentioned, their effects are nominal and transient for students facing complex cognitive and executive functioning challenges. Scientists recommend that schools and families implement consistent cognitive exercise programs.

If Miracle-Gro helps plants thrive, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) helps brains bloom. BDNF is a powerful brain protein that supports learning, emotional regulation, and social development. It’s not something we teach—it’s something we activate. And for teachers, that activation starts with movement. Research shows that just a few minutes of aerobic activity—running, dancing, even playful jumping—can flood the brain with BDNF, priming students to absorb new informat

If your child has ADHD, they don’t need to “try harder”—they need a system that works with their brain, not against it. The Academic Gym®’s VITAL-K™ Reading Coaching Program does just that. It transforms reading from a struggle into a strength—one jump, clap, and syllable at a time.

Analytical spelling helps children to develop the following skills: Children learn to focus and listen intently because the words are being pronounced. So analytical spelling enhances focus and listening skills. Intensive auditory training is essential to help children overcome reading difficulties and disorders such as dyslexia. Kids diagnosed with dyslexia should learn to spell well so that they can read well.

Between kindergarten and second grade, your child is developing the foundational skills that will shape their reading future. But sometimes, subtle signs can signal that they’re falling behind—and early intervention can make all the difference. If your child is struggling to read, here are some signs to watch for:

Spelling is the road to reading. At T.A.G. The Academic Gym, we teach analytical spelling for reading. Spelling turns sounds into sight, and reading turns sight into sound. Understanding and practicing analytical spelling is the key to becoming a proficient reader, as it helps students master the alphabetical principle and phonemic awareness, which are foundational for learning to read. Students who spell well read well.

Box and Spell™ is part of the broader Vital Kinesthetic Therapy™ (Vital K Therapy™) approach. It’s not just a clever gimmick—it’s a neuroscience-informed strategy that helps kids with ADHD build focus, memory, and confidence through rhythmic, athletic routines.

What if the key to unlocking focus, confidence, and academic success in kids with ADHD isn’t found only in a pill—but in a punch, a chant, and a jump? That’s the promise of VITAL Kinesthetic Therapy™ (VITAL-K Therapy™), a groundbreaking approach developed by educator Brian Vieira, founder of The Academic Gym®️.

Exercise helps kids organize and improve classwork and homework, manage mood swings, make and keep friends, and optimize their brains for learning.

T.A.G.'s V.I.T.A.L. cognitive exercise program offers unique benefits to kids challenged with ADHD. Here's how T.A.G. helps kids to mitigate the effects of ADHD: 1. Improved Focus & Attention