How To Help Your Child Understand And Remember What They Read In Fifteen Minutes A Day
Janel Nansenn, MA, is an educational therapist and the founder of Read-A-Rific®, whose work has transformed the lives of struggling readers. Over the course of her career, she has helped thousands of struggling learners achieve success both academically and personally. Early on, she developed highly effective techniques that produced remarkable results—students who once struggled in special education began transitioning out and thriving in general education classrooms. Children who had been earning Ds and Fs started achieving As and Bs, and many went on to attend college when that path once felt out of reach. Parents, teachers, and doctors recognized the impact of her approach and encouraged her to bring her methods to a wider audience.
Through years of seminars, trainings, and hands-on experience, Nansenn noticed a consistent pattern among struggling learners. It wasn’t a lack of effort or intelligence holding them back—it was a missing cognitive skill that is rarely taught directly. Many students could decode words but were unable to fully comprehend what they were reading. This disconnect led to frustration, low confidence, and a growing dislike of learning.
That missing skill is visualization. Visualization is the ability to create mental images while reading, allowing the brain to process and retain information more effectively. When students can “see” what they read, comprehension improves naturally. Instead of reading words in isolation, they experience meaning, sequence, and detail in a way that makes sense. Strong readers do this automatically, but struggling readers often need direct instruction to develop this ability.
Students who do not naturally visualize can struggle with some or all of the following: remembering and understanding what they hear and read, test-taking, attention, spelling, writing, following directions, and self-esteem. Because they are not creating mental images, information can feel fleeting and difficult to organize. This often impacts multiple areas of academic performance and can lead to ongoing frustration both in and out of the classroom. A free checklist with additional symptoms is available at www.readarific.com.
These students frequently gravitate toward graphic novels and books with pictures, not simply out of preference, but out of necessity. Since they are not automatically creating their own “movies” in their imagination, visual supports help them connect to the story. Without those supports, reading can feel flat and unengaging, which is why many of these learners describe reading as boring or uninteresting.
To address this critical need, Nansenn created Read-A-Rific®, an online program designed to explicitly teach visualization in a clear and structured way. The program simplifies what can feel like an abstract concept and turns it into a step-by-step process that students can easily follow. By focusing on how the brain processes language, Read-A-Rific® helps learners build a strong foundation for comprehension.
In addition to improving reading comprehension, the program supports other essential academic skills. As students strengthen their visualization abilities, they also see noticeable improvements in spelling and in their ability to follow multi-step directions, including three- and four-part instructions. These gains extend beyond reading and positively impact overall learning, organization, and classroom performance. And, most importantly, their confidence and self-esteem increases.
One of the most accessible aspects of Read-A-Rific® is its simplicity. The program is designed to be completed in just 15 minutes a day over the course of 12 weeks. This manageable structure allows students to build skills consistently without becoming overwhelmed, while also making it easy for parents and educators to implement within busy schedules. The guided format ensures that both children and the adults supporting them can follow along with confidence.
Today, Read-A-Rific® continues to expand its reach, helping students unlock their full potential as readers and learners. Nansenn’s mission is rooted in the belief that every child deserves the tools to succeed, and her program provides a proven path to achieving that goal. By teaching visualization as a foundational skill, Read-A-Rific® not only improves academic outcomes but also restores confidence, opening doors to opportunities that once seemed impossible.