Our Approach to Tutoring

  • Student Focus (We work with students in all US Time Zones)

    Any students in grades 2-12 who are not making adequate progress in their classroom setting. They may have had interventions or they require more intensive instruction due to a language-based learning disability/dyslexia.

    Signs of Dyslexia in Second Grade through High School

    Reading

    Very slow in acquiring reading skills. Reading is slow and awkward

    Trouble reading unfamiliar words, often making wild guesses because he cannot sound out the word

    Doesn’t seem to have a strategy for reading new words

    Avoids reading out loud

    Speaking

    Searches for a specific word and ends up using vague language, such as “stuff” or “thing,” without naming the object

    Pauses, hesitates, and/or uses lots of “um’s” when speaking

    Confuses words that sound alike, such as saying “tornado” for “volcano,” substituting “lotion” for “ocean”

    Mispronunciation of long, unfamiliar or complicated words

    Seems to need extra time to respond to questions

    School and Life

    Trouble remembering dates, names, telephone numbers, random lists

    Struggles to finish tests on time

    Extreme difficulty learning a foreign language

    Poor spelling

    Messy handwriting

    Low self-esteem that may not be immediately visible

    Strengths

    Excellent thinking skills: conceptualization, reasoning, imagination, abstraction

    Learning that is accomplished best through meaning rather than rote memorization

    Ability to get the “big picture”

    A high level of understanding of what is read to him

    The ability to read and to understand at a high level overlearned (or highly practiced) words in a special area of interest; for example, if he or she loves cooking they may be able to read food magazines and cookbooks

    Improvement as an area of interest becomes more specialized and focused—and a miniature vocabulary is developed that allows for reading in that subject area

    A surprisingly sophisticated listening vocabulary

    Excels in areas not dependent on reading, such as math, computers and visual arts, or in more conceptual (versus fact-driven) subjects, including philosophy, biology, social studies, neuroscience and creative writing

    © Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, pp. 123–125

  • As a structured literacy program based on phonological-coding research and Orton-Gillingham principles, WRS directly and systematically teaches the structure of the English language. Through the program, students learn fluent decoding and encoding skills to the level of mastery. From the beginning Steps of the program, students receive instruction in:

    Word structure (in depth) for automatic decoding and spelling

    Word recognition and spelling of high frequency words, including irregular words

    Vocabulary, word understanding, and word-learning skills

    Sentence-level text reading with ease, expression, and understanding

    Listening comprehension with age-appropriate narrative and informational text

    Reading comprehension with narrative and expository text of increasing levels of difficulty

    Narrative and informational text structures

    Organization of information for oral or written expression

    Proofreading skills

    Self-monitoring for word recognition accuracy and comprehension

    Source: Wilson Language Training

  • Lesson Length

    WRS consists of three blocks of instruction (approximately 30 minutes to complete each block); strongly recommended for a minimum of two complete sessions per week. Typically, the instruction is one hour sessions and the program length is between 2-3 years.

    Size

    1:1

    Where

    In-person or Virtually

Our Approach to Advocacy

  • While the initial assessment is required for placement in our tutoring program this assessment can also be used to inform the classroom teachers and administration of your child’s areas of opportunity with reading and literacy.

    We use the WIST Assessment. The assessment takes about 40 minutes to administer. We can report the results as standard scores, percentiles, and age and grade equivalents; a composite score, the Fundamental Literacy Index, is also calculated.

    Note: This is not a diagnostic tool and cannot confirm a diagnosis of dyslexia.

  • Approaching an IEP or 504 document is daunting. What is the best course of action for your child? While there is no simple answer, setting the right tone and accommodations as early as possible will build an enforceable and flexible foundation through college. We can help shape and modify these plans to fit the specific needs of your child.

  • Whether it’s a 504, IEP or regular classroom meeting, we can step in as advocates and help build a voice for you and your child.

    Too often school administration delays, prevaricates, then once scheduled rushes through these vital touchpoints.

    Let us help you navigate these interactions.

  • “Dyslexia was the last puzzle part in a tremendous mystery that I’ve kept to myself all these years. Remember! You are not alone, and while you will have dyslexia for the rest of your life, you can dart between the raindrops to get where you want to go. It will not hold you back.”

    Steven Spielberg

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