Private, Personalized Services

Screening

I specialize in assessing someone’s reason for being challenged in reading, spelling, writing and/or math. To accomplish this, I use a series of testing tools & assess the student’s school history & any relevant doctor records. It is usually beneficial to consult with a clinician in order to obtain a diagnosis, which ensures the most appropriate help & accommodations throughout their school career, even into college. With my assessments, I am able to determine what their individual needs are.

Then I consult my client about my findings & the best plan of action for school accommodations, specialized tutoring & any other assistance I can suggest.

It is important to note that most students with reading, spelling, writing and/or math challenges, whatever the cause, respond well to the multi-sensory curricula that I use.

LiPS or Wilson Instruction

Tutoring with both these programs begins with pretesting the student in order to establish a baseline of what they need to learn first and which program would be best for them. 

The Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program (LiPS) is a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on phonological awareness, decoding/encoding, spelling, word recognition, reading fluency & reading comprehension. It is best for those challenged with basic phonics, reading, spelling & speech.

The Wilson Reading System teaches phonological awareness, decoding/encoding, spelling, word recognition, reading fluency, reading comprehension & vocabulary development. It is great for those who know the basics of the English phonemes (the sounds of the letters).

In order to ensure the most successful results for my average student to start reading fluently, we usually meet for 2.5 hours/week. (2-3 times/week) The expected session lengths for younger students and those with ADHD or mild autism are adjusted according to their ability. Sessions should be continued through any time off school such as summer, spring & winter breaks. The exception of family vacation time is understood.

This standard is made because any lags in practice most often result in a student forgetting the last taught concepts. Therefore, a student may need to repeat material they had previously understood. This only frustrates and discourages a student.

RightStart Mathematics Instruction

I use this awesome multisensory math program. The photo to the left does not do justice to the 21 math tools along with games that I incorporate in my math sessions. There are so many fun ways to learn math, & if one tool doesn’t lead to an ‘ahaa’ moment, there are many more ways to approach that concept. My students & I meet at least 2 hours/week for math lessons to ensure good progress. This program is laid out very well & has proven to be quite successful with my students.