About
Dyslexia therapy retrains the brain to read, spell, and write -- the right way.
No one should ever have to suffer in school or life or be called “stupid” because of a reading and writing difference. For the past 15 years, I have helped dyslexic students of all ages regain their confidence as their skills grow, and I would love to work with you or your child.
Dyslexic people are talented in amazing ways. They are problem solvers, writers, artists, or musicians, architects, athletes, and entrepreneurs. They see the “big picture” in relationships because of the way their brains are wired. However, they use a different part of their brain to read and write, and they are not able to focus on the small details.
The good news is that Orton-Gillingham-based therapy has been scientifically proven through MRI brain scans to create different neurological pathways to cement new learning in written language. It is sequential, phonics-based, and multi-sensory, using movement and all five senses to drive the lessons home.
I teach reading and spelling with Houston-based Neuhaus Education’s Basic Language Skills program, and sentence structure and paragraph writing with Diana Hanbury King’s Writing Skills from the Landmark School in Massachusetts, one of the most prestigious teaching centers and schools for dyslexics in America.
It warms my heart to see my students’ faces light up as they understand new concepts. I love finding ways to make this program fun and relevant, and I can meet anyone at their level of need. These programs always work!
MY CREDENTIALS
Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist (IDA)
Certified Academic Language Therapist (ALTA)
Master’s Degree in Education
English and Language Arts teacher for the past 30 years
Dyslexia Specialist for 15 years
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How is dyslexia therapy different from tutoring?Orton-Gillingham therapy is research based, very specific, sequential, and multi-sensory. There is no hit-and-miss guesswork involved, as happens with untrained, non-certified tutors. These ordinary tutors, just as with general classroom (and even special education) teachers, are not trained to identify children with dyslexia and have no idea how to teach them, other than using the same old curriculum that never worked. Certified Dyslexia Therapists (or Academic Language Therapists) train for two years in programs specifically designed for how dyslexic people learn. They can build skills and confidence through these programs in a way that will “stick” with your child and get permanent results. This method of teaching reading and spelling follows scientific “best practices” research and recommendations, and truthfully, all children should be taught like this! Every one of my students makes amazing progress, which is why I love this work.
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How does online therapy work?First, you, your child, and I would meet on Skype just to get to know each other. I will need to know what specific difficulties your child is having in school; it would also be very helpful to see the results of the testing and the psychologist’s diagnosis if you have it. I will give a short assessment for reading, spelling, and a writing sample. That information will help me determine which program your child needs and give me an idea of exactly where we should start working. Once we agree on a schedule, I would send you the reading practices, a workbook for spelling, and one workbook for composition (if your child is already at that level). After you receive the materials, we’ll be ready to start. Our meeting would be exactly like a face-to-face session and would last one hour. The program is diagnostic and prescriptive, which means that I will adjust daily as I see where your child’s needs lie. Three days a week are the minimum recommendation for Orton-Gillingham sessions because they depend on frequent practice and repetition as the skill level builds. Many children do five lessons per week, but I will accept whatever frequency you can manage. Just know that the program can take a year and a half to complete at five days a week if a child starts at the beginning.
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Which age groups or reading levels do you work with?I can work with all age groups from beginning readers to adults. I will tailor the program to fit your level and needs.
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Do you offer a free consultation?Yes! I offer a free 15-minute consultation so we can "meet" over the phone or on Skype and see if we're comfortable working together. Just fill out my Contact form and I'll get back to you within 1 - 2 business days (weekdays).