What kinds of difficulties do Reading Specialists or Reading Tutors treat?
Difficulties with decoding or “sounding out” words
Dyslexia
Difficulties with reading comprehension (understand what’s read)
Writing problems
Difficulties related to learning to read when English is a second language
How can I tell if my child has dyslexia or a related reading disability?
Dyslexia is diagnosed by an Educational Psychologist or Neurophysiologist after completing a thorough battery of tests.
Common signs of dyslexia occur in children:
Are behind their classmates in reading
Have difficulty spelling
Rely heavily on pictures and context to figure out words, rather than sounding them out.
Have difficulty “Stretching out” or “breaking up” words into smaller pieces
A qualified reading Specialist or Reading Tutor can informally evaluate a child’s reading and determine whether or not further testing is called for.
What will a Reading Specialist or Reading Tutor do with my child?
A good Reading Specialist will make a quick determination regarding what type of intervention is needed. For children with dyslexia or decoding difficulties, this will most-likely involve an Orton-Gillingham-based program. The Reading Specialist will determine at which level to begin and introduce your child to the various aspects of the program. These typically include:
Dictation (practice spelling dictated words)
Reading of word, phrase and sentence lists
Writing sentences
Reading from a leveled reader (a book with engaging stories using only words containing phonetic patterns that the child is familiar with.
How often will my child need to meet with his or her Reading Specialist or Tutor?
Effective intervention requires significant practice and repetition. For many children, this means meeting 2-4 times per week. When scheduling and finances are prohibitive, a Reading Specialist may assign homework requiring practice with a parent or other skilled reader. The more practice your child is able to get, the more quickly he or she will advance.
How do you know if your child is progressing with a reading tutor?
First and foremost, a reading tutor will evaluate and pre-test a student prior to placing a program in place. The results will be kept and will be referred to as the student’s pre-test scores or levels. Once a program is put in place and instruction has begun, the tutor will continue to monitor progress and share the progression with the parents. Each year, the reading tutor will issue the assessment which was given on day one in order to show accurate growth which the child has made.
