Frequently Asked Questions

Although a student might exhibit one of the following signs in isolation, parents and teachers should be concerned if a student has many of the following red flags:

• Avoids reading.
• Difficulty sounding out and/or chunking words.
• Difficulty recognizing words, especially sight words and common words.
• Poor spelling.
• Poor reading fluency – reading is laborious, choppy, guesses at words, doesn’t recognize the same word when it appears multiple times in a text. 

The Orton-Gillingham approach is a research-based approach that has been used for many decades to successfully provide literacy remediation to students of all ages. It is multi-sensory, emotionally sound, structured, sequential, cumulative, flexible, and cognitive. It is a philosophy rather than a system.

• Multi-sensory: Sessions are action-oriented with auditory, visual, and kinesthetic elements reinforcing each other for optimal learning.  
• Emotionally sound: Because old material is reviewed and new material is introduced systematically, the student experiences a high degree of success and gains confidence. Learning becomes a happy experience! 
• Structured, sequential, and cumulative: The elements of language are introduced systematically. Students move from reading sounds in isolation to building syllables and words. The teacher addresses vocabulary, sentence structure, composition, and reading comprehension. 
• Flexible: OG is diagnostic-prescriptive in nature. The teacher devises appropriate teaching strategies based on each student.
• Cognitive: Students learn about the history of language and study the many generalizations and rules that govern its structure. 

Dyslexia is a neurological disorder in individuals who, despite conventional

classroom experience, fail to attain the language skills of reading, writing, and

spelling commensurate with their intellectual ability. 

Some or all of the following characteristics will be present in an individual with Dyslexia:

1. Difficulty learning to read, write, spell, and do arithmetic
2. Difficulty following oral and written instructions
3. Cramped or illegible handwriting
4. Difficulty staying on task
5. Easily distracted
6. Confusion in the sequence of letters and symbols: e.g. b and d, quite and quiet, was and saw, 18 and 81
7. Delayed spoken language
8. Confusion about directions in space, time, right and left, up and down, North and South, yesterday and tomorrow 
9. High level of frustration
10. Difficulty retaining information 
11. More than average test-taking anxiety
12. Increased or reduced energy level
13. Immaturity

 If you suspect your child has Dyslexia, take the following steps.

1. See your pediatrician or internist, and ophthalmologist, to eliminate any physical explanation. 
2. A psychological evaluation should be performed by a qualified professional who accepts the concept of Dyslexia.
3. A program of remedial instruction (such as Orton Gillingham) should be implemented based on the following concepts:

• A simultaneous, direct, multisensory approach that uses visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile methods
• A high level of structure in everything
• A phonetically based program of reading and spelling that teaches the complete sound structure of the language
• A great deal of repetition and drill in both individual and group instruction

Each child’s progress is unique, but most students show noticeable improvement after 6 to 8 weeks of consistent tutoring. 

We provide all necessary materials for sessions. However, we recommend that your child bring any reading assignments or books they’re struggling with. 

While every child’s progress depends on various factors, including consistency and engagement, we are committed to delivering a customized plan to ensure the best possible outcomes for your child. 

We recommend two to three sessions per week for the most effective results, but this may vary based on your child’s needs.

Yes, all tutoring is tailored to the individual needs of your child. We develop personalized learning plans based on their specific strengths and challenges. 

While it's not required, parents are welcome to observe sessions. We believe collaboration with families is essential to a child’s success. 

We ask for 24 hours' notice for cancellations. Sessions canceled less than 24 hours in advance may be subject to a fee. 

We also offer general tutoring in several areas: Language Arts, Reading, Writing, Spanish, French, ESL, Public Speaking, and Test Taking Skills. 

Yes! You can easily give the gift of reading and learning to a family member or friend. Contact us to order gift certificates in any amount. They never expire! 

Yes! We are currnetly an approved vendor through Teach NW. As we partner with other charter schools, we will update it here.