Services
Dyslexics learn differently,
so they need to be taught differently!
Private Tutoring Services
For students age 5 through adults
All tutoring is provided in a one to one setting, so lessons can move at the correct pace for that student
Remote Tutoring available
Read more about Remote Tutoring here
Foundation In Sounds and LiPS
For students who do not pass Task C of the Barton Student Readiness Screener, I offer either Foundation in Sounds (FiS) or Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing (LiPS) tutoring. These programs are designed to help students boost their phonemic awareness and auditory discrimination by becoming more familiar with the various sounds used in speech (the building blocks of our language).
FiS can be done before the student has successfully learned the sound-to-symbol correspondence of the lower-case letters, which is needed to complete LiPS successfully. I have also developed multi-sensory strategies to help a child solidify their sound to symbol knowledge to prepare them for the next step, phonics. Phonics is when the sounds are matched to the letters.
Barton Reading and Spelling System Tutoring
For students who struggle with either reading or spelling, or both, this program using the Orton-Gillingham based simultaneously multi-sensory techniques to teach the rules of American English in a structured way, introduces the spelling rules in the most used to the least used sequence. As such, it does not follow grade level, but it does engage the student’s strong sense of logic to help them retain the decoding rules as a work-around solution for those with weak phonemic memories.
This tutoring is provided in a one to one setting, so lessons can move at the correct speed for each student. If they can prove they know it, we move quickly. If they get stuck, we can slow down and work more on that skill.
The Barton system has 10 levels. Tutoring needs to be at least twice per week, preferably on non-consecutive days, to help the student move forward. Tutoring more than twice per week will accelerate the speed with which the child can progress. Since these students typically have weak phonemic memories, once a week tutoring can require more review than progress
Math for Dyslexics
Some students who have a weaker phonemic memory, have a very hard time memorizing their basic math facts, such as simple one-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems. I use a variety of programs and techniques which combine to teach the student work-around strategies to quickly figure out the answers without relying on their memory to solve the problems (especially when they run out of fingers for counting!) In addition to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of simple and complex numbers, we can take the mystery out of telling time on a face clock, working with money, and fractions as well as geometry and pre-algebra. Math tutoring can be done once per week, with some homework in between, or more often for quicker results.
Institute for Excellence In Writing Program
After a student completes Level 4 of the Barton Reading and Spelling Program, they are ready to add on tutoring in Writing. Many students struggle to get their thoughts out onto paper in an organized way that shows their creativity and their ability to use lots of descriptive words, especially when they already struggle with word retrieval or handwriting. This program gives students a structured way to summarize rather than plagiarize when doing report writing and embellish their creative and report writing with descriptive language to show their intelligence, instead of “dumbing down” their writing to use only the simplest, repetitive phrasing. This tutoring can be done once per week, with some homework in between, or more often for quicker results.
How does IEW's writing program work? (Sourced from https://iew.com)
IEW's unique approach provides the structure that students need to develop confidence in the writing process, while gradually guiding them toward greater independence and creativity. They will learn nine structural models (note taking, writing paragraphs, stories, simple reports, writing from pictures, research reports, creative writing, essays, and critiques) to help them organize any type of composition. Additionally, stylistic techniques (strong verbs, quality adjectives, sentence openers, and more) are taught incrementally to gently move students from the basics into more sophisticated writing.
Professional Development for Teachers, Aides and Parents
Rachel has been running reading intervention programs in k-8 Public and Charter Schools since 2002. In this role, over the years, she has developed several training courses for staff development, in addition to expanding (embellishing) the standard training provided for Barton tutors, by the developer of that program. My goal is to help the tutors and the teachers have a clearer understanding of which students would benefit from this type of intervention, and the brain science showing why some students struggle while others don’t. We look at what type of struggles they may encounter in their classrooms and what adults can do to better support their students. If you are considering becoming a Barton tutor to your own child, I can be hired to mentor you through that process. Please contact me to discuss your needs.
Staff development training can be tailored to the time frame available, from 1.5 hours to full day trainings. Tutor training days for Levels 1 and 2 of the Barton Reading and Spelling System are typically 7.5 to 8-hour sessions each. To support tutors, Rachel has also given trainings on Books 3 & 4 and a special games day to provide lots of ideas of how to incorporate appropriate games and fun review activities into the tutoring session, and at home, to enhance and solidify learning.
Visualizing and Verbalizing (V/V)
V/V is a Lindamood-Bell program which may be an appropriate option for students struggling with either comprehension or word retrieval. This program helps a student get a picture in their head and then describe it using structure words.
Remote Tutoring
I am also able to provide tutoring in a remote setting when appropriate. For remote tutoring to be successful, the student will need to have access to the necessary computer equipment and have a high enough speed internet connection. It is also critical that the student doesn’t have distractions in their home environment and they can stay focused and not wander away during our on-line sessions. Some younger students may need an adult nearby to help with computer glitches when they occur as well as help with focus issues.
Tutoring style
I tend to use a gentle but firm approach when working with a student. If they ask a question that takes us off our focus, I will explain the future rule and why that doesn’t apply in this case and then redirect us back to the lesson at hand. I treat my students as the intelligent and inquisitive folks they are and don’t baby them or allow them to take the easy way out. If they need a movement break, or a talking break, or a game break, we build that into our lesson. My goal is to move them forward as quickly as reasonable without giving up any mastery.
I use guided discovery to help the student think through the problem and identify the appropriate rule to use to solve the problem, or to decode or spell the word. My goal is for them to become an independent reader and speller. I tutor for 50 minutes and save the last few minutes of the hour to update the parents on progress. When the student can teach the rule to their parent, then I know they have assimilated that rule into their long-term memory.
Schedule an appointment
Rachel’s Reading Rescue is excited to rescue your child.
We are with you in each step of this learning journey.
Let’s make a difference and let the flower blossom!