If your child has dyslexia, you may see them struggling immensely with reading. Sounding out words may be a long, arduous task for them. They might also have trouble spelling words accurately or expressing their thoughts on paper when writing. If your dyslexic child struggles with any of these skills, specialized dyslexia tutoring using the Orton Gillingham approach can help them tremendously. What kind of tutoring is best for your child with dyslexia?

Best types of tutoring for children with dyslexia

The best tutoring for students who have dyslexia is structured, research-based, multi-sensory instruction, including tutoring using the Orton Gillingham approach. Dyslexia tutoring typically includes decoding lessons, reading comprehension strategies, structured spelling support, and writing lessons. These methods can help students improve their phonemic awareness, decoding, spelling, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and writing skills.

Orton Gillingham tutoring for dyslexia

Orton Gillingham tutoring is considered to be the most ideal approach for helping students with dyslexia build their reading and spelling skills. This method is research-based, systematic, and multi-sensory, and students often enjoy receiving this type of tutoring. Your dyslexic child should typically receive an initial evaluation before the Orton Gillingham tutoring begins to gauge their specific skill levels. They may have trouble reading basic consonant-vowel-consonant words, or perhaps they have difficulty reading words containing vowel digraphs or multi-syllabic words. The Orton Gillingham method typically follows a structured approach, as follows:

• Orton Gillingham lessons begin by teaching students the names of the letters and their corresponding sounds.
• Lessons then advance to words containing blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, silent e patterns, r-controlled patterns, multi-syllabic word patterns, and so on.
• Sessions include a review of previously taught concepts followed by the introduction of a new Orton Gillingham concept or sound.
• Orton Gillingham lessons typically end with oral reading of words, sentences, and decodable stories.

These phonics tutoring lessons should be tailored to your child’s needs, integrating multi-sensory tools, such as colored sand, magnetic tiles, audio-visual flash cards, and whiteboards, to engage your child and help them retain these key concepts. The Orton Gillingham approach is recommended by the International Dyslexia Association as being one of the most effective reading methods for students with dyslexia.

Learn more about Orton Gillingham tutoring in NYC at What is Orton Gillingham Tutoring? – EBL Coaching

Reading comprehension tutoring for dyslexic students

Some students with dyslexia struggle with reading comprehension and benefit from a multi-sensory approach to tutoring. They may, for example, respond well to a tri-colored highlighting approach for building active reading and reading comprehension skills. With this method, the student is taught to look for three key elements when reading: the topic, main idea, and important details. The topic is typically one, two, or three words describing the passage and should be highlighted in blue. The main idea is what the author is saying about the topic and should be highlighted in green. Finally, the important details are salient pieces of information depicting the main idea, which should be highlighted in yellow. For this type of dyslexia tutoring, your child should learn to read the passage first, then go back and highlight the topic, main idea, and important details using the appropriate highlighters. This multi-sensory strategy can help your child build much stronger reading comprehension and active reading skills.

Read more about reading tutoring for dyslexia in NYC at Supporting Students With Reading Comprehension Issues | EBL Coaching

Writing tutoring for students with dyslexia

Many students with dyslexia struggle with writing. They may have great ideas but have difficulty expressing their thoughts on paper in an effective manner. Dyslexia tutoring can help your child improve their ability to brainstorm, write, and self-check their ideas, a key skill for success in school. They may start by learning how to construct a well-written sentence and can later learn how to expand their sentences with adjectives and adverbs. Next, in writing tutoring sessions, they should learn how to write a well-organized simple paragraph, comprised of a topic sentence, three detail sentences, and a conclusion sentence. From there, the dyslexia tutor should teach them how to expand their paragraph into an extended paragraph, with three additional supporting detail sentences added after each detail. Later, with this dyslexia tutoring, your child can learn how to brainstorm, write, and self-check five paragraph essays and longer research papers.

Learn more about effective writing tutoring for students with dyslexia in NYC at How to Help Your Child with Dyslexia Develop Stronger Writing Skills | EBL Coaching

Specialized tutoring that is individualized to your dyslexic child’s needs can help them improve their academic abilities and self-confidence. Contact us at www.eblcoaching.com to learn how we can help your dyslexic child excel with specialized dyslexia tutoring in NYC, writing tutoring in NYC, and Orton Gillingham instruction in NYC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which tutoring method works best for dyslexia?
The most ideal method for helping students with dyslexia build their reading and spelling skills is the Orton Gillingham approach. This approach uses multi-sensory tools and structured lessons to help students with dyslexia build their core literacy skills.

What are the benefits of dyslexia tutoring?
There are many benefits of dyslexia tutoring! Some of these benefits include:

• Improved decoding skills
• Stronger phonemic awareness skills
• Increased reading fluency and comprehension skills
• Stronger spelling and writing skills
• Improved self-confidence and school performance

Can tutoring improve dyslexia?
While tutoring can’t cure dyslexia, systematic one-on-one Orton Gillingham tutoring can help students with dyslexia build much stronger decoding, spelling, reading fluency, and writing skills.

Learn more about dyslexia challenges at
 Dyslexia Strengths and Struggles – EBL Coaching
Read more about dyslexia at
 https://dyslexiaida.org/

Dr, Levy holds her Doctorate Degree in Education and has been helping students with dyslexia through specialized reading tutoring, writing tutoring, and Orton Gillingham instruction for over twenty years.

The post Best Tutoring for Dyslexia: Orton Gillingham, Reading, and Writing Support for Children appeared first on EBL Coaching.

How can Nessy Reading & Spelling help students with dyslexia?

Nessy Reading and Spelling

Nessy Reading & Spelling helps students with dyslexia improve reading and spelling skills using the Orton Gillingham methodology. The app utilizes an individualized, engaging approach, including games, videos, and interactive exercises to help students build their phonics and spelling skills. Students start with an initial assessment to gauge their reading and writing strengths and weaknesses, and the app then creates an individualized learning path. Each student is given lessons and activities specific to their levels and needs. Students love the fun, engaging lessons and integrated rewards called “Nessy nuggets” that they can earn along the way. Detailed progress reports are also included! This is a great app to use in conjunction with Orton Gillingham tutoring.

Why Is Phonics Hero helpful for early readers with dyslexia?

Phonics Hero – Growing Reading and Spelling Superheroes with Phonics!

Phonics Hero is a helpful tool for early readers with dyslexia. It is an evidence-based app that helps students ages 4-7 develop their reading and spelling skills. It uses a systematic, phonics-based approach for developing these key literacy skills. Students learn individual letters and their corresponding sounds, how to blend them to form words, and how to read and write sentences. They love playing the over 850 interactive games that are part of the app. Parents and teachers also enjoy reading their child’s progress reports, which show which skills the student has mastered and other skills they need to work on. This is a great app that can be used with reading remediation sessions.

How Does Montessori Words & Phonics Help with Phonemic Awareness?

Montessori Words & Phonics – Apps on Google Play

Montessori Words and Phonics helps students ages 3-8 build their foundational phonemic awareness and phonics skills – key components of reading. The app offers interactive activities, including moveable alphabet letters that students can manipulate to form words. There are also pictures and audio cues that students can use to create words, a sandbox for exploring letters, and visual rewards, including colorful animations when students successfully complete an activity – all great for students with dyslexia, including those who need reading remediation.

Is Epic helpful for students with dyslexia?

Epic 

Epic is a large library of digital books and audio books designed for students in grades prek-6. The app is particularly useful for students with dyslexia, as it helps with reading and processing information while listening. Users can choose a book, then read along while listening, helping to build decoding, fluency, and reading comprehension skills. Students love having access to such a wide array of books and being able to choose the ones that interest them. Each child is given their own profile that is customized to their age and reading level and is presented with book recommendations based on their profile. Students can also search in the app for specific topics of interest or types of books, and parents can monitor their reading activity. The more kids have a choice in their books and enjoy practicing their reading skills, the better!

Can Read & Write help students with dyslexia improve their writing skills?

Read&Write For Education – Reading, Literacy & Assistive Software

Read & Write is a great speech-to-text app for students with dyslexia that can help them improve their writing skills. Many students with dyslexia struggle to express their thoughts on paper when writing, and this app helps alleviate that challenge. In addition to speech-to-text, where students can dictate their ideas and the app transcribes them, it also offers text-to-speech and word prediction features. Additionally, it includes grammar check, picture dictionaries, and fonts that are optimal for those with dyslexia. This app can help students improve their overall literacy skills and encourage them to enjoy reading and writing, and is great to use in conjunction with dyslexia tutoring.

The International Dyslexia Association indicates that multi-sensory approaches like the Orton Gillingham method are highly effective for students with dyslexia. Students with dyslexia often struggle academically as they progress through school. In addition to Orton Gillingham tutoring, these apps scan help them build their core reading, spelling, and writing skills, and ultimately thrive in school. Learn about our Orton Gillingham tutoring program and how we can help your dyslexic child at www.eblcoaching.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best apps for students with dyslexia?
There are many apps that can help students with dyslexia improve their reading and spelling skills. Some of the best apps that build these skills include Nessy Reading & Spelling, Phonics Hero, Montessori Words & Phonics, Epic!, and Read&Write for Education.

Can apps replace Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Apps are great tools to use for extra Orton Gillingham practice and as a supplement to Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons, but they should not replace Orton Gillingham tutoring. Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons should be tailored to your child’s specific needs and levels, and these individualized tutoring sessions are much more effective at building their skills than using apps alone.

Can apps help students with dyslexia improve spelling?
Yes! There are many apps that can help students with dyslexia improve their spelling skills. Some great apps for spelling include Starfall, Reading Eggs, and Word Wizard.

Dr. Emily Levy, the director of EBL Coaching, has been helping students with dyslexia build their reading and writing skills for over 20 years.

The post 5 Best Apps for Students with Dyslexia appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Many students struggle with the rising academic demands of school. They may have difficulty reading increasingly difficult words, writing well-structured sentences and paragraphs, or solving math word problems. For these students, one-on-one tutoring can help them tremendously. With the rise of technology, virtual tutoring can be just as effective as in person tutoring. Let’s take a look at some advantages of virtual tutoring.

Individualized instruction

Your child may have trouble learning and processing new information in a large classroom setting. They may become easily distracted or miss key information as their teacher moves quickly from one concept to the next. In these situations, one-on-one tutoring that is catered to your child’s individual needs can be truly beneficial, including when the tutoring is provided virtually. Your child’s virtual tutor can log onto their school’s online portal with them (if their school has one) and review all of their current and upcoming assignments. The tutor can help your child with relevant school work and fill in any academic gaps they may find along the way. By helping your child complete their school work and fill in these gaps, your child’s virtual tutor can set them up for academic success.

Specialized instruction

Many students benefit from specialized academic tutoring. For example, if your child struggles with reading or has dyslexia, they may benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring. This method is research-based, multi-sensory, and systematic, and can help your child build much stronger reading skills. However, in some geographic areas, Orton Gillingham tutors aren’t available. That is where virtual tutoring comes in! Virtual tutoring can provide your child with access to Orton Gillingham tutors (or other specialists) who may not be available for in person tutoring in your local geographic area. Other children may benefit from specialized writing, math, test preparation, or executive functioning tutors who may not live in your nearby area. Virtual specialized tutoring can help your child who needs these services make significant academic progress.

Flexible scheduling

Virtual tutoring often allows for much more flexibility than in person tutoring. Often, tutors who work virtually can meet with students for back-to-back sessions without having to build in travel time, typically allowing for more scheduling options. Similarly, with virtual tutoring, because you don’t have to drive your child to a tutor, you save time traveling to sessions and your child may have more slots available for working with a tutor. If there is a snow day and school is canceled, your child can still have their tutoring session! If they are feeling under the weather but have school work to complete, they can still work with their virtual tutor, even for a shorter period of time, to complete the material.

Digital tools

Many students enjoy using digital tools and stay more focused during tutoring sessions when using technology. When working with a virtual tutor, they can engage with one another using digital whiteboards and multi-colored highlighters. They can use screen sharing for reading passages together and can also use multi-sensory tools for phonics, along with digital magnetic tiles for creating words. Digital tools can be integrated throughout virtual tutoring sessions to help engage students and improve their academic skills.

Virtual tutoring is a great option for many students and can be just as effective as in person tutoring! If your child is struggling academically with a skill or set of skills, virtual tutoring can help them improve their academic skills and build their overall confidence.

The post Can Virtual Tutoring Help My Child? appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Look for evidence-based reading instruction

If your child is struggling with reading, tutoring using an evidence-based, multi-sensory approach is most effective. One such method is called the Orton Gillingham approach, which is a structured, multi-sensory, diagnostic and prescriptive method for helping students develop stronger decoding and spelling skills. With this approach, students use tools such as colored sand, magnetic tiles, mini whiteboards, and shaving cream, amongst other related tools, as part of a systematic approach to teaching. An example of a NYC Orton Gillingham tutoring lesson might involve teaching the digraph “sh” so that the student can ultimately learn how to read words containing this digraph. An Orton Gillingham tutoring lesson might be structured as follows:

• The reading specialist starts by holding up an audio-visual flash card with the letters “sh” on the front and a key picture of a ship on the back.
• The reading specialist holds up the card and says, “These are the letters sh, like ship (they’d flip the card around), it makes the sound /sh/” (they’d flip the card back around).
• The student repeats that sequence on their own, then moves onto skywriting.
• The Orton Gillingham reading specialist models writing those letters in the sky, saying aloud as they trace them, “around and around” (for s) and “down, up, and hump” (for h).
• The student skywrites the letters on their own, then traces them in colored sand or shaving cream.
• The student completes Orton Gillingham workbook exercises corresponding to that sound.
• The Orton Gillingham tutor may use magnetic tiles or other similar tools to have the student practice blending sounds together, forming words such as ship, shut, or shop.

These multi-sensory Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons provided by a reading specialist in NYC can help your child develop much stronger reading skills.

Find a reading specialist in NYC who uses a structured plan

When your child begins their tutoring sessions, it’s important that the reading specialist in NYC has a structured plan in place for the tutoring. Instead of bringing in random unrelated worksheets or books to each session, they should have a systematic learning plan, starting with the levels and skills your child needs help with and building upwards from there. For example, if your child is struggling to read consonant-vowel-consonant words (like hug, mit, rag), the reading specialist should begin with a structured, multi-sensory tutoring plan that teaches individual letters and their corresponding sounds and work on how to blend those sounds together to form basic words. Once your child has mastered reading these basic words, the reading specialist should move onto words containing blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, r-controlled patterns, and so on, all following a systematic Orton Gillingham tutoring plan.

Read more about NYC dyslexia tutoring at: https://eblcoaching.com/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-dyslexia-tutor/

Choose a reading specialist with expertise in your child’s age and grade level

Some reading specialists in NYC focus on teaching older students comprehension strategies, including making inferences and synthesizing main ideas. Others might focus on early childhood reading, and some NYC reading specialists may have expertise in teaching decoding and reading fluency to middle and high school students. It’s important that your child’s Manhattan reading specialist has expertise in working with students at their age and grade level and uses tools and strategies appropriate to your child’s specific needs.

Make sure your child connects well with the reading specialist’s personality

The right personality match is key in effective reading tutoring sessions. When you look for a reading specialist in Manhattan for your child, try to find someone who you think your child will click with. If your child prefers younger, bubbly personalities, try to find a reading specialist who fits that profile. If your child prefers quieter tutors or perhaps older, more seasoned reading specialists, look for those qualities when searching for the ideal reading tutor in Manhattan for your child.
Finding the right reading specialist in NYC can make a big difference in your child’s academic performance. With research-based methodologies, a structured tutoring plan, and the right personality match, a reading specialist can help your child develop stronger reading skills and improve their self-confidence. Learn about how EBL Coaching can help your child develop stronger reading skills with our one-on-one reading tutoring program in NYC and Orton Gillingham instruction at www.eblcoaching.com.

Learn more about the science of reading tutoring at https://eblcoaching.com/what-is-the-science-of-reading/

Frequently asked questions 

What are signs your child may need a reading specialist?
Your child may benefit from receiving tutoring sessions from a reading specialist if they demonstrate any of the following challenges:

• Difficulty sounding out words
• Reads slowly with a lot of effort
• Avoids reading or doing reading assignments
• Has trouble with spelling and writing
• Struggles to comprehension materials they read
• Has low self-esteem or becomes easily frustrated when trying to read

What does a reading specialist do?
A reading specialist provides specialized reading tutoring to students to develop their overall reading skills, including phonemic awareness, decoding, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

What are some benefits of Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Orton Gillingham tutoring has many benefits! Some of these benefits include:

• Research-based approach to reading intervention
• Multi-sensory tools
• Structured lessons that build upon one another
• Individualized tutoring sessions based on student needs
• Lessons are diagnostic and prescriptive, and move at student’s pace
• Helps develop stronger decoding and spelling skills

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has been providing reading remediation and Orton Gillingham tutoring in NYC for over 20 years.

The post What to Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC appeared first on EBL Coaching.

In this podcast, Dr. Emily Levy explains what Orton Gillingham tutoring is and how the Orton Gillingham method works. She delves into what an Orton Gillingham lesson looks like and how this type of reading intervention can help struggling readers tremendously.

What is Orton Gillingham Tutoring?

Orton Gillingham is a structured, research-based, systematic approach to teaching. It integrates multi-sensory tools, such as audio-visual flash cards, whiteboards, and magnetic tiles, to help students develop stronger reading and spelling skills. All students can benefit from this type of instruction but students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities need this approach to effectively develop these skills.

What does an Orton Gillingham tutoring lesson look like?

When an Orton Gillingham tutor uses this methodology, they follow a systematic approach to teaching, integrating previously taught concepts as they introduce new concepts. If a student has grasped how to effectively read consonant-vowel-consonant words, words with blends, and words with consonant digraphs, for instance, they may be ready to move onto words with vowel teams. If they are learning the sound “oo”, the lesson might be structured as follows:

1. Review previously taught Orton Gillingham sounds and concepts.
2. Audio-visual card drill: Start the new lesson with an audio-visual card drill. The Orton Gillingham tutor would hold up a flashcard with the letters “oo” on the front and a key picture on the back, like “boots”.
3. Audio-visual card drill student practice: The Orton Gillingham tutor would say aloud to the student, “These are the letters oo, like boot, it makes the sound /oo/“ while flipping the card around, showing the letters, then the picture, then the letters again. The student would repeat that sequence with the tutor and then try it on their own.
4. Skywriting: The Orton Gillingham tutor would move onto skywriting; using large gross motor muscles, they would draw the two o’s in the sky, saying “around and around” as they form each letter. The student would then try it together with the tutor and then independently.
5. Sand or shaving cream writing: The Orton Gillingham tutor might move onto writing using colored sand or shaving cream. They would start by modeling the formation of the two o’s, then ask the student to do it with them and then on their own.
6. Orton Gillingham workbook practice: The tutor would then move onto Orton Gillingham workbooks that offer practice exercises using that vowel digraph.
7. Student practice: The student would practice blending sounds together to form words using magnetic tiles or flash cards. Finally, the lesson would end with the student reading words, sentences, or a story containing the “oo” sound and any previously taught sounds.

How Orton Gillingham Tutors Help with Reading Comprehension

Students with learning disabilities often struggle with reading comprehension in addition to decoding and need dyslexia tutoring or reading intervention in this area as well. A multi-sensory approach, such as the tri-colored highlighting strategy, can help with this skill as well.

To use this strategy, the tutor would explain to the student that when we read, there are three elements we should look for: the topic is one, two, or three words describing the passage, like winter, outdoor sports, or airplanes. The student would highlight the topic in blue. Next, the student should look for the main idea, which is what the author is saying about the topic, such as “There are many activities you can do in winter” if the topic is winter. They should highlight the main idea in green. Finally, the student should look for the important details, which are important pieces of information found throughout the passage describing the main idea. They should highlight the important details in yellow, trying to only highlight salient details, and only words and phrases, not sentences, if possible. The tutor may then ask the student to write a 1-2 line summary in their own words describing the passage or even produce a written response to the passage, detailing whether they agree or disagree with the information found in the passage and why.

Students with learning challenges thrive with a multi-sensory approach to teaching. Orton Gillingham tutors can help students develop much stronger reading and spelling skills and ultimately help them excel in school.

If your child is struggling with reading, contact us at www.eblcoaching.com to learn more about our individualized Orton Gillingham tutoring programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who benefits from Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Orton Gillingham tutoring was originally designed for students with dyslexia but all students who are demonstrating reading challenges can benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring. They tend to enjoy the multi-sensory approach, and Orton Gillingham is a highly effective method for building stronger reading and spelling skills.

Is Orton Gillingham only for students with learning disabilities?
Orton Gillingham tutoring is not only for students with learning disabilities! Students with learning disabilities, especially dyslexia, benefit from reading remediation using the Orton Gillingham method. However, all students who are having reading challenges can benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring.

How is Orton Gillingham tutoring different from general tutoring?
Some tutors help students with homework or use generic lessons that may change from session-to-session. With Orton Gillingham tutoring, a structured approach is followed, starting with foundational reading skills and building upwards as students grasp concepts. Orton Gillingham tutoring sessions also integrate multi-sensory tools, such as colored sand, magnetic tiles, and white boards.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has been helping students with dyslexia and learning disabilities for over 20 years using the Orton Gillingham approach.

You can listen to this full podcast HERE!
Learn more about Orton Gillingham tutoring at
https://eblcoaching.com/what-is-orton-gillingham-tutoring/.

The post Orton Gillingham Workbooks for Dyslexia and Reading Success appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Your child was diagnosed with a learning disability, and you don’t know where to turn. There may be some extra support your child’s school offers for building academic skills, but many students with learning disabilities benefit from specialized learning disability tutoring outside of school. What should you look for in a tutor for students with learning disabilities?

Specialized instruction

Students with learning disabilities typically need specialized tutoring, not generic tutoring or homework help. This tutoring should use research-based, multi-sensory methods and be catered to your child’s individualized needs. It is important that your child’s tutor learns about their diagnosis and areas of challenge and uses methods that are appropriate to their needs. Students with dyslexia, for instance, benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring. Orton Gillingham is a research-based, multi-sensory technique that helps students develop their decoding and spelling skills. With this method, students typically learn the names of the letters and corresponding sounds using multi-sensory tools such as colored sand, audio-visual flash cards, and shaving cream. They then learn to blend these sounds together to form basic words. Later, they learn how to read and spell words containing blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, silent e patterns, r-controlled patterns, and so on, following a structured, systematic approach that integrates previously taught concepts as new ones are introduced.

Students with dyscalculia, or a math learning disability, typically benefit from specialized tutoring that is multi-sensory and integrates manipulatives specific to each concept, such as counters, base ten blocks, five frames, ten frames, fraction tiles, and so on. Those with dysgraphia, or a writing learning disability, also benefit from specialized tutoring catered to their needs – whether it’s learning to write a simple sentence, expanded sentence, simple paragraph, extended paragraph, or five paragraph essay. They should learn how to brainstorm, write, and self-check their work using a concrete, systematic approach, and should be given ample practice with each concept.

Structured plan

With learning disability tutoring, it’s important that a structured plan is in place. The tutor shouldn’t just help the student with homework or bring in random reading or writing sheets or workbooks. They should follow a systematic plan, starting with the child’s current levels and building upwards from there. For instance, if a child is able to read words with consonant-vowel-consonant patterns (like cat, rug, or mit), but struggles with words containing blends (like slug, frog, or blimp), their Orton Gillingham tutoring should begin with words containing blends and move upwards from there. Likewise, with other skills such as writing and math, the learning disability tutor should identify the starting point based on your child’s levels and come up with a structured plan to build their skills starting from where they are and moving upwards.

Review the child’s evaluation

Students with learning disabilities are typically evaluated in order to identify their diagnosis and specific needs. This may be an evaluation done at school or a more comprehensive private neuropsychological evaluation. For effective learning disability tutoring, the tutor should thoroughly read the child’s evaluation to gain a picture of their overall profile and academic needs in order to best help them. Many students with learning disabilities who have been evaluated have IEPs (Individualized Educational Programs) detailing their needs, goals, and necessary services. Others have a 504 plan detailing accommodations they should receive at school. The learning disability tutor should also read these documents and integrate any relevant information about the child’s profile into the tutoring.

Build a rapport

Having chemistry and a strong rapport is a key part of learning disability tutoring. Tutors for students with learning disabilities should get to know the child and their interests before delving into academic work. Many children with learning disabilities have experienced negativity surrounding school and their academic performance, so the tutor should try to be as positive and uplifting as possible when working with the child, building not just their academic skills but also their overall self-esteem.

Knowing what to look for in tutors for students with learning disabilities can be challenging, but using specialized instruction, having a structured plan, integrating information from the child’s evaluation, and building a strong rapport are key elements of successful learning disability tutoring.

Learn more about learning disability tutoring at

https://eblcoaching.com/tutoring/.

The post What Should I Look for in a Tutor for Students with Learning Disabilities? appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Multi-sensory approach

Orton Gillingham tutoring integrates a multi-sensory approach to teaching. This includes using tools such as colored sand, shaving cream, magnetic tiles, and white boards, among other related tools, as part of a structured instructional plan. For example, an Orton Gilliam tutor working on consonants and short vowel sounds with a student might start with one letter at a time and use the following multi-sensory approach: they might begin by showing the student a flash card with the letter on the front of the card (like f) and a key picture on the back (like fish). The Orton Gillingham tutor might say to the student, “This is the letter f (shows them the front of the card), like fish (turns the card around to show them the picture of the fish), it makes the sound /f/ (turns the card back to the front).” The student would repeat that sequence with the Orton Gillingham tutor and then try it on their own. Next, the Orton Gillingham tutor might move onto sky writing and model tracing the letter in the sky, saying the letter formation aloud as they trace it, like, “When we write the letter f, we move around, down, and across.” The student would perform that sky writing motion with the Orton Gillingham tutor, then independently, and then the tutor would move onto tracing the letter in colored sand or shaving cream.

The Orton Gillingham tutor would follow that same process for four consonants and one short vowel sound (card exercise, sky writing, sand or shaving cream writing), then practice blending those sounds together to form words using multi-sensory tools such as magnetic tiles and mini white boards. When the student is ready, the Orton Gillingham tutor can also have the student read word lists, sentences, and stories integrating the sounds taught.

Structured method

Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons should also be very structured. They should begin at the student’s current functioning level and then progress upwards from there in a systematic format. For example, if the student is struggling with individual letters and their corresponding sounds, the Orton Gillingham tutor should start by teaching letters and sounds, along with how to blend those sounds together to form words, as detailed above. Next, the Orton Gillingham tutor should move onto words containing blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, silent e patterns, r-controlled patterns, multi-syllabic word patterns, and so on, all following a structured, multi-sensory approach. Before a new lesson is introduced in an Orton Gillingham tutoring lesson, previously taught letters, sounds, and rules should be reviewed.

Individualized instruction

Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons should be individualized to the unique needs of each student. Some students are able to move quickly through new lessons, while others need more time to absorb and practice the new concepts taught. Some students can move quickly through certain concepts but need more time grasping other concepts. The Orton Gillingham tutor should move as quickly as they can but as slowly as they need to, individualizing the instruction and providing diagnostic and prescriptive Orton Gillingham tutoring to each student.

Research-based

Research indicates that using a direct, systematic, multi-sensory approach to teaching is imperative for students who struggle with reading, including those who have a reading disability like dyslexia. Orton Gillingham tutoring provides this type of instruction to students, helping them to immensely improve their reading and spelling skills.

Orton Gillingham tutoring can truly be life-changing for students who struggle with reading and writing. It can help them develop much stronger academic skills, self-esteem, motivation, and overall success in school.

The post What is Orton Gillingham tutoring? appeared first on EBL Coaching.

It is well known that students with dyslexia struggle with reading. They often have difficulty decoding words, reading with proper fluency, and processing information that they read. Yet many students with dyslexia also have difficulty with writing. They may have great ideas but struggle to express their thoughts on paper in an effective manner, a skill that becomes increasingly important as children progress through school. Help your child with dyslexia develop stronger writing skills with the ideas detailed below.

Spelling

Students with dyslexia should start developing their writing skills at the word level by learning how to accurately spell words. The Orton Gillingham method can help students develop stronger decoding and spelling skills simultaneously. After learning the names of each letter and its corresponding sound, using the Orton Gillingham method, they can learn how to blend these sounds together to read and spell basic consonant-vowel-consonant words. Once they have grasped that skill, they can learn how to read and spell words with blends, such as flag, plug, or trap. From there, using a structured, multi-sensory approach, they can learn how to read and spell words containing consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, r-controlled patterns, silent-e patterns, multi-syllabic words, and so on. They can also learn Orton Gillingham spelling rules to further develop their spelling skills. By following this systematic, multi-sensory Orton Gillingham approach, students with dyslexia can drastically improve their spelling skills.

Sentences

After learning how to accurately spell individual words, students should begin learning how to write simple sentences. A simple sentence consists of a subject and predicate, like Jack walked. They should then learn to expand their sentences with adjectives and adverbs, like Jack walked home or Jack quickly walked home. They should also learn about different sentence types, including declarative, exclamatory, imperative, and interrogative sentences. They can also learn how to write compound and complex sentences to further elaborate on their ideas. They should be given ample practice and repetition writing these sentences and should receive direct and actionable feedback from their teacher or parent.

Simple Paragraphs

Once students have learned how to write well-structured sentences, they can then learn how to write effective simple paragraphs. A simple paragraph consists of a topic sentence, three detail sentences, and a conclusion sentence. For example:

There are many types of vegetables. You can eat broccoli. You can also eat cauliflower. Some people prefer potatoes. I love vegetables!

Students should learn how to write four different types of simple paragraphs: example, process, reason, and compare/contrast. They should be given a great deal of practice and repetition writing each type of paragraph, and should also learn to brainstorm, write, and self-check their work. They should be taught how to write increasingly complex sentences within their paragraphs and apply the different sentence types they learned to their paragraph writing.

Extended Paragraphs

Once students have grasped the simple paragraph, they can learn to expand their ideas in the form of an extended paragraph. An extended paragraph is similar in structure to a simple paragraph, but includes three supporting detail sentences added after each detail sentence. Students are essentially learning to stretch out their writing while maintaining its organization. They should still learn four types of paragraphs – example, process, reason, and compare/contrast – but now in the form of an extended paragraph. They should also continue to practice brainstorming, writing, and self-checking their ideas in an organized fashion.

Five Paragraph Essays

After learning how to write well-structured simple and extended paragraphs, students should be ready to learn how to write a five paragraph essay. They will learn how to write an introduction paragraph, consisting of an opening, lead-in, and thesis statement. Students can learn various options for how to begin their writing, including starting with a question, general statement, opposite statement, quotation, or story, and should learn that a thesis statement can consist of an opinion and plan and should set the stage for the organization of their essay. Next, students will learn how to write three body paragraphs, including transition sentences, and will learn to end their essay with a well-written conclusion paragraph restating their ideas. They should learn how to write four types of essays, including example, process, reason, and compare/contrast essays, and should remember to always brainstorm, write, and self-check their ideas.

Learning to write effectively can be a challenge for most students, but those with dyslexia tend to struggle even more. Try using this structured approach to teach your child to write effectively, and you will help set them up for success at school.

EBL Coaching specializes in one-on-one in person and virtual tutoring for students in grades pre-K-12 with specialized learning needs. They use research-based, multi-sensory techniques, including the Orton Gillingham method, to develop students’ reading, writing, math, note taking, test taking, and executive functioning skills. Each student is evaluated and then receives an individualized learning plan to address their specific academic needs. Learn more at http://www.eblcoaching.com/.

Dr. Emily Levy, Founder & Director, is happy to hear from anyone who is in need for their child. You may reach her through her website.

The post How to Help Your Child With Dyslexia Develop Stronger Writing Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

What is Orton Gillingham Tutoring?

Orton Gillingham is a structured, research-based, systematic approach to teaching. It integrates multi-sensory tools, such as audio-visual flash cards, whiteboards, and magnetic tiles, to help students develop stronger reading and spelling skills. All students can benefit from this type of instruction but students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities need this approach to effectively develop these skills.

What does an Orton Gillingham tutoring lesson look like?

When an Orton Gillingham tutor uses this methodology, they follow a systematic approach to teaching, integrating previously taught concepts as they introduce new concepts. If a student has grasped how to effectively read consonant-vowel-consonant words, words with blends, and words with consonant digraphs, for instance, they may be ready to move onto words with vowel teams. If they are learning the sound “oo”, the lesson might be structured as follows:

1. Review previously taught Orton Gillingham sounds and concepts.
2. Audio-visual card drill: Start the new lesson with an audio-visual card drill. The Orton Gillingham tutor would hold up a flashcard with the letters “oo” on the front and a key picture on the back, like “boots”.
3. Audio-visual card drill student practice: The Orton Gillingham tutor would say aloud to the student, “These are the letters oo, like boot, it makes the sound /oo/“ while flipping the card around, showing the letters, then the picture, then the letters again. The student would repeat that sequence with the tutor and then try it on their own.
4. Skywriting: The Orton Gillingham tutor would move onto skywriting; using large gross motor muscles, they would draw the two o’s in the sky, saying “around and around” as they form each letter. The student would then try it together with the tutor and then independently.
5. Sand or shaving cream writing: The Orton Gillingham tutor might move onto writing using colored sand or shaving cream. They would start by modeling the formation of the two o’s, then ask the student to do it with them and then on their own.
6. Orton Gillingham workbook practice: The tutor would then move onto Orton Gillingham workbooks that offer practice exercises using that vowel digraph.
7. Student practice: The student would practice blending sounds together to form words using magnetic tiles or flash cards. Finally, the lesson would end with the student reading words, sentences, or a story containing the “oo” sound and any previously taught sounds.

How Orton Gillingham Tutors Help with Reading Comprehension

Students with learning disabilities often struggle with reading comprehension in addition to decoding and need dyslexia tutoring or reading intervention in this area as well. A multi-sensory approach, such as the tri-colored highlighting strategy, can help with this skill as well.

To use this strategy, the tutor would explain to the student that when we read, there are three elements we should look for: the topic is one, two, or three words describing the passage, like winter, outdoor sports, or airplanes. The student would highlight the topic in blue. Next, the student should look for the main idea, which is what the author is saying about the topic, such as “There are many activities you can do in winter” if the topic is winter. They should highlight the main idea in green. Finally, the student should look for the important details, which are important pieces of information found throughout the passage describing the main idea. They should highlight the important details in yellow, trying to only highlight salient details, and only words and phrases, not sentences, if possible. The tutor may then ask the student to write a 1-2 line summary in their own words describing the passage or even produce a written response to the passage, detailing whether they agree or disagree with the information found in the passage and why.

Students with learning challenges thrive with a multi-sensory approach to teaching. Orton Gillingham tutors can help students develop much stronger reading and spelling skills and ultimately help them excel in school.

If your child is struggling with reading, contact us at www.eblcoaching.com to learn more about our individualized Orton Gillingham tutoring programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who benefits from Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Orton Gillingham tutoring was originally designed for students with dyslexia but all students who are demonstrating reading challenges can benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring. They tend to enjoy the multi-sensory approach, and Orton Gillingham is a highly effective method for building stronger reading and spelling skills.

Is Orton Gillingham only for students with learning disabilities?
Orton Gillingham tutoring is not only for students with learning disabilities! Students with learning disabilities, especially dyslexia, benefit from reading remediation using the Orton Gillingham method. However, all students who are having reading challenges can benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring.

How is Orton Gillingham tutoring different from general tutoring?
Some tutors help students with homework or use generic lessons that may change from session-to-session. With Orton Gillingham tutoring, a structured approach is followed, starting with foundational reading skills and building upwards as students grasp concepts. Orton Gillingham tutoring sessions also integrate multi-sensory tools, such as colored sand, magnetic tiles, and white boards.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has been helping students with dyslexia and learning disabilities for over 20 years using the Orton Gillingham approach.

You can listen to this full podcast HERE!

Learn more about Orton Gillingham tutoring at
https://eblcoaching.com/what-is-orton-gillingham-tutoring/.

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