Methods: How will the client learn?
The instructor will respond and adapt to the client needs and pace.
Pedagogy/Methods : Reading and Spelling
For clients that want to learn to decode and spell better by sounding out words and practicing recognizing common English spelling patterns and "sight words," I am using a speech-to-print approach that embraces multi-sensory awareness of speech sounds to build phonemic awareness, and then applying those to the most common "spellings" in English orthography. While the conversation and error handling is based on a model of "discovery," I am using explicit instruction in a scaffolded manner to help students learn and practice to get to a point of automaticity with words, beginning with simple two sound words and gradually getting more and more complex as skills build, up through multi-syllabic words. I am using a program called "Sound 2 Symbol," but this was built upon research-based learning methods that are similar to LiPS and programs such as LETTRS. I have also studied and used the Barton (O-G) program with previous students and have made myself familiar with other "programs," and my approach is to use the tools available to me as the child begins responding to them. I will always begin from the speech sounds, though, as that is the most efficient and results-documented approach, in my opinion. I am currently undergoing certification in EBLI, which is a Linguistics-Phonics approach to reading that is speech-to-print based and has a structured format. EBLI methodology outlines 140 activities that students should use for a track based upon their age and grade level.
Pedagogy/Methods : Reading and Spelling
For clients that want to learn to decode and spell better by sounding out words and practicing recognizing common English spelling patters and "sight words," I am using a speech-to-print approach that embraces multi-sensory awareness of speech sounds to build phonemic awareness, and then applying those to the most common "spellings" in English orthography. While the conversation and error handling is based on a model of "discovery," I am using explicit instruction in a scaffolded manner to help students learn and practice to get to a point of automaticity with words, beginning with simple two sound words and gradually getting more and more complex as skills build, up through multi-syllabic words. I am using a program called "Sound 2 Symbol," but this was built upon research-based learning methods that are similar to LiPS and programs such as LETTRS. I have also studied and used the Barton (O-G) program with previous students and have made myself familiar with other "programs," and my approach is to use the tools available to me as the child begins responding to them. I will always begin from the speech sounds, though, as that is the most efficient and results-documented approach, in my opinion. I am currently undergoing certification in EBLI, which is a Linguistics-Phonics approach to reading that is speech-to-print based and has a structured format.
Pedagogy/Methods: Understanding text
I mainly use the Visualizing and Verbalizing methods outlined in the manual of that same name by Nanci Bell, and I use many materials from that publisher, in order to help clients harness the ability of using their imaginations to make sure that they are understanding what is going on in a sentence to identify the main idea. However, I also am heavy on vocabulary development, background knowledge, prosody, receptive reading modes (listening, reading out loud, reading silently), and Comprehension Strategies in order to present the whole or best picture for a client to better develop their skills in comprehension and detail and/or sequence recall. K-Grade 3 children often do not need additional "reading comprehension" support (unless they are following up after learning to read at their grade level) because they are being exposed to explicit instruction for reading comprehension development in their current classroom settings. Therefore, if support is desired for this, the program through their grade level may only take 20-40 sessions; alternatively, the need for better comprehension practice may not become apparent until later school years.
Pedagogy/Methods: Writing
First, grammar and writing are different skills sets, so some clients may need no grammar work, and some may need extensive grammar work as we try to develop their skills with expressive communication in written format. K-3 children may not need much writing "tutoring" or support because they are likely still in the formative learning phase of writing in the classroom, so if you feel like they need some support in this area, it may be of a very brief duration. I spring from the Visualization and Verbalization methodology/mindset in how I approach giving feedback to students on their writing, as well as teaching them to analyze others' organization and think through their own organization of sentences, paragraphs, and essays, and even argumentative papers, and I do not really use one method or program for doing writing instruction, just a combination of different methods that I acquired in English graduate school coursework and teaching writing courses. We will generally utilize visual organizers during the pre-writing process, but that can look differently for individual students.
Pedagogy/Methods : Number Sense, Basic Math Operations
For clients who are well behind their typically developed peers in math, or who have dyscalculia, we begin with developing or strengthening NUMBER SENSE and basic operations and math pattern-recognition using a program called Math Intervention Visually (MIV), which is closely aligned with principals in the On Cloud 9 program by Nanci Bell.
Pedagogy/Methods : Reading and Spelling
For clients that want to learn to decode and spell better by sounding out words and practicing recognizing common English spelling patters and "sight words," I am using a speech-to-print approach that embraces multi-sensory awareness of speech sounds to build phonemic awareness, and then applying those to the most common "spellings" in English orthography. While the conversation and error handling is based on a model of "discovery," I am using explicit instruction in a scaffolded manner to help students learn and practice to get to a point of automaticity with words, beginning with simple two sound words and gradually getting more and more complex as skills build, up through multi-syllabic words. I am using a program called "Sound 2 Symbol," but this was built upon research-based learning methods that are similar to LiPS and programs such as LETTRS. I have also studied and used the Barton (O-G) program with previous students and have made myself familiar with other "programs," and my approach is to use the tools available to me as the child begins responding to them. I will always begin from the speech sounds, though, as that is the most efficient and results-documented approach, in my opinion. I am currently undergoing certification in EBLI, which is a Linguistics-Phonics approach to reading that is speech-to-print based and has a structured format.
Pedagogy/Methods: Home Schooling Math
I can identify, design, implement, and/or support coursework for your home school child in math grades K-8 using Alabama math standards and objectives or working with a curriculum you have chosen.
Pedagogy/Methods: Tutoring support for homework (multiple subjects)
for K-12 I can help your child review concepts communicated by the teacher as reflected in notes or textbooks, possibly providing additional explanation, practice, and/or organizational tools (visual planner) for project completion or test preparation.
Why not Orton-Gillingham?
Speech-to-print learning is more effective than print-to-speech
Orton-Gillingham originated in the 1940's.
Brain researchers and educators worked together to make incredible discoveries about how the brain could undergo multisensory therapy in order to rebuild neuropathways to help stroke victims and brain injury victims regain the ability to speak and read. This had important and dramatic impact on reading theory methods, so these ways were picked up and built upon by educators trying to better help students with dyslexia and communication disorders learn to read. This was incredible, like the discovery of penicillin in a medical context.
​
However, research has continued as time has gone by, and scientists can observe not only the effects of teaching methods on reading results, but they can also look at images of the brain itself. Just as we have developed various -- and in some cases stronger and better -- antibiotics in the medical field, pedagogical researchers have discovered more effective ways to observe and access different parts of the brain that are used by fluent readers.
​
If you are familiar with the great podcast Sold a Story that came out several years ago, you will know that during the 1990's- early 2010's, many schools worldwide had turned to Whole Word Reading methodology, and many, many students fell through the cracks and experienced gaps in reading ability between them and their same-aged peers. Some of those with reading gaps experienced it because the methods of reading just did not make sense to them. Others may have had more complex reason for their gaps, such as also haveng a specific learning disability like Dyslexia.
​
For years, parents have been advised that an Orton-Gillingham method is the "gold standard' for teaching dyslexic children to read. And for many dyslexics as well as other (neurotypical) children, these methods improved their abilities.
​
For other children, though, Orton-Gillingham helped, but it was very slow and frustrating. Alternatively, it may not have been exposing them to adequate multi-sensory input to help them understand and connect sound and symbol relationships because programs based in Orton-Gillingham are generally print-to-speech methods, meaning they show you a letter symbol and connect it to a sound.
​
Linguistic-phonics approaches are speech-to-print, meaning that we focus on the sensory experiences that are around the mouth/voice as it makes sounds, and then we bring in the symbols that typically match that sound. We will also incororate visualization of letters and words for times that sounding-it-out does not apply (because the English language has "deep orthography" which means we have a lot of variations on how different sounds are spelled among different words).