Dyslexic Learners and Tutoring

Key Points for Dyslexia Learners

The human brain isn’t hardwired for reading. While spoken language has been around for about 100,000 years and our brains have evolved to process language very effectively, we only began writing relatively recently. Thus, it’s hard for most children to learn to read, but it is especially challenging for the nearly 1-in-5 with dyslexia. While dyslexia impacts learning, it is not a reflection of a child’s intelligence. Instead, dyslexia causes a difficulty matching sounds (or phonemes) to symbols (or letters/graphemes), a skill that is central to fluent reading. The good news is that with explicit, systematic, multisensory instruction, an effective reading specialist can actually rewire a child’s brain for reading!

3 Things to Know When Seeking Intervention

  1. Orton Gillingham is an approach to reading instruction that explicitly and systematically teaches children how to build sound-symbol relationships in order to become more confident readers.

    If your child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, it is important to work with a reading specialist who is Orton Gillingham certified or trained in an Orton Gillingham-based reading program such as Wilson.
  2. Frequency of meetings is an important factor to consider when identifying the right tutor for your child. Reading interventions are most effective when children are able to work with their tutor at least twice a week, and ideally even more than that. This is because most kids need a lot of opportunities for practice and reinforcement in order to become fluent readers, and there are a lot of skills to learn.

    More frequent meetings means more consistent growth, which translates to more reading momentum for your child! Be sure to work with a tutor who has enough availability to transform your little one’s relationship with reading.
  3. Even the most highly qualified tutor might not be the best fit for your child. The most successful reading interventions are grounded in a great relationship. Overcoming any sort of challenge requires a whole lot of grit, and kids will feel most motivated and learn best from someone they like and trust.

    And it should be noted that it is equally important for parents to have a positive relationship with their child’s tutor as well. Academic interventions are really a team effort, and kids will make the most gains when everyone on their support team is able to work together.

Mara Koffman is CEO and Co-Founder of Braintrust, a New York City-based educational platform which seeks to make it easier for parents to connect with certified reading experts who have the training to create a more impactful tutoring experience. Utilizing a diverse team of specialists, parents can find the right fit for their family’s unique needs. Braintrust’s reporting tools make it easier to monitor gains, understand learning goals, and facilitate collaboration. If you’d like to learn more about Braintrust, you can find them at www.braintrusttutors.com

Red Square Pegs was established to empower dyslexics by embracing dyslexia through awareness and shared experiences and to be a symbol of acceptance, pride, and confidence.