NOTE:  This class REQUIRES a 3 day per week commitment in order to ensure student progress.  Please register for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, AND Thursdays at the same hour in an ongoing fashion.  This will reserve your learners' spot for ongoing tutoring.
Also available in a 30 minute version.

After assessing your child's strengths and needs, and meeting with both of you for a "get to know you session", we will dive into the rules (or generalizations) that create good spellers for life.

My tutoring sessions are action oriented with auditory, visual, and kinesthetic elements that reinforce one another.  Sessions assist students in developing a better understanding for spelling patterns, phonemic awareness and phonics.  My approach is helpful for all spellers - those who struggle and those who do not.  And the approach definitely targets learners with the kinds of language processing problems (reading, spelling, and writing) associated with dyslexia.  

They will learn spellings patterns such as:
* when to use a letter C vs. when it should be a letter K or even CK
* the use of -ED - even though phonetically it sounds like "id, t, or d"
* syllable division to help simplify spelling word parts
* when to use those tricky vowel teams
* methods to CHECK their own spelling using a spell checker when uncertain

The methods I use are based on a multi-sensory approach to learning and the Wilson and Orton-Gillingham Program.  It is valuable for students to learn patterns and how to phonetically sound out words rather than simply memorize a short list of words for a test.  As we all know, those memorized words are usually forgotten in no time.  In my tutoring sessions, learners will complete activities that help the spelling to "stick" and not be forgotten.

Some students will start at, or close to, the beginning of spelling instruction fundamentals, while other students will need to review some basics that are critical in establishing a solid foundation for proper spelling, reading, and writing before moving on. The skills will continue to build upon the previous weeks’ skills and increase in difficulty. 

Each week we will focus on a particular spelling pattern and a variety of games and activities will be incorporated.  Nonsense words that match the pattern will also be incorporated in order to practice listening for the correct sounds and utilize the rule/generalization we are focusing on.  These nonsense words prevent students from relying on words they've seen before and help them to really establish an understanding of the class content.  Sentence dictation will also be utilized in order to demonstrate your child’s ability to write in context.