Through reading, we increase our knowledge about the world around us. It is arguable that reading is the most valuable, fundamental skill necessary for success in an academic setting, as well as throughout our lives. However, the process of reading is anything but simple. Many physical, neurological, and cognitive processes occur to convert text into meaning each time we read. Reading is an automatic task for those of us who are proficient readers, but for children who possess a learning disability it can be arduous and frustrating to decode text, comprehend what was read, and retain it in memory—the reading process many of us take for granted. Early decoding, comprehension, and retention interventions are vital for struggling readers with learning disabilities and Dyslexia.
We offer research-based intensive instruction with a guidance approach to reading instruction for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Your child will benefit from instruction targeted at developing reading skills in each area of need. Our stellar reading program includes the following effective components:
· Direct instruction: reading skills are taught in an explicit, direct fashion in either one-to-one or group settings; drill, repetition, and practice are involved to increase word recognition.
· Phonemic awareness, phonics, and decoding instruction teach your child to hear, segment, and blend sounds together to read words. It involves both hearing each sound in a word and applying phonics rules and letter recognition to decode written text.
· Strategy instruction to increase comprehension skills. Strategy instruction teaches children how to scan a passage and differentiate between pertinent and irrelevant information, so the main idea can be identified. Directed response and questioning during strategy instruction encourages children to ask questions and engage in dialogue.
· Teacher modeling allows the children to see a demonstration of the processes or steps that they are expected to follow; a thorough explanation of each step while it is being modeled guarantees clarity.
· Pace and difficulty of tasks are adjusted according to each child’s skill level; activities are short, and difficulty is increased in proportion to each child’s progression in skill mastery.
· Fluency is a combination of reading with accuracy, speed, expression and understanding the meaning of the text. Fluency will be achieved when decoding becomes automatic, making comprehension of what is read the main mental task involved in reading.
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