FAQs

Your struggling reader will gain the tools and confidence to become a skilled reader and a life-long learner. Most children with newly diagnosed dyslexia are one to two grade levels behind their peers in reading. My goal is to close that gap as quickly as possible.

Traditional Orton-Gillingham tutoring sessions are about an hour each for two days a week, and there is typically no practice between sessions.  This results in extended therapy that can be very costly to families.

My Orton-Gillingham approach to teaching reading skills is to empower  your child to improve at least one grade level in 8 weeks and make exponential gains in the shortest amount of time possible.

I customize a unique plan based on your child's specific needs and learning personality and we work online via Zoom in lively, interactive sessions an 45 minutes a day - 4 days a week. 

Your child will also practice independently 5 days of the week (about 15 minutes a day) on the Reading Playground to practice the skills from our live sessions.  

Extremely. In fact, they are more effective than in-person sessions.  

Picture this: In-person sessions usually require the therapist and student to sit either side by side or across the table from one another.  They may be in an office or even a home setting, and there may be outside noises or distractions. The therapist may use a boxed program that includes hand-on activities, so there is a lot of shuffling and moving things around on the table. There are not a lot of options, because shifting gears with different materials is time-consuming. How much of that hour is used saying hello, setting up materials, working with the child, giving or receiving feedback, and saying goodbye? 

Now picture online sessions: Your child logs in and wears a headset during our sessions.  This helps with focus because it filters out environmental noises and distractions.  Because I use several and varied online programs, games, videos, and tools, I can switch from one activity to another with a click, and because your child will directly interact with the activities on the screen, they will be engaged and learning the entire session. 

You don’t need a formal diagnosis to begin improving your child’s outcomes.  If you are reading this, chances are your child is struggling with reading.  While a diagnosis has many benefits,  we can begin improving your child's reading skills without a diagnosis. 

If your primary goal is to receive services in the school setting for your child, testing is a must. But, if your priority is to get your child reading and learning in a way that makes sense to them, then I highly suggest you seek intervention sooner rather than later.  Plus, structured literacy therapy will the be the number one recommendation of a psychologist if your child is diagnosed with dyslexia. 

By starting intervention now, you can start your child on the path to reading success, and you can get a diagnosis later if you feel it’s still necessary. 

The amount of time needed to get your child to grade level depends on several factors, including your child's starting level, their individual needs, and their consistency with practice.  

Most of the children I work with make make significant gains in just 20 weeks. Most improve 1 to 2 grade levels in that time, and some children take longer.  Our daily sessions are customized specifically for your child, and their independent practice is modified based on their performance.

I specialize in working with children between the ages of 6 - 9 years.  This is the critical time for successful intervention. 

The TDC Action Plan is not a good fit for children who have a receptive language disorder - one in which a child struggles to understand and process the messages and information they receive from others. 

Yes. To do this you will need to follow the IRS Publication for medical and dental expenses and have a physician’s recommendation. See the section in the IRS Publication on Special Education for details.

In 2016, the Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses (pdf), the section on Special Education said “You can include in medical expenses fees you pay on a doctor’s recommendation for a child’s tutoring by a teacher who is specially trained and qualified to work with children who have learning disabilities caused by mental or physical impairments, including nervous system disorders.”

When preparing your taxes, it may help to make a copy of Publication 502, circle the pertinent section and send it along, with your physician’s note to your tax preparer.

Potentially, yes. The IRS definition of a qualified medical expense is quite broad and includes therapy for “learning disabilities” (AKA: dyslexia). See page 13 of this IRS publication (pdf).  We suggest that customers contact their accountant or tax preparer to determine if they qualify for this deduction. If it appears you will qualify, note that a physician’s recommendation is required.  

A physician’s recommendation is generally very easy to get. Here’s how:

• Make an appointment with your child’s primary care provider.
• During the appointment, explain that you would like to get reading therapy for your child and that the IRS requires a physician’s written recommendation.
• Explain that the type of therapy you want to use is the same type recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (We’d be happy to respond to your physician’s questions about these guidelines.)
• The physician can write this recommendation on a prescription pad or in a letter.
• File the physician’s letter with your taxes.

Of course! Call Danielle at 561.517.0420