Intentional,
Student-Focused Learning

Orton–Gillingham is a teaching approach that was designed to help struggling readers. It explicitly teaches the connections between letters and sounds. It’s an explicit, systematic, sequential, multi-sensory, cumulative, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach literacy.

• It is great for all students.
• Evidence-based and scientific research has shown that using the Orton-Gillingham teaching approach can restructure the brain to help students learn to read and spell.
• It can be used with all students even if they do not have a learning disability - children and adults, beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced learners.
• Orton Gillingham is an approach, not a specific program and it is required for students with dyslexia.

"Intervention" is typically used to target specific learning disabilities and is thus tailored for each individual student.

"Remediation" is slightly different in that it's appropriate for virtually any student who has not yet mastered a particular concept, typically related to math or reading.

• Without addressing gaps in knowledge, students are unable to form the foundation needed for future success.
• Instead of ignoring these gaps, we do an immediate remediation, or "reteaching," to address the area of weakness.
• The quicker intervention/remediation can be done, the better.
• Students need instruction at the appropriate pacing and in a way they will learn the material.

We determine our approach to intervention and remediation by first thoroughly reviewing the student's school work, standardized assessments, and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). We also discuss current progress and needs with parents, teachers, and anyone else who may work with the students. We then perform our own assessments and address the student's needs right away.

"Acceleration" is an academic intervention that moves students through an educational program at a rate faster or at an age that is younger than typical. It's about creating a better match between the readiness and motivation of a student and the level/pace of instruction. 

• Students can be identified as “gifted and talented” in the school setting, but not put in an "accelerated" learning program for advanced learning.
• With our students, we can set an individualized advanced learning plan (ALP) for their needs.
• The Colorado Department of Education defines twice-exceptionality. Twice-exceptional (2e) students are gifted students with disabilities.
• Twice-exceptional students are difficult to identify and support because they possess the characteristics of gifted students and the characteristics of students with disabilities. Gifted characteristics may mask disabilities, or disabilities may mask gifted potential; either students’ strengths, disabilities, or both may not be identified.
• These students are typically the least supported in a school setting and can often can be bored at school, as a tutor we match the student where they are and provide them the right amount of acceleration without skipping vital information that may create holes later in their learning.

The Common Core State Standards were developed for K-12 students in the United States public educational school system.  They were designed on the belief that every student deserves access to the right resources and rigor at the right moment in their education, no matter a child’s background.

• They are divided by grade level into two topics: English Language Arts and Mathematics.
• Each grade level has different domains which is then broken down into specific standards.
• The idea is if a student can do all these things by the time they leave “x” grade, they will be prepared to learn the grade level content for the following year.

As a team, we aim to identify the problem areas that the student may be experiencing in these areas and create individualized plans to help them reach the Common Core State Standards.

According to the International Dyslexia Association: “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.”

To get a quick overview of what dyslexia is and what your child may be experiencing, please watch this 4-minute TedEd video.

Learn more about our approach to dyslexia.