Anna was trained by Joan Knight (past president of the International Dyslexia Association) and specializes in the Orton-Gillingham Approach.

As a language-based, cognitive, and intensive approach, Orton-Gillingham is the one that is mostly associated with private tutoring.  It is especially advantageous and highly effective for dyslexic students who have difficulties with phonemic awareness and auditory processing.

Dyslexia is a specific neurological learning disability. It is characterized by challenges with accurate word recognition, poor spelling, and decoding abilities. These issues result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities. Problems may also occur with reading comprehension that can interfere with vocabulary development.

Orton-Gillingham has been validated and widely used for over 80 years because it works. It was designed by a neuropsychiatrist (Orton) and a gifted educator/psychologist (Gillingham), both having a superb mastery of language and a neuroscience background.

Learning literacy skills through Orton-Gillingham is the key to successful reading and writing. It is not a method or program like many others that mainly focus on reading with minimal spelling instruction. Through phonics instruction, children learn skills in a direct manner in building block fashion while thinking about the process. 

Overview of Instruction:

• Phonemic awareness, auditory/visual processing

• Visualizing, making connections

• Reading Comprehension

• Inferential Skills

• Decoding

• Handwriting

• Spelling

• Grammar

• Sentence construction

• Sample Phonics Skills:

  Digraphs: Combination of two letters (consonants or vowels) that make up one completely new sound; at beginning or end of words

• Consonant Digraphs:

  ch: chicken bench

  sh: shell fish

  th: think bath

  wh: whale what

  ng: sing hang

  ph: phone photo

  gh: tough graph

  ck: sock trick

• Vowel Digraphs:

  Long “a” sound: (ai: sail, rain) (ay: play, day)

  Long “e” sound: (ea: sea, read) (ie: piece, piece) (ei: receive)

  Long “i” sound: (ie: pie)

  Long “o” sound: (oa: boat) (oe: toe)

  Long “u” sound: (ue: true) (ew: flew) (ui: suit)

  Diphthongs: Two vowels paired together in a single syllable that create two separate sounds; the sound begins as one vowel and then

  “glides” into another vowel sound; usually found in middle of words

  oi (point) au (taught) ou (mouse)

Anna uses The Hochman Method of Writing for students who struggle with writing compositions, essays, and research papers. The program was developed by Dr. Judith Hochman, Prior Head of The Windward School in New York. This method is evidence-based, scaffolded, and explicit.

Overview of Strategies:

• Focuses on content knowledge which drives the rigor of writing activities

• Deeper level comprehension

• Analytical thinking

• Literal and interpretive meaning of text

• Grammar is taught in the context of student writing

• Vocabulary development

• Executive functioning skills

• Planning and revising are the two most important phases of writing

• Produce clear, coherent, fluent essays

Tutoring sessions are tailored to the specific needs of each student.  Collaboration with parents, teachers, and other professionals ensures that individual learning objectives are met.

In addition to reading and writing instruction, Anna assists students with subject-specific assignments and projects, as well as organizational and study skills.

Homeschooling/Small Pod Classes

Homeschooling and small pod classes have become popular alternatives to traditional schooling, and may become a permanent and positive educational change.  

Remote classes have inspired families to look closer at their children’s education and consider the option of high-quality private instruction that is consistent with national academic goals. 

In private or small in-person settings, children are fortunate to experience greater personalized attention as the learning differences of each student are addressed.  In this manner, a gap in potentially delayed skill acquisition during hybrid classes and a new curriculum can be closed.  

Stability and the least amount of disruption for children through consistent, face-to-face interaction is of utmost importance.