Dyslexia – Learning Differences in acquisition of reading and writing and spelling
Crackerjack Kids provide Screening Assessments and Tuition services for primary and secondary students with dyslexia.
Dyslexia is the most researched and identified learning difference affecting up to 30% of the population. We at Crackerjack Kids advocate for both early identification and intervention.
We provide Orton Gillingham based Multisensory Structured Literacy instruction for children withdyslexia or related language difficulties. Instruction occurs for 1 to 5 hours per week depending on the needs of the child.
Central to our instruction is a focus on the specific learning needs of the individual learner. To become competent readers and writers we must master the basic knowledge about language and its relationship to writing, however students with dyslexia need direct and systematic instruction to
assist obtaining these basic elements of language.
Our instruction is both diagnostic and prescriptive. The lessons are written for each individual’s needs and these needs are communicated to parents and school- teachers as appropriate.
Instruction is:
- Direct and explicit, whereby the sequence of skills taught ensure that students are successful. Each individual skill is practiced until mastered and never is the student expected to know anything that has not been previously taught or practiced.
- Language based including phonological (sound structure), morphological (form of words), and orthographical (writing convention) conventions of the English Language. Students learn that these structures help with reading, spelling, vocabulary and comprehension.
The teaching approach is multi-sensory whereby sessions include auditory, kinaesthetic and visual elements creating optimal learning. Spelling is taught alongside reading which differs from most traditional phonics instruction.
The elements of the language are introduced systematically. Students begin by reading and writing sounds in isolation. These are combined into words and syllables. The various elements of the language (consonants, digraphs, blends, and diphthongs) are introduced in a systematic fashion. As students learn new material in a structured, sequential, and cumulative manner they continue to review older material for mastery.
Teachers teach metacognitive – strategies, and the students benefit from learning how the English language works, for example why some words are phonetic, while others need to be learned another way. Students learn strategies that are not reliant on guessing or memory.
Most importantly, students experience a high degree of success with each successive session and their confidence grows. Self -esteem develops from their success of learning how to read and spell and learning becomes a positive experience.
Suitable Programmes:
Multisensory Structured Language (MSL)
Children learn the skills of reading and spelling
Children learn to write cohesive text beginning at sentence level, moving to paragraph level, through to text level.
Phonological and Phoneme Awareness Classes
Creating the ability to focus on and manipulate sounds in spoken words.
Creating the ability for automaticity in the act of handwriting
An introduction to phonological awareness, reading, spelling, handwriting and numeracy
If you are interested in enrolling in Crackerjack Kids class, please do not hesitate to contact us.