Pam has picked up a book and is reading on her own!”

When I began working with seven-year-old Pam, reading and writing were slow and laborious for her, and more than a paragraph was daunting. Pam loved animals and dinosaurs and they would frequently join our sessions and be an encouragement to her.  She was (and is) also creatively gifted in drawing as well as storytelling.

To help her enjoy solidifying the alphabet and its sounds she drew pictures for each letter and sound. We called it “Pam’s alphabet.” It was fun for both of us as she came up with her own ideas for each of the letters and what to draw. Boy was she quick with ideas! And the drawing was automatic. I was amazed!

As we worked through the OG progressions together we continued to incorporate her artistic and creative story-telling throughout the many decoding and encoding skills taught in each progression.

I noticed her self-esteem and stamina increase as a result of our consistency over many sessions. It was thrilling when I received a text message one day from her mom saying, “Pam has picked up a book and is reading on her own!” She has also written and illustrated a book. Yay, Pam!

Now Reading at Grade Level

I began working with Mimi when she was 7. Mimi was (and still is) a hard worker but experienced some anxiety due to her difficulties when we began working together. We would use her breathing to help her relax or stand up and wiggle to release tension. This, coupled with the structure and sequencing of the reading and spelling skills in the Orton-Gillingham progressions, helped her gain skills and confidence.

One of her dreams was to be an actress. I began to integrate reading some plays with her. The whole family got in on the act! I am happy to say that after a year and a half of consistent practice, Mimi has just gone into the fourth grade and is reading at grade level! Yay, Mimi!

Now Initiating and Participating in Class!

Crosby, a second grader I work with, has some reading difficulties and was very hard on himself about them. After discovering that he loves Star Wars, we began keeping a Star Wars chart to help him focus and stay on task. This has been a huge motivator for him as we work through the Orton-Gillingham approach.

As his efforts have increased, his reading skills and self-esteem have also improved. We also engage in the read, crunch, and throw game (see Natan’s story of success) and we play tag when he needs a brain break. Reading is beginning to be fun! Already, his teacher and on-site learning specialist have told me they see a big turnaround in his initiating and participating in class. Yay, Crosby!