You know it's not a matter of intelligence, but…
- There is difficulty in school or at work – math, spelling, reading, and writing are difficult
- You have had tutors, advantaged special programs, repeated grades, but nothing helps
There is Frustration, Anger, and Discouragement!
For a family with a child displaying these characteristics, or an adult of any age, it becomes an urgent matter to find a learning atmosphere in which this person can develop. Without special assistance, the person with a language difficulty (such as dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, non-verbal learning disabilities, central [processing disorders, and reactive attachment disorder) find learning/work a frustrating experience and falls behind, frequently losing self-confidence and self-concept; often becoming a behavior problem at home, work, or in school.
Marin Dakota Consulting, Ltd. offers you/your child tutoring, consulting, coaching, advocacy, and application to business to assist in dealing with today’s issues and expectations.
We follow the purpose as stated by the International Dyslexia Association:
The Purpose:
To pursue and provide the most comprehensive range of information and services that address the full scope of dyslexia and related difficulties in learning to read and write…
In order to provide hope, possibility and partnership – so that every individual has the opportunity to lead a productive and fulfilling life, and from which society benefits.
For children, we work with the parent and the school:
- As a team to achieve our best together
- As a team in culture of mutual trust and respect
- Communicating with each other openly and candidly
- Toward achieving the best outcome together
Evaluations and Admission
We evaluate to determine the basic problem with learning, that there are no primary emotional problems which would prevent a successful learning experience.
The following procedures are followed:
- A screening test of Language Difficulty
- Review of past medical and school records
- Further testing, only if necessary
What Makes A Significant Difference?
The National Institute of Child Health Development (NICHD) Findings on Reading
What works to improve reading?
- Begin teaching phonological and phonemic awareness directly at an early age (kindergarten)
- Teach frequent highly regular sound-spelling relationships systematically
- Build fluency in reading through direct instruction
- Model for students exactly how to sound out words… and provide practice
- Use interesting stories to develop language comprehension
- Reread for fluency
- Teach the structure of the English language at all levels in reading, spelling
The Orton-Gillingham/Slingerland Approach meets all the NICHD criteria for quality instruction
National Reading Panel (Congressionally mandated)
What factors significantly improve reading across all groups?
- Alphabetics – Phonemic Awareness and Phonics
- Fluency
- Comprehension – Vocabulary Instruction and Text Comprehension
- Teacher Education and Reading Instruction
- Computer Technology
Orton-Gillingham/Slingerland Approach
Characteristics are:
- Simultaneous and Multisensory Instruction
- Structured
- Sequential, building on previous learning
- Alphabetic-phonetic
- Teaches to the intellect
- Stresses over-teaching and over-learning
- Build intersensory associations
- Success oriented
- Uses any reading material and/or curriculum
Do you or your child have exhibit any of these symptoms?
- Reads very poorly
- Struggles with the mechanics of reading (inserts or omits words, guesses, ignores phrases, and/or punctuation marks)
- Learns to read (or read well enough) to “get by” in school/work only to collapse when there are higher expectations
- Reads at age level, but fails at spelling
- Unable to spell previously “memorized” words or dictated sentences or in prepositional written expressions
- Leaves out or inserts letters: misplaces, adds, or omits whole syllables
- Has adequate ability to express self orally, but almost none for written expression
- Mispronounces, misuses, or fails to retain words for verbal use
If you do, we offer solutions and alternatives. Marin Dakota, Ltd. stands ready to help. Please contact us today.