Learning Issues for Tutoring
ADHD, Autism, Asperger, NVLD, Dyslexia, Motivation, Organization
It is through intensive work that students develop their own learning ‘tools.’ They, through my work with them, learn how to study on an independent level. Simply, like Piaget, I meet students at their level of development, and create situations that serve as optimal learning environments. Students have ongoing opportunities to discover the skills needed for effective reading, writing, and math during tutor sessions with me.
Reading, Spelling and Speech need Phonemic Awareness:
There are varying models of how language development occurs with sound words (phonemes) and printed words (graphemes). My technique reflects a synergy by guiding learners’ prior auditory experiences to text and supporting construction of meaning without prior experience to script.
Each individual has varying needs as they address phonemic awareness issues. Distortions in hearing or auditory processing can contribute to behavioral or learning disorders.
Some gaps in phonemic awareness stem from hearing that is disorganized, erratic, asymmetrical, hypersensitive, or otherwise abnormal. If students need my skills in enhancing phonemic awareness, I may combine such services with licensed speech pathologists. My tutor sessions include lessons learned during trainings in Orton Gillingham and material by Lindamood Bell.
Visual art is used as a tool to allow people to turn 2 dimensional, ‘lifeless’ words into movie like mental images. Gestalt imagery is used to enhance comprehension, while making reading an empowering experience that is fun.
Relaxation techniques and coaching help undo a history of shame that is often associated with learning; this occurs during tutor sessions. Students are taught to see relaxation and focus as a synergistic process.
Computers and learning software are used on an individual basis.
In short, my individualized tutoring methods allow the term learning disability to simply mean learn differently.
ADD/ADHD symptoms as with Dyslexia, Autism, and Asperger's Disorder are addressed in a team fashion. Such team may include parents or guardians, teachers, optometrists, psychiatrists, and other professional treatment providers; my experience as a tutor who met with such people has played a key role in students success.
Autism is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). PDD-NOS pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified is on the ASD spectrum.
ASDs symptoms reflects a need to integrate often exceptional non-interpersonal skills with social development. I work with people to complete reading, writing and math in a way that promotes awareness of social context and value.
Clients are sometimes referred to optometrists who specialize in how learning interrelates with decoding words; naturally, as a tutor I always differ to the parents for the final decision. We work as a team to complement each other’s visual learning services. Students are able to overcome, through individualized occipital exercises, visual learning deficits. Students learn visual exercises that help them coordinate the use of their left and right brains. Bright people have gaps in how they process left and right brain thoughts and, in so, are perceived as permanently slow learners. I have effectively worked with students who are able to, through such process, improve their grades and discover the joy of reading. Too many people are unable to hold words, in an organized fashion, in their minds. They may see letters in reverse, parts of words, or their eyes may inadvertently skip to a different sentence. Such visual skills are interrelated with verbal processing. Such techniques allow students to develop a more robust or complete visual learning process. Specific visual processing methods, which allow students to read in a way that is fluent and with good comprehension, are integral components of my services.