Very Experienced SLP, SDC Teacher, and Private Academic Tutor. ^_^

Christy W.

Accent Reduction

My background as a Speech & Language Pathologist with decades of experience working with students ages 2 years-22 years old, improving their speech sound production skills (including accent reduction), qualifies me as a tutor in this specific area. In addition, I also took 5 consecutive years of Spanish classes in school from 6th-10th grades, have spoken intermediate level Spanish since that time with Spanish speaking children and adults, in my personal life, at work,& while traveling in Spain. During my adult years, I have taken classes in Beginning Conversational Italian and Beginning Conversational German, which I used while traveling in Italy, Austria, & Germany. My knowledge of conversational German allowed me to teach it to a home-bound high school tutoring student who was taking a class in German (which he subsequently passed). Since 2022, I have been taking online lessons in beginning Mandarin Chinese and beginning Korean, as I continue to be interested in learning new languages. The knowledge I've acquired and the practice I have had in speaking the various languages mentioned above, combined with my career and experience as a Speech Pathologist, have given me a unique perspective of the similarities and differences between the phonics/sound systems/correct pronunciation/accents of those languages and my native language of American English.

ADHD

I worked full-time as a Special Education/Special Day Class Teacher at the elementary school level with students diagnosed with a variety of moderate to severe disability types, including Learning Disabilities, High Functioning Autism, Communicatively Handicapped, Emotionally Disturbed, Behaviorally Disordered, and Oppositional-Defiance Disordered. I have been trained in, and have successfully used the following remedial programs with my students: Touch Math, The Wilson Reading Program, The Sing, Spell, Read & Write Program, and the Lindamood Auditory Discrimination in Depth Program. In addition, I have also successfully taught both Printing Handwriting and Cursive Writing to my elementary students.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Over four decades, I have worked with many Autistic students, ranging from mild (high functioning) to Severe/Profound levels of the spectrum scale. I have worked with these students (aged 2 years old to 22 years old) as both a full time Special Education/Special Day Class Teacher as well as an Itinerant Speech and Language Pathologist. I believe my many years of experience working with Autistic Students, in addition to my Degrees in Speech Pathology and Special Education, qualify me as an academic tutor to students with an Autism Diagnosis.

Dyslexia

I have 9 years of experience working as a full-time SDC teacher in the public school setting with Elementary School students, and 20+ years working as a Speech and Language Therapist with Elementary, Middle School, High School, and Transition Program School Special Needs Students who presented with a variety of Disability Types and Severity Levels, including Learning Disabilities and Language Delays. Many of the students I worked with exhibited Mild to Severe Dyslexia. My approach to helping these students improve their reading skills, spelling skills, writing skills, and handwriting skills, involved incorporating fun and creative ways to actively engage students beginning at their specific academic proficiency levels, which was very effective in helping them increase their overall literacy skills. I I believe my many years of experience teaching Learning Disabled/Dyslexic students, in addition to my Degrees in Speech & Language Pathology and Special Education, qualify me as an excellent academic tutor in the area of Dyslexia.

Elementary (K-6th)

I have 9 years of experience working as a full-time Special Education/Special Day Class Teacher in the public school setting with Elementary School Special Needs Students, grades K - 6th, My prior students presented with a variety of Disability Types and Severity Levels often 2 years or more delays, involving the following disability types: Learning Disabilities, High Functioning Autism, Communicatively Handicapped, Intellectually Delayed, and Emotionally Disturbed, . My approach to helping these students improve their academic skills was to use fun and engaging lessons and activities in the following subject areas on a daily basis: math, reading comprehension, reading decoding/acuity, spelling, writing, handwriting science, social studies, music, art, physical education, and socialization with peers. My lessons and activities beginning at their specific academic proficiency levels were very effective in helping them increase their overall academic skills. I I believe my many years of experience teaching Special Needs Students at the K-6th grade levels, in addition to my Degrees in Speech Pathology and Special Education, qualify me as an excellent academic tutor in the area of Elementary School Academics.

Elementary Math

I have a Master of Arts Degree in Special Education/Learning Disabilities from California Lutheran College (now known as California Lutheran University) in Thousand Oaks, California. I also have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech and Language Pathology from La Verne College (now known as The University of La Verne). In addition, I currently have a California Credential in Speech, Language, and Hearing Therapy with Classroom Authorization.

Fiction Writing

To date, I have had 4 decades of experience teaching Writing Skills, Including Creative Writing and Fiction Writing to Special Needs students who presented with delays in the general area of Language Arts, including Written Language Skills in the Elementary, Middle School, and High School Levels. This includes 9 years of experience working as a full-time Special Education/Special Day Class teacher as well as 20+ years as a full-time Speech and LANGUAGE Pathologist in the public school setting. Many of my prior students presented with a variety of Disability Types and Severity Levels, including Mild to Moderate Delays. During these years I have taught General Writing Skills and Creative Writing Skills (including Fiction Writing) building on my student's current levels of Written Language proficiency. My primary approach has always been to incorporate fun and creative ways that actively engage students during their writing lessons and activities, with both individual assignments and group assignments. I I believe my many years of experience teaching writing skills to students at many grade levels, in addition to my Degrees in Speech Pathology and Special Education, qualify me as an excellent Fiction Writing tutor to students who exhibit delays in this area.

Homeschool

I have had 2 years of homeschooling my own children (1 daughter and 1 son) during their 5th & 6th grades at the Elementary School Level, as well as a Homeschool Tutor via The R.E.A.L. Tutoring Center in Southern New Jersey with a variety of homebound students (including 1 incarcerated student in a county jail), ranging from Kindergarten through High School for 3 additional years. Also, I sincerely and strongly believe that my past experience working full time over 4 decades as a Special Educator in the fields of Special Education/Learning Disabilities & Speech/Language Pathology, qualify me as a tutor for homeschooled students.

Sewing

My qualifications to tutor Sewing are as follows: I began sewing classes at age 12 at a Singer Sewing Machine store, learning basics & completing 2 of simple projects (a scarf and a cloth shoulder bag). I then took 4 years of more advanced sewing classes in Home Economics (7th-10th grades). From 9th grade on, I sewed many of my school dresses (ex: the required '2"-above-the-knee-length' dresses & skirts; floor-length dresses for 2 school choir groups performances, 2 proms,1 Senior Luncheon, & 1 floor length skirt with long sleeved blouse costume for 'Pioneer Day'. Later, I sewed my wedding dress & veil, 2 bridesmaids dresses; & many boys/girls/women's clothes & costumes for casual wear/plays/Halloween/Martial Arts/Cosplay. I also sew quilts by hand & machine. Sewing is my life-long hobby & passion! My professional career/experience as a public school Special Educator, teaching Special Needs students ages 2 - 22 years old, also prepared me to teach/tutor students wanting to learn how to sew,

Special Needs

I have 9 years of experience working as a full-time Special Education/Special Day Class Teacher in the public school setting with Elementary School Special Needs Students, grades K - 6th, I also have 20+ years of experience as a full time public school Speech and Language Pathologist, working with students ages 2 years through 22 years of age, who were identified with a variety of Disability Types and Severity Levels, including Mild to Profound Severity Levels, and also involving a large variety of disability types: Learning Disabilities, High Functioning Autism, Communicatively Handicapped, Pragmatically Delayed, Intellectually Delayed, Down Syndrome, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Failure to Thrive (due to multiple surgeries during infancy), Emotionally Disturbed, Behaviorally Disordered, and Oppositional-Defiance Disordered, . My approach to helping these students improve their academic, speech and language, pragmatic, and socialization skills was to use fun and engaging lessons and activities in the areas mentioned above. My lessons and activities beginning at their specific academic proficiency levels were very effective in helping them increase their overall academic, language, and social skills. I I believe my many years of experience teaching Special Needs Students at the 2 years old to 22 years old levels, in addition to my Degrees in Speech Pathology and Special Education/Learning Disabilities, qualify me as an excellent tutor of Special Needs Students of any age.