Tutor of Reading for Students with Dyslexia, and Spanish

Terri R.

Dyslexia

I am a certified Wilson Language instructor. Wilson is a program that teaches reading and spelling to students with dyslexia and other language disorders which make it difficult for students to decode. I have over ten years of experience teaching Wilson at a school for students with learning disabilities (including some summer sessions). I also presented a PowerPoint once to the reading department at my school called "Double Deficit Dyslexia" based on research that I did over the summer for professional development. I am presently using aspects of this program to tutor students in decoding Hebrew at a local Hebrew school.

Elementary (K-6th)

For the Rochester City School district, several years ago, I tutored some elementary school students. For BOCES Home/Hospital Tutoring; I tutored some elementary school age students (Reading and Bilingual Education (Spanish/English). For the Norman Howard School, for two summers, I tutored elementary aged students in Decoding. I am presently tutoring a student with dyslexia who is an elementary school student, and I tutor Hebrew reading at Temple Beth El to students in 2nd-6th grade. I have taught reading decoding skills via Fundations and the Wilson Reading Program. I have also been a song-leader for kids preschool-6th grade.

ESL/ESOL

I am not certified to teach ESOL but I have a Spanish teaching background and I did take some ESOL training when I prepared for and received my Master's degree in Bilingual and Multicultural Educations. I taught ESOL several years ago one summer several years ago at the Ibero American Action League and I have also tutored ESOL to students in Spain in the 1980's. Since then I have taught and tutored various subjects including Spanish, ESOL, French, and Reading. I also have experience with Special Education as I taught for 11 years at a school for students with language and other learning disabilities. I make a student's lesson individualized, enriching, and fun! I try to achieve excellent improvement, as can be shown in formal or informal assessments, and of course by a student's own observations.

Hebrew

I am a part-time Learning Specialist at a Hebrew School where I tutor Hebrew reading "decoding" to students with language and or reading difficulties. I also can tutor Hebrew "trope" chanting for the Torah (Scriptures) or Haftorah (Prophets), which can help prepare students for their Bar or Bat Mitzvahs. I am very proficient at Hebrew decoding and with "basic" vocabulary, but I am not proficient in Hebrew conversation. I incorporate multi-sensory techniques, and research based methodologies in my tutoring, and I make reading Hebrew a fun and easy-to-learn activity.

Phonics

I have a certificate in the Wilson Language Program, a multi-sensory program that is designed to teach reading and spelling to students with dyslexia and other language needs. Students learn various strategies such as tapping, scooping syllables, and skywriting to facilitate their ability to read independently. Within this reading program, students also practice fluency drills, both in class and for homework. In addition, students learn visualization and retelling strategies. Using the Wilson program, I have taught and tutored students for 10 years and with great results! Wilson is more than a phonics program, it is a very comprehensive program which leads the way to further reading success! I would however, need to either borrow materials or purchase a kit from the Wilson Language catalogue, which I would be willing to do if students have an interest in the program.

Reading

I am certified in teaching the Wilson Language Program, a program that is geared for students with decoding difficulties, and there is significant practice in this program in the area of accuracy and fluency. I also have experience in teaching from "Fundations", a program for decoding that is geared for younger kids. Regarding fluency, I have used fluency packets from Wilson and Foundations, as well as Read Naturally. I am presently employed part-time during the school year as a Learning Specialist for a Hebrew School; and in addition to consulting with teachers who have students with learning disabilities, I tutor Hebrew reading(mostly decoding) to students with learning disabilities. I also have experience teaching comprehension and have received some training from Linda-Mood Bell Co. in "Visualization and Verbalization", a program that focuses on the importance of generating images in order to better retain and comprehend information from a text. I have over ten years of experience in teaching Wilson and some Fundations at a private school for students with learning disabilities, as well as several other years of experience of teaching other disciplines to students with a variety of ages backgrounds, and learning challenges. I love teaching reading and I make kids' learning fun, interactive, and result oriented.

Spanish

I have a BA in Spanish from Allegheny College, and I have a Diploma de Cursos Hispanicos from the University of Madrid. I have my MS from the SUNY at Brockport, in Bilingual Education, and I have years of experience using my bilingual skills and in teaching or tutoring Spanish. I have experience in tutoring Spanish to students with special needs. I am most comfortable tutoring high school subjects Spanish I -III.

Special Needs

I taught Wilson reading for 11 years in a school for students with learning disabilities. I have tutored students with special needs at BOCES. I am certified in Wilson Reading, All Kinds of Minds, Thinking Maps, Visualizing/Verbalizing, Seeing Stars. I have tutored students with PDD, ADD, dyslexia, auditory and language processing issues, and spacial visual disabilities.

Spelling

I am certified in the Wilson Language Program. This is a program that involves the learning of reading and spelling in a systematic and multi-sensory fashion. Some students are able to read well but lack spelling skills. I have just finished working via WyzAnt with a student who benefited from the spelling aspect of this program and from my skills. Please see recent Feedback from a parent of that students.

Writing

I am tutor who could be very helpful in teaching writing for both personal and professional reasons. Personally, I have struggled with writing as a child, and I can sympathize with frustrations that students may have when they have to write a paper. It wasn't until I attended a writing clinic in college and then in grad school via tutoring, that I improved my writing skills and lessened my anxiety in performing this task. I must have come out OK, because I ended up writing two very successful theses: One an 89 page historical play in Spanish for my BA and a 120 page research project for my Master's degree. Writing for me is now painless, easy, and rewarding. Professionally, I have had experience as a teacher, tutor and teacher's assistant, in working with students who struggle with writing. I have learned novel techniques in brainstorming,researching,and organizing information for papers, whether that assignment be one paragraph, a DBQ for Social Studies, or a longer essay or paper. I do hope that you consider me for yourself or for your child as a writing tutor.