Individualized Learning

Welcome to Literacy Illuminated, where we are committed to providing high-impact learning services, tailored to the individual needs of elementary, middle, and high-school students. We routinely turn potential areas of academic weakness into strengths, using current, evidence-based instruction. Our methods are grounded in centuries of brain research, and more recent fMRI brain imaging—the Science of Reading. A gradual release model for instruction is used; our students strengthen their abilities with practice, and over time. We use a structured literacy approach. This includes multisensory Orton-Gillingham instruction. The explicit, direct instruction of the Structured Literacy approach works with how our brains learn language. With systematic, sequential, individualized and cumulative instruction, we are able to prevent and treat the experience of reading failure.

Intake and Evaluation:

Intake Steps:

1. Schedule a free 30-minute phone call with Jen to see if we might be a good fit.

2. Full Intake - An in-depth exchange of documents, review of information, coordination with the school, family, and speaking with other providers. After the intake, the child will be matched with an appropriate provider, who is then introduced to the family.

3. Sessions begin- The assigned provider and student begin working together!

4. Progress monitoring, monthly updates, elective family coaching and in-school support.

At Literacy Illuminated, we believe in the power of understanding students’ unique interests, personality, strengths, and needs. That's why we start with relationship-building and assessment. We are continually monitoring the progress of our students as they develop.

Our literacy assessments encompass a range of crucial pre-reading and reading skills. We delve into phonological* and phonemic awareness, alphabet recognition and fluency, knowledge of letter sounds, sound groupings, spelling of phonetic and non-phonetic words, reading comprehension, and all aspects of writing. We serve as guides on the side— leading students through each step of the learning process.

We provide frequent feedback to our students and their parents; we value your input as well! Our team recognizes the fact that parents know their children best. Initially, families participate in an individual intake interview to provide their insights about the child(ren) and their educational goals. We also speak with the student in order to hear their perspective. Utilizing student and parent input, the data gathered from our assessments, Individualized Education Plan (IEP) documents, and information shared by the child’s school/teacher, our expert team crafts instructional targets for our work with students. We design and revise learning goals with input and the outcome that we seek at the forefront of our work.

Academic Consulting/Advocacy:

We are dedicated to ensuring that every student receives the support(s) needed in order to thrive. We offer comprehensive assistance in drafting school-based Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). This process can include reviewing and offering suggestions to existing IEP and 504 plans. As educators ourselves, we offer doable, easy-to-implement suggestions to parents, teachers, counselors, and schools, in cooperation with other providers. We provide recommendations for less formal supports, if they would benefit the student.

Parents may choose to schedule individual family-education sessions with Jen. During educational sessions, parents learn more about Orton-Gillingham methods. We provide an in-depth look at activities in Phonics First and Structures. This is a scheduled time for additional conversation and an exchange of information.

We stand committed to using our voice(s) as professionals to advocate for the students we serve (who may not be able to advocate for themselves yet); we teach the student how to self-advocate as well. Our goal is always to ensure students receive the appropriate scaffolds and services for their individual growth. “A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

Community:

Our team of educators and specialists recognize that navigating the journey of raising a neurodivergent child may feel isolating. Despite dyslexia impacting 1 in 5 learners, the experience can present unique challenges for students and their families. We give students the strategies they need to turn a challenge into a strength. We understand how widespread neurodiversity is; we value neurodiversity and celebrate it! Just as each of our bodies is different, we all think differently.

That's why we're dedicated to more than just academic support—we're committed to fostering community and connection. If interested, we can connect you with valuable educational resources, parent groups, and like-minded community members. Our aim is to provide a supportive network able to: embrace, elevate, and celebrate students’ academic journeys. We take pride in witnessing students not only develop new capabilities, but also experience a profound increase in their self-confidence. One child at a time, we aim to provide effective and equitable literacy instruction.

*Phonological Awareness is the awareness that spoken language can be broken into smaller units. It includes the ability to identify and manipulate various units of sound in speech, including syllables, onsets, and rimes. Phonemic awareness is the highest level and a subset of phonological awareness. Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to hear, identify, locate and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) within words.