Article Excerpt:

Outside help

The director of a private tutoring company says it is possible to help students who have characteristics of dyslexia.

“We can make accommodations based on how the student learns,” said Dr. Teresa Flores, director of Sylvan Learning Center. “They can definitely be successful here.”

Sylvan will test the student for reading comprehension, she said. Topics may include phonics, vocabulary and fluency. Sylvan will build a program based on that assessment. Depending on the student’s needs, the tutor may work with him or her orally or let the child read aloud.

“We give different levels of assistance,” Flores said. “The greatest challenge is confidence. Usually … they’ve gone several years struggling with reading and not knowing why. Not being self-confident – we help by providing a lot of positive reinforcement. Everyone here is doing their own program, so there’s no comparing to others.”