Building Strong Readers, One Step at a Time
DIRECT, EXPLICIT, SYSTEMATIC, AND CUMULATIVE
At OptiNet Reading, I am committed to providing tutoring in a structured literacy framework. A structured literacy approach is what the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) states is the most effective approach to teaching reading and spelling (IDA, 2020). These same principles are shared by the Orton Gillingham (OG) approach (Orton-Gillingham Academy, 2022).
A learning plan will be tailored to build on an individual student's current reading skills while identifying skill gaps. We will follow a logical and sequential plan and you can expect the instruction to be direct, explicit, and multisensory to build and strengthen the neural pathways necessary for proficient reading, spelling and writing. This will facilitate students to achieve their full potential in a supportive and engaging environment.
40-60% of learners NEED explicit instruction and repetitions in order to read, spell and write proficiently.
Moats, L.C. (2020) Speech to Print (3rd ed.)
see also this great graphic: Nancy Young's Ladder of Reading (2012/2023).
SERVICES OFFERED
Assessment and Placement
I offer assessments of foundational reading skills and oral reading fluency which will identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth. I typically use the CORE Phonics Survey, DIBELS and/or Acadience. Most schools complete a Universal Screener and/or a Dyslexia Screener, so an assessment may not be needed. We can start with a quick placement checkpoint that will indicate where we should start in the scope and sequence.
Tutoring Sessions
Tutoring sessions to build foundational reading skills using UFLI Foundations are structured, explicit, and follow a consistent four-part routine to support mastery and steady progress. I provide direct instruction in phonics - decoding and encoding - as well as word reading and connected text, guiding the student step by step. Students practice reading, spelling, and writing with immediate, specific feedback to strengthen accuracy and confidence.
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I also tutor students who have strong decoding skills but need support in fluency. This was the focus of my small group practicum with two rising 6th graders. With reader's theater scripts, speeches and poems along with reinforcing strategies for decoding multisyllable words we can work on reading rate, accuracy and prosody.
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Learn more here about the research and evidence-based, explicit, and systematic phonics program, UFLI Foundations.
Progress Monitoring
We will do regular progress monitoring, which will vary in timing based on the frequency of sessions. Typically, that will be an oral reading fluency for word reading or connected text depending on the developmental stage of the student. We will plot growth and discuss how the student is tracking towards their goal.
Contact me to get more information on pricing and schedule availability.
ABOUT ME and MY TRAINING
Hi, I’m Patti and this is a short recap of my background and how I came to this second career in tutoring. I grew up in a college town in an education family. I always thought I would end up in some form of education at some point, but my ultimate journey was unexpected. It started in 2019 when I began digging into achievement data in our school district and simultaneously finding a group of parents who were navigating educational supports for their neurodiverse children. The next thing you know, I’m enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) and getting a certificate in Dyslexia Assessment & Intervention. I didn’t immediately transition into tutoring, but I continued learning and advocating for improved literacy instruction in our schools. After nearly 30 years in retail supply chain software, now is the time for me to pivot and follow my passion into helping struggling readers succeed!
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I've been volunteering in the ReadLive! program at a local elementary school for the last three years and I'm currently working with Littera Education as a virtual tutor for K-5 Reading and ELA.
Graduate Certificate in Dyslexia Assessment & Intervention, University of Florida Literacy Institute. My studies included an intensive1:1 practicum as well as a small group practicum. The program is accredited by the International Dyslexia Association.
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Cox Campus Structured Literacy Certificate
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The Cox Campus Structured Literacy Program has been officially accredited by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) for meeting the Knowledge and Practice Standards (KPS) for teachers of reading.
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The Cox Campus Structured Literacy Program contains 11 courses that cover the IDA KPS and provide learners with critical knowledge for systematic and explicit implementation of Structured Literacy in the classroom.
WHAT I WANT TO KEEP LEARNING ABOUT!
Speech-to-Print
Morphology
The Science of Writing
I want to know more about Morphology and how to teach it to amplify reading knowledge. Morphemes are the smallest unit of meaning in language and teaching them gains importance as students encounter complex, multisyllabic words in later grades. This year, UFLI is launching a Word Origins program (adapted from an Australian program) for grades 3-6 and I can’t wait to check that out. I've pre-ordered the manuals and curriculum and anxiously await it's arrival in late summer - stay tuned for more information on this!
With the evolving science in mind, I want to delve into linguistic phonics. This phonics methodology is very much a speech-to-print approach that focuses on the 44 phonemes and stresses a ‘set for variability’ rather than stressing spelling rules. Considering working memory challenges that some students have, this is an interesting premise and I want to know more!
I love digging into research papers and meta-analyses when I can, so I will continue following podcasts and Facebook groups to stay up to date on the newest research available. The Science of Reading is an evolving body of work and we have to stay flexible and open to learning what the newest data say about how best to teach reading.
Organizing thoughts, generating content and editing is not easy for many students. I've heard my professor father complain many times over the years about the poor writing from college students. I feel like this is a content area that may not get enough time and effort in our schools. There's a framework called Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) to support writing skills that I want to study and learn about.