Print this pageAcademic Language Therapy
Program Information
Pebblecreek Montessori offers academic language therapy with full-time staff member Mrs. Tara Chapman, a certified Academic Language Therapist.
There are times when children are in need of additional language instruction. Academic language therapy can benefit children and adults who have been diagnosed with dyslexia (and/or related disorders such as dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, or ADD). Dyslexia stems from a problem with neurological wiring in the brain that makes it more difficult to learn to read, write, spell, and speak. With treatment, dyslexics will achieve success in all areas of their lives.
Language therapists use multi-sensory teaching techniques appropriate for all language learners, even individuals who do not have dyslexia. Children who have difficulty acquiring basic literacy skills, but are not dyslexic, also benefit from academic language therapy.
At Pebblecreek, Alphabetic Phonics is the core curriculum used for language therapy. Classes are held either individually or with very small groups. Benchmark measures and mastery checks are used to continually assess student progress. The results inform instructional decisions based on each student's individual needs.
All language classes are offered during a specified number of weeks and follow the school calendar. Students attend an average of 14 classes per month. Language class is conducted daily Monday to Thursday, lasting 45 minutes to one hour per session.
There are three parent-therapist conferences offered during the months of October, February and May. A time is also scheduled for parent observation in October.
Parents may enroll their child in the academic language therapy program by completing the required registration form and submitting the program's fee (not included in school tuition). For more information, please contact Mrs. Chapman.
Alphabetic Phonics - the core curriculum used at Pebblecreek.
- Phonological awareness
- A structured, intensive, phonetic approach to teaching reading. Emphasis is placed on word attack skills and accuracy and fluency.
- Remediation of handwriting difficulties.
- A process-oriented approach to teaching spelling that emphasizes sound/symbol relationships, spelling generalizations and spelling formulas.
- Listening comprehension leads to reading comprehension.
- Emphasis on multi-sensory approach to teaching grammar, semantics and syntax.
- Students use multi-sensory strategies that engage all the modalities for learning (visual, auditory, kinesthetic-tactile).
- Proper reading, writing, and spelling procedures are taught and practiced.
- Development of verbal expression leads to written expression.
- Lessons are introduced through guided discovery and new concepts are practiced and reviewed daily.
- Student progress is evaluated and documented using benchmark measures.
- Mastery of all material enables students to read and spell 85% of the most frequently-used, phonetically regular English words.
Our Learning Differences Policy
Pebblecreek Montessori is committed to providing the best education for children with learning differences. When a classroom guide (teacher) identifies a child who is at-risk for a learning difference such as dyslexia, the school responds by following a specific sequence of procedures. The classroom guide will begin an observation record and outside testing may be administered by a certified diagnostician. Next, the guide, Head of School, and, if applicable, a learning specialist will develop an intervention plan to help the child succeed at home and at school. Accommodations will be made with the child's classroom learning materials, the instructional delivery, and student performance. Periodic meetings will be held to monitor progress, and parents can expect ongoing communication from school staff.
Resources
Additional information from The International Dyslexia Association.