Rates & FAQ

The Orton-Gillingham and Barton reading systems typically take 2 to 4 years to complete. The exact timeline depends heavily on the student’s age at the start, the severity of their dyslexia, and the consistency of their weekly sessions. Students attending intensive sessions multiple times a week progress much faster than those with frequent gaps in attendance.

Progress is measured through an ongoing diagnostic feedback loop tracked directly on a daily lesson plan or session progress form. Session-to-session, I explicitly track lesson-level mastery and spelling/decoding accuracy by recording responses during letter-tile manipulation, word list reading, and sentence dictation. While I conduct periodic formal re-assessments at the end of each curriculum level to ensure long-term retention before advancing, daily tracking focuses strictly on error patterns and the automaticity of the specific phonics rules taught in that session.

It is completely normal for a child who struggles with reading to resist tutoring at first because they expect it to be another draining battle. To break this cycle, I always start with radical honesty: I acknowledge that reading is hard for them and validate that they would rather be anywhere else. Instead of forcing heavy drills, we focus on building immediate confidence through tiny, guaranteed wins during our very first session. By removing the pressure and proving that they can succeed, the resistance quickly fades into pride.

Yes, I happily coordinate with your child’s school. Once you sign a release of information, I can communicate directly with the school’s reading specialist to align our instructional goals. I am glad to share our regular progress notes to ensure everyone supporting your child is on the same page. However, our specialized Orton-Gillingham/Barton tutoring acts as an intensive, individualized supplement, so I decline to duplicate standard school services.

Please cancel at least 24 hours before your scheduled session. Cancellations inside that window are billed in full. Exceptions are made for illness or family emergencies.

You can spot signs of dyslexia if your child struggles with rhyming, avoids reading, or frequently reverses letters past early elementary school. Other red flags include trouble learning letter sounds, matching sounds to words, or remembering spoken instructions. For a formal evaluation, you can contact your school district’s special education team, a licensed psychologist, or an educational diagnostician.

A minimum of two sessions per week is required, though three sessions or even daily practice is ideal. Susan Barton explicitly states that once a week is not enough because the instruction is not frequent or intense enough for the skills to stick. Meeting multiple times a week ensures optimal retention and consolidation, preventing the learning loss that occurs when too much time passes between sessions.