Academic Department
If a child cannot learn the way I teach, then I must teach the way he learns.
Some children need help with the basic skills of reading, math, and written language. Others have mastered basic academic skills, but continue to struggle in the classroom because of an inability to apply those skills to content area learning. Still others feel confused about how to effectively organize and prepare their schoolwork. All of these challenges can be addressed by Laughlin Center’s Academic Department, through individual instruction guided by the following principle: “If a child cannot learn the way I teach, then I must teach the way he learns.”
When a student begins work at Laughlin Center, an academic assessment is completed to determine the current level of skill development as well as specific strengths and weaknesses, in order to address classroom performance and develop an instructional plan with specific goals and targets. The student then begins weekly one-to-one instruction with the same Pennsylvania Department of Education-certified tutor, providing the continuity necessary to develop a trusting student-teacher relationship.
For school-aged children, academics become a vital part of every day. For that reason, Laughlin Center makes its One-Minute Reader™ and Academic Success Programs available year-round, leading not only to better understanding, but to greater self-confidence and motivation, as well.
Many agencies offer their own version of "tutoring," ranging from volunteers helping with homework at a local library, to national for-profit learning centers, to after-school programs run by school districts. Our academic services differ from those because what we do is much more comprehensive and child-centered. Our services are individualized and based on clinical evaluation. They go well beyond what children receive at most learning centers and what the average volunteer tutor is able to offer.
LAUGHLIN CENTER’S INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION (TUTORING):
•occurs in one-to-one sessions which meet weekly during the school year and daily in the summer
•uses targeted academic & psycho-educational evaluations before instruction begins, to identify where help is needed
•employs only certified teachers who specialize instruction to address student’s needs in areas of reading, math, written language, and study and organizational skills
•is geared to each child’s Instructional Level (where success is experienced) with level of difficulty raised gradually, because repeated success builds positive academic self-image
•includes post-testing and progress reports, which assess improvement, outline what has been taught, and specify areas of continued need
THE ONE-MINUTE READER™:
This award-winning program focuses on fluency. Fluent readers can read quickly and effortlessly, as if speaking. If children read fluently, they can understand and enjoy what they read. One-Minute Reader™ consists of two major components: weekly meetings at Laughlin Center with certified teaching staff, and at-home sessions with parents, designed to create a fun and non-threatening atmosphere for children.
READING WITH ROVER:
This program, a partnership with local animal adoption center Animal Friends, pairs shy readers with canine companions, to help children overcome anxiety about reading, improve their fluency, and become lifelong readers. The free program is offered several times each year, and is a dog-gone hit with kids, adults, and pooches!
You can click on the icon for our 2009 summer newsletter (on our homepage) to read an article on Reading with Rover.
And for more about the documented benefits of reading to dogs, click here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/10/22/dogs.irpt/index.html
ACADEMIC EVALUATIONS:
•are conducted by experienced academic diagnosticians, to gain insight into student’s academic self-image and to measure skill levels in the core subjects of reading, math, and written language, and include a study skills component for students in grades 5 and above
•identify skill areas which need to be improved, and which become the mainstay of the individualized instructional plan for each child
•provide a comprehensive report and parent conference to review tests administered, student performance, specific strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations
COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS
•are composed of a psycho-educational evaluation and the academic evaluation, conducted by an experienced school psychologist and an academic diagnostician in separate visits
•offer a complete picture of the child as a learner, identifying emotional and behavioral characteristics, as well as intellect and academic achievement--helpful for educational planning
•provides a comprehensive report and parent conference to review tests administered, student performance, specific strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations
Click here for our 2005 summer newsletter's lead story - Educational Assessments.
K-1 SKILL BUILDERS: The program is for kindergarten and first grade children who may be at risk, due to delays in one or more areas of normal development that affect readiness to learn. It is designed to nurture the growth of age appropriate skills necessary for success in school.
Each child is tested in six skill areas: visual, auditory, language, gross and fine motor, social/emotional, and academic. Individual goals are developed for each child. Groups of up to 6 children participate in enjoyable activities that build skills in all areas. Each child receives individualized attention and is helped to build a positive self-concept. A child's progress is tracked, and regular conferences are held with parents. Groups meet weekly during the school year, or in July, on a daily basis. Call for dates and costs: 412-741-4087.
STUDY SKILLS: The Study Skills program is designed around the idea that good organizational and study skills allow students to study more efficiently and have better results. Working individually or in small groups, students learn to organize material, make an outline, take notes, study for exams, and master memory techniques. This course parallels the school year and offers the student the opportunity for immediate application of the skills taught each week.
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ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT AT A GLANCE: Our education department is headed by a certified, experienced reading specialist and staffed by certified teachers dedicated to helping children gain skills and improve academic self-esteem.
Laughlin Center has many on-going educational services to help children at all grade and skill levels in reading, written language, math, and study skills. If your child has a learning difference, just needs to catch up, or needs enrichment to provide that extra boost, we have services to meet your needs.
Children come one or more times a week during the school year, as well as for intensive, daily services in the summer. We also offer enrichment programs for children of all ages to enhance learning and development.
The relationship that builds between student and teacher creates a safe atmosphere for your child. The same certified teacher works one-on-one with your child in reading, written language, math or study skills. The teacher follows an individualized plan that specifies the starting point, goals and methods to help your child. Continual observation and periodic assessment charts your child's progress. Children may register for one or more visits a week.
For children struggling with reading, Laughlin Center employs the Orton-Gillingham approach, which states that "Only when children are able to decode (read) words automatically, can they concentrate on the meaning of the text." The Orton-Gillingham approach to reading offers a systematic, multisensory method to the development of these skills. Laughlin Center tutors are equipped with the necessary techniques to offer this structured learning approach for students of all ages.
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