How I Teach

Name: A Brilliant Mind
Telephone: (801) 319-0264
Price range: $$

Structured, multisensory reading instruction, one child at a time.

When a friend mentions “Orton-Gillingham,” they’re usually talking about a way of teaching reading that breaks words into their smallest parts—sounds and letter patterns—and builds from there, step by step. It’s hands-on and multisensory: kids see it, say it, hear it, and write it so the connections stick. The Barton method follows the same path and organizes those steps into a clear sequence that many families find easy to follow. Together, these approaches give struggling readers a structured, patient path toward becoming confident, independent readers.

The two methods I teach

Orton-Gillingham is a way of teaching reading that starts with the smallest pieces of words—sounds and the letters that stand for them—and builds skills one careful step at a time. It helps children and adults with dyslexia because it repeatedly links what they see, hear, say, and write, giving the brain extra practice forming those connections. In a session you’ll watch your child move letter tiles, trace letters while saying their sounds, blend those sounds into words, and practice spelling under calm, one-on-one guidance. The work stays focused and patient, always matching the next skill your child is ready to learn.

The Barton Reading & Spelling System is a step-by-step program built on Orton-Gillingham ideas that teaches reading and spelling together, one clear skill at a time. What sets it apart is that every lesson is fully scripted, so the tutor follows a precise plan using color-coded letter tiles—keeping the teaching consistent. In a session you’ll see your child moving those tiles to build and break apart words, tapping out sounds, reading and spelling both real and made-up words, then practicing short phrases, sentences, and simple stories. The pace stays calm and steady, always matched to the next skill your child is ready to master.

A typical session

Four phases, every time. Predictable structure is part of the medicine.

Warm-up & Review

(5–10 minutes) We start by reviewing letter sounds and decoding rules from past sessions. Your child reads a few words and sentences using skills they’ve already mastered — quick wins that build confidence before we introduce anything new.
New Concept Introduction

(10 minutes) Once your child has mastered the previous lesson, we introduce one new skill or spelling rule — using colorful letter tiles so they can see, touch, and move the pieces while saying the sounds. I follow a clear script that guides practice first with the tiles, then on paper with real and made-up words, phrases, and short stories.
Multisensory Practice

(30 minutes) This is calm, steady repetition using tools like tapping, clapping, tracing, and writing in sand or with blocks. Engaging several senses at once gives the brain the extra practice it needs to solidify these connections.
Independent Reading + Send-home

(10 minutes) We finish by reviewing the day’s skill with games and activities. As your child progresses we begin reading short stories here, and eventually send home passages for extra practice — stories chosen to feature the skills they’ve mastered, so every session ends on a confident win.

Who I work with

I work with children—kindergarten and up—as well as teenagers and adults. Your student does not need an official dyslexia diagnosis. Please text or call, and we can decide together whether I’m a good fit.

What progress looks like

Honest expectations, month-by-month.

Step 1

First month

In the first month your child learns the tutoring routine — sitting with the tiles, following the same calm sequence each time — so the structure starts to feel predictable and safe. We begin at the foundation, listening for individual sounds in words and tapping them out, setting a clear baseline of what they can already do. Progress looks small on the outside, but you’ll notice them growing more confident with the materials and less anxious about making mistakes.

Step 2

First 6 months

By six months most students have a solid grip on listening for sounds, short vowels, and the first spelling rules, so decoding starts to feel more automatic and spelling of the words we’ve practiced becomes noticeably more accurate. Reading short, controlled passages takes less effort, and you’ll often see fewer guesses and less frustration when the text stays within what they’ve learned.

Step 3

Over a year

Over the first year most students move steadily through the early levels, so reading controlled text feels closer to grade level and spelling of the patterns they’ve learned stops being a daily fight. Beyond that the work continues into longer words, prefixes, suffixes, and more complex spelling — building accuracy, confidence, and independence one solid layer at a time.

Where sessions happen

Sessions take place in a dedicated space in my home—a peaceful area created to help my students feel safe and comfortable. Sessions are usually 50–60 minutes long and take place two times each week.

Want to know if I'm the right tutor for your child? Let's talk.

(801) 319-0264

Contact Me