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Frequently Asked Questions

When seeking the help of an experienced Central Florida tutor and learning specialist, you may have a few questions. Here are some of the most common questions we recieve:

Q: Do you have Lindamood-Bell experience? Why does this matter?

A: Yes! Margie has extensive training and experience to provide remedial reading and math services using the Lindamood-Bell® family of programs including: Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program for Reading, Spelling and Speech (LiPS), Seeing Stars, Visualizing and Verbalizing (V/V), and the On Cloud Nine Math Program.

Exceutive functioning

These programs are internationally-known and research-validated. They are designed to help children who are struggling with reading and/or math to become more successful by helping them to develop a visual memory which leads to better word recognition, spelling, a visual memory, reading comprehension and more. The Lindamood-Bell methodologies are particularly good for students with dyslexia, processing disorders, language-based deficits, and dyscalculia. It uses a multi-modal approach which actively engages a student’s strengths while addressing weaker areas. 

Q: Do you have Orton-Gillingham training? How does this help?

A: Yes, Margie is a trained and experienced Orton-Gillingham practitioner.  The Orton-Gillingham approach is considered the “gold standard” for teaching children with dyslexia and other reading deficits.  It couples visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile techniques for a multi-sensory approach to learning.  The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators states, “In the hands of a well-trained and experienced instructor, it is a powerful tool of exceptional breadth, depth, and flexibility.”

Q: What is Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) Program?

A: Used in the United States since 1978 and currently used in more than 80 countries globally, FIE is a curriculum designed to improve the cognitive functions required for academic learning and achievement. Rather than focusing on what to learn, it instead focuses on teaching the learner how to learn and think. 

Q: My child has learning disabilities. Are you trained to help kids who have these?

A: Yes, Margie has over 22 years of training and experience working with children of various learning differences. It is not a question of intelligence, these students are smart, they simply learn in a different manner. All students can learn including those with any of the following diagnoses: Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), Language-Based Learning Deficits, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Visual Perceptual Deficits, Autism Spectrum, and general learning challenges. 

Q: I am homeschooling my child and need just limited help in certain areas. Can you help?

A: Yes. Margie has been working with homeschool families in the Orlando area for more than 22 years now. She can help in a variety of ways from consulting, curriculum planning, or assist in creating creative lesson plans that are “hands-on” and make learning come alive. Instruction is individualized for your child’s learning needs and style. 

Q: What is Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)?

A: Central Auditory Processing Disorder impedes a person's ability to receive, process, interpret and remember auditory information. It is not a matter of does the child hear you, but rather how the brain processes what is heard. Symptoms include the following:

 

  • Problems following directions

  • Distracted by background noise

  • Difficulty remembering what they hear

  • Difficulty remembering multi-step oral directions. For example, you give a child 3 things to do and the child can only remember the first or the last thing you said.

  • Difficulty with auditory discrimination. May confuse similar words like seventy and seventeen.

  • Difficulty with oral lectures and teaching

  • Difficulty recognizing subtle differences between sounds in words, example: lit and let.

  • Frequent requests for information to be repeated

  • Misunderstanding or mishearing what is said 

  • Poor expressive language skills-getting to the point, sequencing events, retrieving the appropriate word(s), expressing feelings 

  • Poor pragmatic language skills-taking turns in conversation, knowing how to begin or end a conversation, knowing how to read a situation and respond appropriately, knowing when to make an inquiry or ask for assistance, staying on topic, how to use facial expressions and eye contact 

  • Poor receptive language skills-understanding non-literal meanings such as puns and jokes, listening and taking notes simultaneously (understanding which details are important when taking notes), understanding auditory information, especially instructions or commands, and recalling what was heard 

Q: What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? Is this a real thing? 

A: Yes, this is a real thing. ADHD is a disorder in which inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity are key behaviors. The inattentiveness is often characterized by a child who is easily distracted, has trouble staying focused and on task, and trouble with organization. The hyperactivity component shows itself in a child who exhibits constant moving, fidgeting, and/or talking. Impulsivity means that a person tends to make hasty decisions before thinking. A child with ADHD often seeks and needs instant gratification. He/she often have difficulty in social situations in which they exhibit a lack of personal space and often interrupt.

Q: What are Visual Perceptual Deficits? How does this affect a child’s learning? 

Typically people think of eyesight as a visual acuity, such as having 20/20 vision and how the brain processes all the visual information. Visual perceptual disorders involve how the brain processes all the visual information. Visual perceptual disorders are not considered a learning disability but are often common in children with learning disabilities. Symptoms may include:

  • Confuses letters with similar formation, such as b/d or p/q

  • Copies things down incorrectly, especially when copying from a chalkboard

  • Closes one eye when reading

  • Frequently loses place when reading

  • Omits, adds, repeats letters/sounds in words when reading

  • Poor formation of letters, irregular spacing, difficulty keeping letters within the lines

  • Often bumps into things

  • Trouble understanding that letters and numbers come in a certain order

  • Frequently complains of eyes hurting and itching

  • Frequent rubbing of eyes and/or squinting

  • Turns head when reading

  • Turns paper at odd angles when writing

  • Does not recognize an object/word if not shown in its entirety

  • Confuse left and right directions

  • Difficulty moving eyes together or individually

  • Tires easily after reading or writing

  • Difficulty with reading stamina

  • Problems with activities requiring hand-eye coordination such as tying shoes and buttoning clothes 

Q: My child has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and has really been struggling in school. What types of experience do you have with children on the spectrum? 

A: Margie has been working with students that have been diagnosed with ASD for more than 22 years. Autism varies in each individual. Because each child is unique, each lesson plan is custom tailored to that child's needs and learning style. All lessons incorporate multi-sensory techniques: auditory, visual, tactile and kinesthetic. Each lesson is highly structured and cumulative. Only research-validated methodologies are used. 

Q: Can you help with prep for all of the various college entrance exams – PSAT, ACT, SAT, GED, GRE, etc.?

A: Margie provides individualized instruction to prepare a student for the verbal, mathematic, and written portions of each exam. Margie teaches techniques and strategies for exam content. Sample practice tests are also given to reduce stress and build confidence. 

  Learn more today! Call 407-408-3132!

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