Masons' charity helps tutors decode dyslexia
May 3, 2005
The Chicago Sun-Times Chicago, IL]

Mark Just, 7, has taken on a new responsibility: reading his family's fortune cookies during Friday night Chinese dinners. While this may seem like a simple task for most second-graders, it was a “huge surprise” for Mark's family.

Although he is bright, Mark has dyslexia. This reading disability affects about 15 percent of the population, and accounts for as much as 80 percent of special education referrals. Mark's parents and teachers were at a loss when it came to teaching him how to read.

In spite of dyslexia's prevalence, most teachers do not learn about the disorder – or its remediation – during their education and certification. Like Mark's teachers, they are often confronted with motivated, intelligent children who can't seem to grasp the way written language works. Without effective instruction, these children often fall behind their peers, leaving parents, child and teachers discouraged and frustrated.

But thanks to a free tutor-training program, the Justs' story has a happier ending. Mark's tutor, Julia Nelson, is being trained in Orton-Gillingham, a multisensory approach to teaching reading based on the structure of the language. The approach has been shown to change the dyslexic brain's pathways that control written language tasks.

A mother and preschool educator, Nelson is learning how to work with kids like Mark at the Valley of Chicago Learning Center for Children in LaGrange. The center is one of 54 learning centers in 15 states, the primary charity of the 32º Scottish Rite Masons. Now in its 10th year, the program trains tutors and provides tutoring to children with dyslexia, all free of charge.

Since last September, Mark and Nelson have worked on letter-sound correspondences, reading, writing and spelling. Rather than just having Mark memorize words, Nelson guides him as he blends or segments each sound in a word.

The tutoring is having an impact, says Mark's mom Sandy Just: “It's so nice to see him not afraid of books anymore.”

Nelson says that for her and her student, “:the opportunity hasn't just been free, it's been priceless.”

“We teach the components of language,” explains Gina Cooke, center director. “In order to teach reading effectively, teachers need to understand how all the pieces of language work together too.” Potential trainees need only a bachelor's degree, and interest in language and a desire to help children.

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The training offers not only information and practice, but also rewarding new career possibilities. Once certified, tutors may join the center staff, tutor children privately or adapt the approach for classroom use.

The center begins a new training course each June, including interactive seminars and a supervised practicum during which trainees work one-on-one with two children. As a collaborating academic partner with Aurora University, the center is also able to offer trainees seven hours of graduate credit for the training. According to Cooke, it takes about a year for tutors to become certified.

“There are so many children affected by dyslexia, it's important for us to let people know about the training,” said Cooke. “There are also a lot of misconceptions about what dyslexia is.” She stresses that while dyslexia cannot be cured, it can be overcome with appropriate instruction.

For more information about the Valley of Chicago Learning Center, contact Gina Cooke at (708) 588-0091.