CORE Reading Programme Spells Success
The Reading Clinic said they are pleased to report another year of significant progress among students enrolled in its Core Reading Programme.
During the 2015-16 school year, 94 children have received services through the Programme, designed for students with specific reading disabilities.
Using the Orton-Gillingham Method – a structured, multi-sensory, phonetic approach to teaching decoding and spelling – students receive up to three one-on-one sessions with a trained tutor each week.
For those who received five months or more of tutoring, preliminary end-of-year tests indicate an average of more than one grade level of progress in both oral reading skills and reading comprehension.
Yolanda Outerbridge and Dr Glenn Faries:
Students, parents, and tutors have provided some “success snapshots” to mark their individual progress during the school year: One mother reports that her child is excited at school drop off time on the days that the student will be working with her tutor.
The mother reports that her child’s confidence and enthusiasm to read has improved tremendously in such a short time. Her child now enjoys reading so much that she challenges herself every evening by re-reading at bedtime what was read to her from the chapter books.
A student who started at level 1.0 with 30 words per minute reading is now at level 1.5 with 67 words per minute reading. His comprehension has markedly improved and he has achieved a 100% response rate to questions posed.
Previously, this student had a tendency to walk out of class at the start of tutoring or not focus. Now he sits for an hour, with no interruptions, and focuses on each task until it is completed.
Another student started out only being able to sound out very simple words. He has now moved up a reading level in school, has shown a marked increase in comprehension with scores up to 100% and is eager to bring books from school to read at home.
- One mother reported her immense surprise when her child asked for a book as a Christmas gift.
- Students are making the Honour Roll for the first time in their lives, some of whom are already in middle school, which shows a remarkable “closure of the gap” in their educational progress.
- A teacher reports that one child in the Core Reading Programme has increased in reading level from 2.6 to 3.7 – the greatest improvement in the class. The student indicates a new-found desire to work really hard to achieve higher reading levels which is a whole new attitude and outlook for them.
- One student has risen from the 7th percentile on his English exams to the 54th percentile, and is now enjoying reading the same popular book series as his non-dyslexic peers – often “devouring” books of 300 pages or more. His overall confidence has soared as a result.
- A child reported to his tutor with great pride “I’m learning, you know!”
Dr. Glenn Faries, the Executive Director of The Reading Clinic, said: “We would like to thank HSBC for its continued support as lead donor of the Core Reading Programme, which enables us to provide access to our specialised professional services for any child that needs it.”
In 2014, in recognition of HSBC’s 10th anniversary in Bermuda, the Bank committed to donate $500,000 in support of educating young Bermudians. The Reading Clinic was named as one of the recipients, with HSBC committing to provide scholarships for five years for students in their Core Reading Programme.
Yolanda Outerbridge, Head of Human Resources and HSBC spokesperson for the partnership with The Reading Clinic, said: “Reading is a critical skill that forms the foundation for learning.
“Effective reading at an early age provides the platform to build other skills. The ripple effect of ineffective reading is greater than the reading deficiency itself. Consequences can include poor self-esteem, difficulty in social development, and can ultimately impact future employment.
“HSBC is very proud to support The Reading Clinic in the amazing work that they do. Our scholarship programme includes supporting services and testing for students through one-on-one sessions. Through this partnership, we are helping children achieve their highest potential and ultimately preparing them for the future.”
In addition to lead sponsor HSBC, the Core Reading Programme is supported by major sponsors Tokio Millennium Re, Renaissance Re and AspenRe, as well as the Chubb Foundation, The Buechner Society and The Stempel Foundation.
Dr. Faries said, “The Reading Clinic’s goals for the future are to maintain the integrity and quality of its programmes, and to continue to increase The Reading Clinic’s visibility by partnering with organisations in the areas of education [for those with learning differences and those without], providing professional development for educators along with parent and community education.”
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