I have been employed at DH-R.E.A.D. since November 2018. Since that time, we have continued to grow not only in the state of Alabama but across state lines. We have seen exponential growth in all of the students that we see in reading, comprehension, and math.
What makes us different? First of all, we are not a computer program. We provide face to face intervention (via in person or online) with our students. This allows us to make the information that we are working on personal to not only ourselves, but the students that we see. We provide live feedback and have the ability to adapt to any factors that may affect the student on the day.
As we continue to meet with our students, we learn about their likes, loves, and even dislikes. We are then able to use this information to our advantage in our sessions. For example if a student is working on prepositions, we are going to try and use their likes and dislikes when working the desired stimulus. For example, if Student A loves reading and watching Star Wars, we can use that in our session as followed below.
Example, Interventionist: I know that you love Star Wars, can you walk like CP-30 so that you are standing on the rug?
Student A: "Produces robot noises" as they walk to the rug and demonstrate the preposition on.
Using the information that the student loves in session gives us an upper hand and allows the students to be excited to see our interventionists. If the student is asked, "What did you work on today?" They may replay, I got to be CP-30, although subliminally they were working objects of a sentence by using prepositions and completing prepositional phrases.
When working face to face, this allows allows us to work behavior and non-verbal skills with our students. Many of our students have never had anyone listen to them before. We provide that ear and learn about who they are as an individual. This allows us to dig into their struggles on a deeper level. As we continue to listen to them, they respond to our response by completing the lessons and assignments we provide.
Although I cannot go into every reason that makes us different here at DH-R.E.A.D., I wanted to start sharing some of our principles that we work when meeting with our students.
If you are one of the parents and/or guardians of one of our current or past students, please share below how we made a difference in your student's life.
-Stephen