1-to-1
Language tutoring
Multisensory and Individualized
About Symbols
Symbols’ Multisensory Literacy Tutoring
Supporting children with learning challenges is our main focus. Providing and designing multi-modality experiences for our students ensures they receive an optimal learning experience. This also serves the need for multiple exposures to stabilize literacy skills. We focus on the 5 pillars of literacy (phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and comprehension). Our programs are systematic, sequential and cumulative, instruction is explicit, prescriptive and always informed by the latest research. We have created a program that ensures any student can see success with literacy skills.
In-Person or Online Orton-Gillingham Literacy Tutoring
Every class is 60 minutes long.
Phonological Awareness
Spelling
Vocabulary
Phonics
Writing
Fluency
Penmanship & Sequencing
Grammar
Comprehension
Highlights of the Symbols Literacy Tutoring Hour
Phonics-based
['a' says /ă/ for apple] Our students first learn reading and writing by stabilizing their awareness for spoken sound and the connection between these sounds and the printed symbols that represent them. The effectiveness of a phonics-based approach is time-tested, research-proven and demonstrated every day by the successes students at Symbols experience.
More Than Just Reading
At Symbols we focus on what your child needs help with most, whether that be beginning phonological awareness skills, penmanship, reading fluency, writing, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, comprehension or advanced phonological awareness skills. Because lessons are one-to-one and tailored, they are a specific combination of what your child needs, now. Most lessons will contain elements of all of these main areas of language support.
Multisensory and Invidualized
All lessons at Symbols are multisensory, taught using multiple modalities: visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic pathways. All tutoring is individualized to each student's unique abilities, strengths and weaknesses, as determined through our intake assessment. It is also informed by each subsequent lesson. For more about what parents and children can expect from our lessons, visit the Symbols Program page.
Responsive to Progress
Lesson plans are always based on the student’s response and progress. This means our time is both diagnostic and prescriptive. Our instructors are always monitoring how the student is responding to each task and planning based on that information, making lesson plans flexible to each individual’s unique rate of progress and profile. With our tutor's help, your child will consistently see progress, and this will in turn increase their confidence. This is our passion and this is our goal.
Book Your Child’s First Language Tutoring Class Today
In-person lessons in our centers aren't always practical or possible. Our online lessons offer the same 1-to-1, individualized, multisensory format as our in-person lessons, and include a free Symbols Multisensory Home Learning Kit delivered to your door.
Reviews and Student Success
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My son has attended Symbols (Coquitlam) for approx 3 years now, specifically for their Orton-Gillingham teaching method, and has progressed … More significantly relative to when he first enrolled and initially assessed. He started out barely able to read even simple words, diagnosed as being two grade levels behind his peers, and feeling extremely unconfident in his reading ability to now being an avid reader of chapter style books. Currently he is now moving on to improve upon his writing skills.He has been with four different tutors during this time and all have been very caring, focused, and genuinely wanting to help the student improve and progress further. My son is not particularly keen on public school but he actually enjoys attending the tutoring lessons once weekly at Symbols. That says a lot!
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My son has been at Symbols for three years for writing and reading. He really enjoys being tutored by Alana. She's warm, smart … More and makes it fun for him. Im so glad I found this place because it has helped my son with his reading tremendously!
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Super impressed! Our tutor (Dana) is very thorough and efficient as she provides a recap of each session as well as outlining homework … More (in person and by email). The teaching techniques are structured to be fun and enjoyable as well, so kids actually look forward to attending. Well worth the investment!
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My son who is 9 and in grade 4 has been receiving help with his written output disorder (dysgraphia) for the last 4 months and I am … More blown away by the gains my son has made! Things I have worked on with him for the last couple years and have not worked they have got him rolling with in such a very short time. My son not only looks forward to going in the 2 days a week he attends but asks for extra homework to take home! Thank you Symbols! Highly recommend!
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Both my daughters have been helped immensely with their spelling and reading comprehension. My girls have gone from below grade level … More to honour roll. My oldest daughter told me after her first session that it was the first time a teacher understood her. I can’t thank Symbols enough!
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Both of my daughters did Symbols we had amazing results ...My youngest Summer still in it and love every minute of it ...My oldest … More Savannah keep asking me to put her back . Unfortunately , is financially impossible .
About Our Orton-Gillingham Tutors
Our well-trained Orton-Gillingham tutors in our Vancouver, Coquitlam, Richmond and Langley locations create and tailor a multi-modality experience for each lesson component by connecting sight, sound, touch and motion. This ensures that those with difficulties can experience, understand and master the material to their fullest potential.