Posted by Claire on 13:46 Jan 17
In Reply to: Few questions-1. Has anyone used Sylvan for reading help with a struggling reader? posted by Quiver0f10
Their results were dismal, to say the least. One mother spent thousands and then finally gave in and had the school test her dd and put on an IEP. Another spent a similar amount of money, but were very dissatisfied with the progress her son made in a year. Sylvan's only solution was to give him an extra two weeks of what didn't work in the first place.
My understanding of Sylvan is that they hire teachers who to make a little extra money. The only qualification is a teacher's certificate. There is no extra training in how to teach reading or math. The programs provided are similar to those provided in schools. Sylvan just provides more of it, and in a small group setting rather than a larger classroom. I read a post once from a teacher who used to work at Sylvan. She did not recommend it. She also said the teachers were not paid very much per hour.
Instead of Sylvan, you are better off locating a school that specializes in teaching LD children (these are private schools with high tuition) and calling them for tutor recommendations. If you don't have a school in your area, you can call IDA to find Orton-Gillingham tutors in your area.
What reading approaches have you used, how old is the child, and what is his reading level? If I knew that, I could make some recommendations of programs to try at home.