LearnUp is a non-profit that pragmatically helps children who've been formally diagnosed with dyslexia or simply fallen behind the reading level of their peers. This past summer, over the course of 10 weeks, LearnUp tutors helped our child, diagnosed with dyslexia and fully 2 years behind her peers, reach grade level.
LearnUp's methodology developed by Steve Tatum, its founder and director of reading education, is an eclectic adaptation of techniques Mr Tatum learned as a teacher in most of the conventional programs over many years.
Like the large commercial franchise remedial reading operations, LearnUp trains current college undergraduates in its techniques who then serve as the primary tutors of children. In particular, LearnUp sources most of its tutors from USF students. Unlike the others, Steve Tatum is the filter. We believe that he selects them not only for their intelligence and reliability - but, most of all kindness because the relationship that developed between tutor in student often defines success.
LearnUp is admittedly small. Its offices modest, sitting above La Boulangerie Bakery on Pine Street . For us, this informality was not a bug, but a feature -- as it meant, unlike the large tutoring franchise, LearnUp was devoting most of its resources to helping its students improve their reading rapidly, rather to profits for franchise owners.
Our experience is, of course, anecdotal that in itself itself cannot prove the superiority of Mr Tatum's approach. However, the administration of LearnUp is over time assembling real statistics about their outcomes and growth of their students. I expect that their work is on the way to scientific validation.
We, as parents, strongly recommend that the parents' of any child who is stumbling in reading consider LearnUp. It may not be for everyone, but it's frankly refreshing to deal with a small organization that doesn't cloak itself in scientism (ie., the use of scientific authority without its substance).
What we've written is true, but so positive that we hope it won't be mistaken some some kind of planted self-promotion. We have absolutely no direct connection with the camp other than as enthusiastic former customers.
It's just a genuinely grateful response for the help our child received. read more