Brooklyn Letters consists of a Learning Specialist, Dr. Blythe Grossberg, and an Educational Therapist, Laurie Yankowitz. Please read below to learn more about their professional services.
Dr. Blythe Grossberg has worked as a learning specialist in New York City for the past thirteen years. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard College, Dr. Grossberg received her doctoral degree in psychology from Rutgers University. Formerly the Upper School learning specialist at the Collegiate School, she has worked with students in grades 5-12 and college students at top-flight private schools and at magnet and other public schools. Her clients include students with study-skills deficits and learning disorders such as ADD, Asperger’s Syndrome, and dyslexia. She collaborates with students, their parents, and their teachers to improve students’ ability to complete their work effectively. She also helps students prepare for standardized tests, including the ISEE/SSAT, SHSAT, PSAT, and SAT, and she works with high-school juniors and seniors to prepare their college essays and applications. Her book Applying to College for Students with Learning Disorders and ADD was published in 2010. She has conducted original research into how people with ADD can work more effectively and is the author of “Making ADD Work: On the Job Strategies for Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder” (Perigee, 2005). Her other books include “Test Success: Test-taking and Study Strategies for All Students, Including those with LD” (Specialty Press, 2009) and “Applying to College for Students with ADD and LD” (Magination Press, APA, 2010). Dr. Grossberg was also recently named the about.com guide to private schools.
LOCATION: Brooklyn
TYPE OF SERVICES: Individual
EXPERTISE: Remediation of learning issues, including ADHD and executive function issues, dyslexia and other language disorders, math disorders, Asperger’s Syndrome, and others;
AGES: students in grades 5-12 and college students.
HOURS: Home and school visits: after school, weekends, and some appointments
during free periods at school.
CONTACT: blythe@brooklynletters.com
BLOGS: Five Tips for Students with ADHD & Outwitting Einstein
Dr. Laurie Yankowitz is a Brooklyn native, who has worked with individuals with special needs and their families for over 30 years. She graduated as a psychology major from SUNY Binghamton; has a Master’s in Elementary Education from Boston University; and completed her doctorate at Teachers College, Columbia University, in Special Education. Laurie’s background includes instructional, behavioral, and rapport building strategies with pre-schoolers with autism; children, teens, and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism; school-aged children with reading disabilities; and adults dually diagnosed with intellectual disability and behavior disorders. As a trained researcher, she is skilled in identifying the best treatment options available to families. Laurie works to identify the underlying causes of learning difficulties when developing an intervention plan. Learning issues can include problems with specific types of attention; sensory information processing; memory; and anxiety. The development of an effective intervention plan includes setting specific, measurable goals, and then selecting the best tools to effectively work toward that goal, using the individual’s strengths, interests, and daily routines. Sessions are designed to set up SUCCESS! Laurie’s academic and professional experiences throughout the years have provided her with an array of effective teaching tools to help your son or daughter reach their learning potential. She wants you to be part of the collaborative process. When working with younger children, it’s important that the child feel understood and for the child to find ways to meet educational and behavioral expectations: maximizing their strengths and accommodating their weaknesses. Activities are fun and tailored towards the child’s interests. A sense of accomplishment (look what I did!) is vital. For school aged children, teenagers and adults, the main goal is to help the individual gain greater self-understanding, while helping them find their own unique path.
LOCATION: Office in Midwood, Brooklyn (Ocean Parkway near Church Ave) and your NYC home.
TYPE OF SERVICES: Assessment of learning and behavioral challenges; development of instructional and behavior plans; reinforcement of academic goals; skill development to support increased independence at home and in the community, including cooking, travel training, shopping, household chores, instructional and recreational apps for ipod and ipad; self-regulation strategies to address anxiety; individual and small group work with individuals and families to continue interventions without therapy.
EXPERTISE: Highly knowledgeable about Fragile X Syndrome, autism, and intellectual disability; services for adults with developmental disability; familiarity with ABA, SCERTS, TEACCH, video modeling, social stories, positive behavior support, and visual schedules.
AGES: Three through adulthood.
HOURS: Home and Office Visits: Flexible, evenings and weekends.
CONTACT: laurie@brooklynletters.com
BLOGS: Fragile X in the Classroom, Leaving School Behind – Next Stop, Adulthood
