Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Brooklyn Letters was recommended to me through a friend's speech therapist friend in NJ. The articulation evaluation for my daughter went well. We were pleased with Kristin's services.
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Melissa was wonderful. Our daughter warmed to her immediately and by the time she left, had already started "practicing" some of the techniques Melissa had shown her. I will not hesitate at all to reach out to Melissa again, should … More the need arise.
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Aileen was INCREDIBLY helpful to us, both in assessing possible origins of my grandson's food aversions, as well as informing us of various available interventions to consider.
I can’t thank you and Brooklyn Letters enough for connecting … More us with Aileen. In all our feeding therapy journey we have not gotten anything near the kind of benefit that we did from her. Her knowledge, professionalism, and responsiveness have put us on the path of progress with my grandson and has also made us feel genuinely well cared for. -
We were amazed with Allison! She met my son at 2 1/2 years old, not speaking much at all, and over a computer, and she was able to develop a bond and friendship, so much so that he would look forward to his weekly computer time with Allison. … More I was not sure how the speech therapy would go- but we are so happy that we tried it out and continued. It allowed my son to gain confidence in his speech, make a new friend :), and also give him the skills and a bit of understanding of how to shape his mouth or where to place his tongue to make the proper sounds. We were extremely happy with Allison- she was fantastic to work with.
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My sessions with Karen have been extremely helpful. My speech has improved tremendously. In fact, I just finished 2 hours of conducting interviews with a consulting client via MS Teams and I have an upcoming conference call. Both my … More neurologist and neurosurgeon remarked about how good my speech is. Much of the day it is perfect, although I still have some rough spots when I get tired or speak too quickly. One of my granddaughters is a speech pathology student at Ithaca College. She sat in on 2 sessions while she was home for winter break, and she was very impressed with Karen.
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We were delighted with Christie. First, and most importantly, our son made great strides under her guidance. So great, that we felt he no longer needed help! She was incredibly patient and kind with him and our son really responded to … More her. Christie was also great with me and my wife. She provided thorough and informative updates on our son's progress and which exercises she was using with him, so we could reinforce what she was teaching him. All in all, we had a fabulous experience with Christie and would highly recommend her.
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Theo was wonderful and his work with my son has produced some progress. I am grateful for the services Theo provided.
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Highly recommend Jill. She is a total pleasure to work with. After a few months working with Jill, my son is reading above grade level and LOVES to read. Mission accomplished!
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Paige was great and we had been really happy with her. I would highly recommend her! I recommend Brooklyn Letters to whomever asks for a speech therapist.
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Isabel was WONDERFUL and our son absolutely adored her, and he is making great progress with his reading and writing.
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Theo was fantastic with our 4yo son. We were very worried that his progress would fall off when we had to switch to remote sessions, but Theo kept our son happy and engaged through the screen. Highly highly recommend!
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We've been working with Theo from Brooklyn Letters for close to 4 months now and the results are apparent; our daughter has vastly improved her speech in a relatively short amount of time. We make "Theo Day" a celebration … More in our house with pancakes for breakfast, and the enthusiasm is matched in the sessions. Theo is fun, patient, professional, and caring, and he gives us the tools to take the lessons beyond the session. Thank you Theo, and Brooklyn Letters, for helping our daughter express herself.
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I worked with Alina to enhance my pronunciation, tone, and pacing while communicating socially and in a work environment. She was great to work with and clear about goals and learning objectives. The improvement from day 1 has been tremendous! … More
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Cathy has been excellent with us and our son. We will sorely miss her. He has improved significantly with Cathy’s help. Cathy was a true partner with us, especially as we pursued additional help through our son’s school system.
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We really loved working with Alina, she is so fantastic. Patient yet firm, and determined the best course of action very clearly and succintly for us. And it all transitioned so well to Zoom as well. I will definitely be back in touch for … More services for our other child after summer break!
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Vera was amazing! My 11 yo daughter made progress so quickly and really looked forward to her sessions. She was kept motivated and engaged.
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The work that Allison P. did with our daughter over the years has been invaluable to us. Our daughter had such a good relationship with Allison, and it allowed them to work really well together - even remotely these past 6 months. This … More year, Allison went above and beyond by helping us throughout the neuropsych eval we did, trying to re-open our daughter's IEP at her school, and eventually landing her at our chosen school. She was in contact with our daughter's teachers, with the neuropsychologist, and made herself available as a reference to speak on behalf of our daughter's learning differences.
Allison stopped by our house last week to give our daughter cupcakes and say goodbye, and I literally cried with appreciation for what an amazing speech therapist she has been. She has been our daughter's biggest champion. The new families that she will work with this year are lucky to have her. -
Sydney was great! Our son was sad to end his sessions with her, which says a lot. We appreciated her honest assessment of his skill level, and he now has materials to self monitor and practice. Thank you!
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Our experience with Theo was terrific. Theo was great with my son. He developed a positive relationship with him based on sincerity, respect, trust and a deep personal connection. In their lessons, Theo was encouraging, creative and kind. … More He helped our son understand how to differentiate the sounds he made when he spoke, and gave him great exercises to practice every week between lessons. Our son was sorry to have the lessons come to an end, but recognized that Theo had helped him as much as possible and it was time for him to stop. Theo explained to him (and us) how to keep working to get the last 5%, and encouraged him to keep working on the exercises on his own. I have recommended Theo to another parent who noticed my son's improvement and inquired for her own son.
We are all grateful to have gotten to know Theo, and we greatly appreciate all the work he did to help our son. -
"I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Michelle Macroy-Higgins. We are extremely pleased with her work with our daughter. I was so grateful for my daughter to have a speech therapist who is a researcher (specialty in late … More talkers), graduate professor and practitioner. Her expertise was clearly evident in our conversations and work with our daughter. She was very responsive to my questions and often sent articles and other materials about language development that I found helpful. Thankfully, my daughter's speech improved tremendously. Michelle developed such a warm relationship with my daughter. My daughter was always excited to see Michelle and would greet her at the door with a big hug. Lastly, I would add that Michelle always demonstrated empathy with me as a mother who was initially worried about her daughter's language development. I could go on and on about how pleased we were with Michelle's work."
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Theo is a wonderful Clinton Hill speech therapist. We were really pleased with him. Our son showed drastic improvement, not only in his speech but in his confidence.
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Alexa has been an enthusiastic, reliable, well prepared and caring teacher for our 6 year old daughter. She has been able to improve and increase our daughter's confidence lesson by lesson with patience and competence; through varied … More and productive didactic practice. Alexa has engaged our daughter in several activities that always kept her motivated and eager to learn literacy. My wife and I, both of us are educators, feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to observe Alexa's pedagogical skills. Alexa has had a big impact on our daughter literacy growth. Thank you Brooklyn Letters!
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We were absolutely DELIGHTED with Marsha's services. She was wonderful. We found her to be kind, fun, engaging, very knowledgeable. She provided us with clear instructions and additional written handouts each week. She engaged our … More son with different techniques and toys, and showed us how to use her techniques when we were interacting with him. I actually just texted her on Saturday - Our son finally said "more" - one of the target words we had been working on with her. It was a total joy to hear, and I had to share it with her - she wrote back immediately to congratulate us. I am so appreciative of her expertise, and wish we could have seen her for longer. I recommended her to another family in our neighborhood who is looking for a speech therapist.
Dyslexia and Speech Therapy: Unlocking Language Skills
Introduction
Dyslexia is a common learning difference that affects how individuals process language, including reading, writing, and spelling. While dyslexia primarily impacts reading skills, it can also affect speech and language development. Speech therapy, with its expertise in communication disorders, plays a crucial role in supporting individuals with dyslexia. This blog will explore the connection between dyslexia and speech therapy, highlighting the benefits and strategies that speech therapists utilize to help individuals with dyslexia enhance their language skills.
Understanding Dyslexia
Dyslexia is not related to intelligence but reflects a neurological difference that affects how the brain processes information. Individuals with dyslexia may experience difficulties with phonological processing, which involves recognizing and manipulating the sounds of language. This can result in challenges with decoding words, spelling, and reading fluency.
Signs Your Child May Have Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to read, write, and spell. It typically becomes noticeable in childhood when children start learning to read and write. Here are some signs that your child may have dyslexia:
- Difficulty with reading: Your child may struggle with reading, finding it challenging to recognize letters, associate them with sounds, and blend them together to form words.
- Problems with spelling: Dyslexic children often have difficulty with spelling and may consistently misspell words, even those they have seen and practiced before.
- Slow reading: Your child may read at a slower pace compared to their peers. They may struggle to maintain a steady reading rhythm and may need more time to decode words.
- Letter and number reversals: Dyslexic children may frequently confuse letters or numbers that look similar, such as “b” and “d” or “6” and “9.”
- Difficulty with phonemic awareness: Phonemic awareness refers to identifying and manipulating sounds in spoken words. Dyslexic children may have trouble recognizing and working with the individual sounds in words.
- Poor handwriting: Dyslexia can also affect a child’s handwriting, making it messy and difficult to read. They may have trouble forming letters correctly and struggle with spacing between words.
- Difficulty with sequencing: Dyslexic children may have difficulty remembering and reproducing the sequence of letters, numbers, or events. This can impact their ability to follow instructions, organize their thoughts, and learn sequential information.
- Avoidance of reading and writing: Children with dyslexia often develop negative attitudes toward reading and writing activities. They may try to avoid tasks that involve reading or writing, and they may exhibit frustration, anxiety, or low self-esteem when faced with these activities.
- Family history: Dyslexia can have a genetic component, so if there is a family history of dyslexia, the likelihood of a child having it may be higher. It’s important to note that dyslexia can manifest differently in different individuals, and not all children will exhibit every sign.
If you suspect your child may have dyslexia, it’s best to consult with professionals such as educators, pediatricians, or psychologists who specialize in learning disorders. They can conduct assessments and provide appropriate interventions and support for your child. Discover what dyslexia assessment is and how it can help students with dyslexia and other processing disorders to catch up to grade-level literacy skills.
Dyslexia is a specific learning disorder that primarily affects reading and writing skills. While dyslexia is a lifelong condition, the specific challenges and manifestations of dyslexia can change over time as students progress through school. Here are some general observations about how dyslexia may change in school-age students:
- Early years (Kindergarten to Grade 2): In the early years of schooling, dyslexic students may struggle with letter recognition, phonemic awareness (identifying and manipulating individual sounds in words), and basic reading skills. They may experience difficulties in rhyming, decoding words, and spelling.
- Elementary school (Grade 3 to Grade 6): As students advance in elementary school, the challenges related to dyslexia may become more evident. Students may continue to struggle with reading fluency and accuracy, comprehension, and written expression. Difficulties with phonics, word recognition, and spelling are still common.
- Middle school (Grade 7 to Grade 9): Dyslexic students in middle school may face additional challenges as they encounter more complex texts and assignments. Reading comprehension becomes increasingly important, and students may struggle with understanding abstract or nuanced concepts. Written expression may continue to be a challenge, including grammar, organization, and coherence.
- High school (Grade 10 to Grade 12): In high school, dyslexic students may develop compensatory strategies to cope with their reading and writing difficulties. They might rely on assistive technology, such as text-to-speech software or speech recognition tools, to support their academic tasks. However, challenges with reading speed, complex vocabulary, and decoding unfamiliar words can persist. Writing longer essays or research papers may be particularly challenging due to difficulties with organization, planning, and editing.
Remember, dyslexia is a lifelong condition, but appropriate interventions and accommodations can significantly affect individuals’ experiences and outcomes. While the challenges may evolve with age, the core difficulties associated with dyslexia remain consistent. With the right support, individuals with dyslexia can continue to grow, learn, and achieve their goals at any stage of life.
The Role of Speech Therapy
Speech therapy is often an integral part of a comprehensive approach to dyslexia intervention. While speech therapy cannot cure dyslexia, it can address specific language-related challenges and provide strategies to improve communication skills. Here are some key areas where speech therapy can make a significant impact:
- Phonological Awareness: Speech therapists work on developing phonological awareness skills, which involve understanding and manipulating the sounds in spoken language. By focusing on tasks like rhyming, segmenting, and blending sounds, individuals with dyslexia can strengthen their foundation for reading and spelling.
- Articulation and Phonetics: Speech therapists help individuals with dyslexia improve their articulation skills by targeting the accurate production of speech sounds. Enhancing phonetic awareness and sound discrimination can positively influence decoding and reading abilities.
- Language Skills: Dyslexia can impact broader language skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension. Speech therapists address these challenges by working on vocabulary expansion, sentence structure, and understanding of written and spoken language.
- Reading Fluency: While speech therapy primarily focuses on spoken language, it can indirectly support reading fluency by improving phonological skills, auditory processing, and overall language proficiency.
- Assistive Technology: Speech therapists may introduce and train individuals with dyslexia to use assistive technology tools that aid reading and writing. Text-to-speech software, speech recognition software, and apps designed for dyslexia can provide valuable support in educational and everyday settings.
How Does a Speech Therapist Treat Dyslexia?
Speech therapists typically play a role in assessing certain aspects of language and phonological processing relevant to dyslexia. Here are some common methods they may use as part of the assessment process:
- Case history interview: The speech therapist will gather information about the child’s developmental history, language skills, reading and writing abilities, and any concerns or difficulties experienced by the child or their parents/teachers.
- Language assessment: The speech therapist will assess various language skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and expressive language abilities. Language difficulties can be an indication of dyslexia or related language-based learning disorders.
- Phonological awareness assessment: Phonological awareness refers to the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds in spoken words. The therapist may assess the child’s skills in tasks such as identifying rhyming words, segmenting words into individual sounds, blending sounds to form words, and manipulating sounds within words.
- Reading and writing assessment: The speech therapist may evaluate the child’s reading and writing skills to identify specific difficulties related to dyslexia. This may involve assessing reading accuracy, fluency, comprehension, and spelling abilities.
- Observation and informal assessment: The therapist may observe the child’s behaviors and interactions related to reading and writing. They may look for signs of letter reversals, difficulties with word decoding, reading speed, comprehension struggles, or issues with writing mechanics.
- Collaboration with other professionals: Depending on the extent of the assessment, the speech therapist may collaborate with other professionals, such as educational psychologists or educational diagnosticians, who can administer additional tests specifically designed to diagnose dyslexia. These tests may assess cognitive abilities, academic skills, and other factors related to dyslexia diagnosis.
It’s important to note that while speech therapists can provide valuable insights and assessments related to language and phonological processing, a comprehensive evaluation for dyslexia may involve multiple professionals from different disciplines working together. This interdisciplinary approach helps ensure accurate diagnosis and appropriate intervention planning for the child. Learn why so many dyslexia diagnoses are often missed by too many schools.
Conclusion
Dyslexia presents unique challenges in the realm of language and literacy, but with the right support, individuals with dyslexia can develop strong language skills and achieve academic success. Speech therapy plays a vital role in addressing the language-related difficulties associated with dyslexia. Through targeted interventions, strategies, and collaboration with other professionals, speech therapists empower individuals with dyslexia to unlock their language potential and thrive in their academic and personal lives.
Remember, dyslexia does not define a person’s abilities or limit their potential. With understanding, support, and specialized intervention, individuals with dyslexia can overcome challenges and embrace their strengths, becoming confident communicators and lifelong learners.
Early intervention is key to unlocking the potential of individuals with dyslexia. By identifying and addressing dyslexia at an early stage, we can provide targeted support, build crucial skills, and foster a positive mindset. With early intervention, individuals with dyslexia can overcome challenges, develop their strengths, and embark on a path toward a brighter future filled with academic success, self-confidence, and personal fulfillment. Let’s prioritize early intervention for dyslexia and empower individuals to thrive!
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Craig Selinger
Owner at Brooklyn Letters
Craig Selinger is the dedicated owner of Brooklyn Letters, a reputable private practice renowned for its exceptional services. Together with his team of skilled professionals, they extend their expertise across a wide range of locations, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
With a New York State license as a speech-language therapist (pathologist) and a learning specialist, Craig boasts an impressive track record spanning over two decades, during which he and his team have helped more than a thousand families, establishing Brooklyn Letters as a respected practice in the field.
Craig's proficiency encompasses a diverse array of domains, including addressing early childhood speech-language delays, skillfully managing expressive and receptive language disorders, and adeptly tackling language learning obstacles such as reading, writing, executive functioning, social and pragmatic communication. He also demonstrates mastery in speech production concerns, i.e., articulation and enunciation.
What sets Craig and his team apart is their dedication to providing comprehensive care. They actively collaborate with the finest professionals in the NYC metro area, including neuropsychologists, mental health therapists, and allied health professionals. This network of expertise ensures a holistic approach to each client's unique needs.
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