Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
-
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!
-
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!
-
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!
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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!
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Theo was wonderful and his work with my son has produced some progress. I am grateful for the services Theo provided.
-
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!
-
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.
-
Isabel was WONDERFUL and our son absolutely adored her, and he is making great progress with his reading and writing.
-
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!
-
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.
-
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
-
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.
-
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!
-
Vera was amazing! My 11 yo daughter made progress so quickly and really looked forward to her sessions. She was kept motivated and engaged.
-
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!
-
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."
-
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.
-
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!
-
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.
Assessing Reading Skills: Understanding Reading Level Tests
Reading is a gateway to knowledge, imagination, and personal growth. As readers, we encounter a vast array of texts, each with its level of complexity. To better understand and navigate this literary landscape, reading levels serve as invaluable guides.
Reading levels can be daunting for many people, but a good understanding of them is key to improving your reading skills and comprehension. Whether you are trying to improve your reading level for school, university, or professional purposes, understanding reading levels can help you make the most of your reading time. In this blog post, we will provide an overview of the reading levels and discuss strategies for improving your reading level.
What Are Reading Levels?
Reading levels are a classification system used to assess the difficulty and complexity of texts, as well as to determine the appropriate reading proficiency level for readers. These levels serve as a guide to match readers with texts suitable for their abilities and developmental stage. Reading levels are typically categorized by age, grade, or a designated alphanumeric system.
Different reading level systems exist, each with its own criteria and scale. Some commonly used systems include Lexile, Guided Reading Level (GRL), Reading Recovery Level, and Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA). These systems may use quantitative measures, such as word difficulty and sentence length, and qualitative measures, such as text complexity and literary features, to determine reading levels.
How is Your Child’s Reading Level Assessed?
When assessing a child’s reading level, there are a variety of tests and activities that can be used to measure comprehension, fluency, and accuracy. Some of these include informal reading inventories, graded word lists, and running records, all of which provide useful information about a student’s current level of reading proficiency.
In addition, standardized tests such as the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) can provide a more comprehensive view of a student’s overall reading performance. With the help of these assessments, teachers can better understand how to effectively support their students in reaching their reading goals.
Differences In Reading Levels Between Age Groups
One of the most interesting things about reading levels is the differences between age groups. Generally, older students have higher reading levels than younger students, while younger students tend to read at a slightly slower pace. This can be attributed to the fact that older students have more reading experience and more time to develop reading skills.
Additionally, older students may be more familiar with the language and can better recognize and comprehend the words. On the other hand, younger students may take longer to understand the words and may have a different level of familiarity with the language.
Importance of Reading Levels
- Supporting Skill Development: Reading at an appropriate level allows readers to build and reinforce their reading skills. It ensures that readers encounter texts that challenge them just enough to foster growth without overwhelming them.
- Building Confidence: Matching readers with texts at their appropriate level promotes success and boosts confidence. When readers can comfortably comprehend and engage with the material, they are more likely to enjoy the reading experience and develop a positive attitude toward reading.
- Guiding Book Selection: Reading levels serve as a valuable guide when choosing books. They help readers and caregivers identify books that align with a reader’s abilities and interests, fostering a love for reading and encouraging the exploration of diverse genres and topics.
- Informing Instructional Decisions: Reading levels assist educators in tailoring instruction to meet the needs of their students. By assessing individual reading levels, educators can differentiate instruction, select appropriate materials, and provide targeted support to facilitate growth and achievement.
Navigating Reading Levels
- Utilize Reading Level Systems: Familiarize yourself with popular reading levels systems such as Lexile, Guided Reading Level (GRL), or Reading Recovery Level. Understand the criteria used by each system to determine reading levels and seek out resources that provide this information.
- Assess Personal Reading Level: Use tools like reading assessments or guided reading experiences with a teacher or librarian to determine your reading level. This self-awareness will help you make informed choices when selecting books.
- Seek Recommendations: Consult teachers, librarians, and reading specialists for book recommendations based on your reading level. They can suggest books that align with your abilities and interests, expanding your literary horizons.
- Gradually Expand Horizons: As you become more confident in your reading abilities, gradually challenge yourself by selecting texts slightly above your current reading level. This approach promotes growth and stretches your skills without overwhelming you.
- Enjoy the Journey: Remember that reading levels are guides, not rigid rules. While it is essential to read at an appropriate level, feel free to explore texts that capture your curiosity, even if they are slightly above or below your designated level.
Common Reading Level Systems
Guided Reading Level (GRL), Lexile Framework, Reading Recovery Level, and Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) leveling systems lack reliability and validity, particularly at lower reading levels. These systems do not adequately control text complexity in terms of decodability, often including challenging words like “elephant” in books assigned lower levels. Lower-level texts encourage students to rely on sentence patterns and pictures rather than actual reading skills. Overall, their findings do not align with well-established and valid measures of reading ability.
While the Lexile measure offers more utility than these systems, it also falls short at the lowest reading levels. It is worth noting that research suggests students should not be confined to reading books strictly at their designated “level.” Students with high interest and motivation can successfully tackle more challenging books on subjects that intrigue them or that they have prior knowledge about. Restricting students to specific levels can hinder their reading growth and exploration.
On the other hand, DIBELS, Acadience, and similar nationally normed standardized measures excel as screening tools for identifying students with underdeveloped reading skills. However, they are not diagnostic and do not provide teachers with specific guidance on which skills to teach or indicate the text qualities that students are prepared to handle.
Benefits of Improving Reading Levels
Improving reading levels can have a tremendous impact on many aspects of life. Those who can read well often find that they can better understand and process information, which can lead to greater success in the workplace, in school, and in other areas. Furthermore, reading well can increase critical thinking skills, allowing individuals to make more informed decisions.
Additionally, reading well can help individuals develop better communication skills, as understanding written words is essential to communicating effectively.
Finally, improving reading levels can help to build a greater appreciation for literature, opening up a world of knowledge and entertainment.
Things to Do if Your Child is Struggling with Reading
If your child struggles with reading, it’s important to provide support and create a positive learning environment to help them overcome difficulties and develop their reading skills.
Here are some things you can do:
- Identify the Challenges: Observe and pinpoint specific areas of difficulty in reading to address them better.
- Consult with Teachers: Communicate with your child’s teacher to gain insights and collaborate on effective strategies.
- Create a Reading Routine: Establish a consistent daily reading time and choose books aligned with their interests and abilities.
- Provide Supportive Materials: Offer a variety of reading materials to maintain engagement and cater to their preferences.
- Read Aloud: Continue reading aloud to your child to expose them to fluent reading and foster discussion.
- Use Multisensory Techniques: Incorporate hands-on activities to reinforce reading skills, such as tracing letters and using manipulatives.
- Practice Phonics and Sight Words: Focus on phonics instruction and sight word recognition through interactive methods.
- Provide Positive Reinforcement: Encourage and celebrate their progress and efforts to boost confidence.
- Seek Professional Help if Needed: Consider seeking assistance from specialists or tutors if difficulties persist.
- Foster a Love for Reading: Make reading enjoyable, visit libraries, and engage in discussions about books to nurture a love for reading.
Remember, each child progresses at their own pace, and patience is key. You can help your child overcome reading challenges and develop a lifelong passion for literacy by providing support, utilizing effective strategies, and fostering a love for reading.
Our reading tutors are experienced in teaching a variety of reading levels, from beginner to advanced. They can help your child develop comprehension, fluency, and decoding skills and improve their overall understanding of the English language. Whether your child struggles to keep up in school or needs extra help, our tutors can help them reach their learning goals.
Chat With Us Today!
Our Literacy Specialists work on decoding, encoding (spelling), reading comprehension, and writing skills.
FREE CONSULTATION!!!
Call: (347) 394-3485, Text: (917) 426-8880
Email: [email protected]
(we respond to email right away!)
Craig Selinger
Latest posts by Craig Selinger (see all)
- NYC Stuttering Therapy for Adults - October 3, 2023
- NYC Speech Therapy at Home: Your Home, Your Progress - October 2, 2023
- NYC Articulation Therapy for All Ages - September 29, 2023