Is this what you see
when it's time to read?
when it's time to read?
It doesn't have to be
The Active Reader
Dyslexia Therapy
Dyslexia Therapy
Unlocking Literacy since 1996
The Active Reader Method is a dynamic, multisensory therapeutic approach to dyslexia that is 100% customized for your child. Systematic without being scripted, and rigorous without being rote, the Active Reader is proudly partnered with Lexercise, a robust and established online platform designed specifically for dyslexic students.
Who can benefit from The Active Reader Dyslexia Therapy?
Do I need to have a formal diagnosis?
Any student who struggles with reading will benefit from skilled dyslexia therapy, with or without a formal diagnosis. If you have reason to believe your child may struggle with reading (attention issues, a family history of dyslexia), taking action in preschool or kindergarten can prevent years of heartache and frustration.
human Connection
+ Custom Video Games
= Lasting Results
The Active Reader goes beyond tutoring to provide targeted, custom-designed instruction designed to be delivered online, either through Lexercise or with The Active Reader Method. Both offer one-on-one instruction and custom-designed video games to make daily practice manageable.
So many academic and behavioral challenges arise from foundational skill deficits that can be addressed directly with skilled intervention. Early intervention is truly life-changing, and the sooner you take action, the better.
You've been working at this for a while now. You've done everything you can. It's hard teaching your own child. Let someone help you.
Your child will thank you. (Maybe not this week. But they will).
Is this what you see when it's time to read?
The Active Reader
Dyslexia Therapy
Unlocking Literacy since 1996
The Active Reader Method is a dynamic, multisensory therapeutic approach to dyslexia that is 100% customized for your child. Systematic without being scripted, and rigorous without being rote, the Active Reader is proudly partnered with Lexercise, a robust and established online platform designed specifically for dyslexic students.
Who can benefit from The Active Reader Dyslexia Therapy? Do I need to have a formal diagnosis?
Any student who struggles with reading will benefit from skilled dyslexia therapy, with or without a formal diagnosis. If you have reason to believe your child may struggle with reading (attention issues, a family history of dyslexia), taking action in preschool or kindergarten can prevent years of heartache and frustration.
Personal Connection
+ Video Games
+ Video Games
= Lasting Results
The Active Reader goes beyond tutoring to provide targeted, custom-designed instruction designed to be delivered online, either through Lexercise or with The Active Reader Method. Both offer one-on-one instruction and custom-designed video games to make daily practice manageable.
Early intervention is truly life-changing. The longer you wait to address the problem, the longer it takes to fix it. So many academic and behavioral challenges arise from foundational skill deficits that can be addressed directly with skilled intervention. Get to the root of the problem with The Active Reader.
Find Out What Your Child Needs With a
Free Phonemic Awareness Assessment
Meet one-on-one with a real specialist who understands dyslexia.
Takes about 20 minutes • Meet on Zoom • You, Your Child, and Kate
Find Out What
Your Child Needs With a
Free Phonemic Awareness Assessment
Meet one-on-one with a real specialist who understands dyslexia.
Takes about 20 minutes • Meet on Zoom • You, Your Child, and Kate
Is this what you
see when it's
see when it's
time to read?
It doesn't have to be!..
Is this
what you
see when
see when
it's time
to read?
Is Reading a nightly battle?
Does it seem like he won't even look at the words on the page?
Is her spelling terrible? Does he struggle with sight words you've reviewed a million times?
Does she make random guesses at words that she should be able to read?
Does it take hours instead of minutes to complete assignments?
Do you think that if you were a more patient person, your child wouldn't be struggling?
Does the mere mention of reading
make your child mad or frustrated?
Does she seem anxious or sad when it's time for school?
Is homework a nightly battle?
When it’s time to read, does he look at
the pictures...
your face...
the band-aid on his thumb…
anything except the words?
Do you think that if you were a more patient person, your child wouldn't be struggling?
book your free
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
to see how this foundational skill impacts your child
Does the mere mention of reading
make your child mad or frustrated?
Does she seem anxious or sad when it's time for school?
Is homework a nightly battle?
When it’s time to read, does he look at
the pictures...
your face...
the band-aid on his thumb…
anything except the words?
Do you think that if you were a more patient person, your child wouldn't be struggling?
book your free
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
to see how this foundational skill impacts your child
If this sounds familiar,
you are not alone.
The research is clear:
- 40–50% of readers require code-based, explicit instruction to become proficient.
- 10–15% need explicit, systematic instruction with many repetitions.
- This is the profile of a dyslexic reader: not only do they need skilled instruction—they need more of it.
- One of the key deficits dyslexic readers struggle with is weak phonemic awareness.
What is Phonemic Awareness? And what is the role it plays in learning to read?
What is
Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic Awareness (often referred to as “PA”) is the ability to identify, separate and blend individual speech sounds (known as “phonemes”) within spoken - as opposed to written - words.
PA is a foundational skill, and if that foundation is weak, reading will not make sense. Because if you can't hear and isolate the sounds in spoken words, how are you supposed to connect them to the letters that represent those words?
PA is also the skill most commonly overlooked in early literacy, because it doesn’t look like “reading." It’s not about books, spelling, sight words, or even letters... it's about sound.
While most reading programs emphasize recognizing the first sounds in letters, it's the ability to ability to separate all the sounds in a word that is the foundation to fluent, automatic reading. It's not necessarily hard, but it's definitely all "natural." And it is the foundational skill that is underdeveloped in the dyslexic brain.
Fortunately, it is totally learnable....
once you find the missing link.
Scarborough's Reading Rope is the conceptual framework behind what’s known as The Simple View of Reading, which informs what's often commonly referred to as “The Science of Reading" — a body of research built over more than 30 years, and strengthened by increasingly sophisticated brain-imaging evidence.
The key idea is, (appropriately) simple:
What is
Phonemic
Awareness?
Awareness?
Scarborough's Reading Rope
Scarborough's Reading Rope is the conceptual framework behind what’s known as The Simple View of Reading, which informs what's often commonly referred to as “The Science of Reading" — a body of research built over more than 30 years, and strengthened by increasingly sophisticated brain-imaging evidence.
The key idea is, (appropriately) simple:
Phonemic Awareness (or “PA”) is the ability to identify, separate and blend individual speech sounds (known as “phonemes”) within spoken (not written) words. If you can't hear and isolate the sounds in spoken words, how are you supposed to connect them to the letters that represent* those words?
PA is the skill most commonly overlooked in early literacy, because it doesn’t look like “reading." It’s not about books, spelling, sight words, or even letters... it's about sound.
While most reading programs emphasize recognizing the first sounds in letters, it's the ability to ability to separate all the sounds in a word that is the foundation to fluent, automatic reading. It's not necessarily hard, but it's definitely all "natural." And it is the foundational skill that is underdeveloped in the dyslexic brain.
Fortunately, it is totally learnable!
*if that connection was never made, you might think that written English is totally illogical and random, and think you have to memorize everything. Can you imagine how exhausting that would be?
Structured
Literacy
Literacy
Explicit
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
The alphabetic code is taught
intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
Intentionally links handwriting,
pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
Instruction is based on the learner’s mastery,
not on a prescribed curriculum.
VS.
Traditional Reading
Instruction
Instruction
Implicit
Skills are expected to be inferred
Incidental/non-sequential
The alphabetic code is introduced
as it appears in reading materials,
not in a cumulative sequence
as it appears in reading materials,
not in a cumulative sequence
Print-focused
emphasizes whole-word
recognition over handwriting and
sound–symbol understanding
recognition over handwriting and
sound–symbol understanding
Curriculum driven
Instruction follows a scripted program,
moving on even when gaps remain.
moving on even when gaps remain.
Structured
Literacy
Literacy
Explicit
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
The alphabetic code is taught intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
Multisensory
Intentionally links handwriting, pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
Diagnostic/Flexible
Instruction is based on the learner’s mastery, not on a prescribed curriculum
VS.
Traditional Reading
Instruction
Instruction
Implicit
Skills are expected to be inferred
Incidental/non-sequential
The alphabetic code is introduced as it appears in reading materials, not in a cumulative sequence
Print-focused
emphasizes whole-word recognition over handwriting and sound–symbol understanding
Curriculum driven
Instruction follows a scripted program, moving on even when gaps remain
The Active Reader Difference
Structured
Literacy
(aka "Orton Gillingham")
A research-backed approach endorsed by the IDA, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and ALTA builds reading from the ground up, step by step.
Gold standard for literacy instruction
Expert Instruction
+
Human Connection
Dyslexic kids need different help
Students learn the skills the dyslexic brain struggles to develop on its own, taught by a real human who knows them, and who makes sure they're aleart and engaged.
Passive learning doesn't work.
Designed from the ground-up to be delivered online.
Hand-picked
Video Games
Customized for your child
Games that reinforce the
specific skills that need to
be developed in your child.
specific skills that need to
be developed in your child.
These are skills that are overlooked in almost all literacy programs.
The
Active Reader
Difference
Active Reader
Difference
Structured
Literacy
(aka "Orton Gillingham")
A research-backed approach endorsed by the IDA, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and ALTA builds reading from the ground up, step by step.
Gold standard for literacy instruction
Expert Instruction
+
Human Connection
No Scripts. No Flashcards
Active Readers learn how our spoken language is translated into text - not through rote memorization, but through understanding. Sessions are dynamic and engaging, designed from the ground up to be delivered online.
Passive learning doesn't work. Engaged learning does.
Hand-picked
Video Games
Customized for your child
Unique games based on over twenty years of experience with real students, designed specifically to target the skills dyslexic students struggle with.
These are skills that are overlooked in almost all literacy programs.
Relationship +
Deliberate Practice
= Lasting Results
Deliberate Practice
= Lasting Results
Relationship:
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
Deliberate Practice:
Customized video Games
with leaderboards to help your child build automaticity, confidence, and motivation.
Customized video Games
with leaderboards to help your child build automaticity, confidence, and motivation.
Lasting Results
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
a full grade level in 12 weeks — guaranteed.
Relationship + Deliberate Practice = Lasting Results
Relationship
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours 
Practice
Custom video games are sequenced intentionally to build understanding layer by layer, building the pattern recognition needed for fluent, automatic reading.
Custom video games are sequenced intentionally to build understanding layer by layer, building the pattern recognition needed for fluent, automatic reading.
Leaderboards keep things interesting while repetition and variety work together to make reading easier.
Results
Struggling readers fall further and further behind because they don't even want to look at text, in or out of the classroom.
Active Readers naturally engage with the text that's all around.
Learning becomes self-reinforcing as skill and confidence grows.
"When you're reading fast and you're understanding, it's like you're flying."
Sam, aged 10
Dyslexia Doesn't Fix Itself
Without the right support, difficulties can compound over time, undermining confidence and self-image
Insufficient
school support
school support
Reading difficulties
intensify over time
intensify over time
Emotional and psychological consequences
It's not too late!
Wherever your child is right now, there’s still time to help.
Dyslexia Doesn't Fix Itself
Without the right support, difficulties can compound over time, undermining confidence and self-image
Insufficient
school support
school support
Reading difficulties
intensify over time
intensify over time
Emotional and psychological consequences
It's not too late!
Wherever your child is right now, there’s still time to help.
What's Right for My Child?
Lexercise® Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
What is right for my child?
Lexercise®
Professional Therapy
Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
Lexercise®
Professional Therapy
Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
Kim's Story
This is conversation I had with parent (who happens to be an attorney) talking about how she learned dyslexia was at the root of her son's behavior struggles. I asked to record it because I knew how much other parents would appreciate hearing her story.
Hi! I'm Kate.
I’m The Active Reader.
I like big words, small dogs (well, my small dog), and punctuation.
I’ve been teaching reading for over twenty-five years, to
students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. I’m a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Therapist, trained
through IDA-accredited programs including Lexercise, Lindamood-Bell, Words in Color, and F.A.S.T. Phonics.
After graduating from Smith College and spending some years writing screenplays, waiting tables, touring with a pop band, and generally being convinced I was going to “change the world,” I found myself teaching English in a failing middle school in Compton. To my surprise, I discovered that while I could talk about books, stories, and word origins 'til the cows came home, what I couldn’t do was teach a classroom full of kids how to actually read when they were already behind.
I get how hard it is to be a classroom teacher. I’m also a certified yoga instructor, and while I’m a terrible meditator, I’m an excellent breather. I've used that training to help my students manage their anxiety, settle down, and perk up. (I have yet to find anything more energizing than doing a headstand, and believe it or not, I often do them with my student, even over Zoom.)
Someday, I want to start a middle school where all academic content is taught through the science and business of food and cooking.
But for now, I just want to teach kids how to read.
As many as possible.
With the right support,
real progress is possible.
real progress is possible.
Hear from parents like you:
Hi! I'm Kate.
I’m The Active Reader.
I like big words, small dogs (well, my small dog), and punctuation.
I’ve been teaching reading for over twenty-five years, to
students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. I’m a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Therapist, trained
through IDA-accredited programs including Lexercise, Lindamood-Bell, Words in Color, and F.A.S.T. Phonics.
After graduating from Smith College and spending some years writing screenplays, waiting tables, touring with a pop band, and generally being convinced I was going to “change the world,” I found myself teaching English in a failing middle school in Compton. To my surprise, I discovered that while I could talk about books, stories, and word origins 'til the cows came home, what I couldn’t do was teach a classroom full of kids how to actually read when they were already behind.
I get how hard it is to be a classroom teacher.
I’m also a certified yoga instructor, and while I’m a terrible meditator, I’m an excellent breather. I've used that training to help my students manage their anxiety, settle down, and perk up. (I have yet to find anything more energizing than doing a headstand, and believe it or not, I often do them with my student, even over Zoom.)
Someday, I want to start a middle school where all academic content is taught through the science and business of food and cooking.
But for now, I just want to teach kids how to read.
As many as possible.
Is this what you
see when it's
see when it's
time to read?
It doesn't have to be!..
Is this
what you
see when
see when
it's time
to read?
Why is reading so hard for some kids?
Brain Science and Dyslexia Therapy
When readers struggle with decoding text, there's a disconnect between how the brain processes sounds (phonemes) and the symbols that represent those sounds (graphemes; aka "letters'). This disconnect is what characterizes dyslexia.
Dyslexia is a language processing disorder with roots in underdeveloped phonemic awareness and the processing of the sound-symbol relationship. In the dyslexic brain, the neural pathways between the part of the brain that decodes the symbols of text and the part of the brain that synthesizes meaning from those symbols aren’t as developed as they meet to be for fluent reading.
About 20% of the population is estimated to struggle with dyslexia, and while it's unrelated to the ability to comprehend spoken language, it interferes with all aspects of the reading process, leaving students bewildered and frustrated. Words are skipped, guessed at, or read incorrectly. Reading speed is so slow that the beginning of a sentence may be forgotten by the time the end is reached. So ultimately, reading comprehension suffers.
Dyslexia can't be addressed with even the best phonics program, or the most enthusiastic teacher; effective treatment requires specialized knowledge, accurate assessment, and time to build those neural connections. The English language is orthographically and morphologically complex, and while some students naturally intuit the structure beneath the words, if you're dyslexic... you don't.
With The Active Reader, students showing symptoms of dyslexia learn not just to read and comprehend text, but to understand why it behaves the way it does, and how to apply tools and techniques that enable them to read well.
The next step is to apply this knowledge in focused, intense practice.
Dyslexia is fascinating and mysterious. A dyslexic reader may read "with" correctly twice in context, and then be unable to decipher it the third time. She may add sounds to consonant blends for no apparent reason. He may skip seemingly unimportant words that carry subtle structural importance. She may say "stand" and write "strand"... three times in a row.
In order to address this, Active Reader students get custom-made practice materials that isolate and target their specific weaknesses. It may be as minute as being unable to distinguish the /n/ sound in a consonant blend, or as global as understanding what a syllable is; whatever it is, Active Reader therapy will find it, and target it.
Dyslexia therapy is not like traditional tutoring. Is more like physical therapy, in that recovery depends on diagnosing the source of the weakness, and strengthening that specific area. It takes a skilled therapist to find that weakness, and to target it effectively. Once it's strong, the parts of the brain begin to communicate effectively, and reading starts to become automatic.
Automaticity is crucial to comprehension, for several reasons. First of all, if you're struggling to decode every other word, you're not going to want to read. Period. And if you don't read, you don't get better at it. You won't be exposed to all the vocabulary embedded in books and stories, and vocabulary is linked to comprehension.
Furthermore, if you have to read (which of course, you will), it will be harder to understand what you're reading. You will read more slowly, and this has a significant impact on comprehension. Slow readers can’t concern themselves with identifying the subject of a sentence when they're still hacking their way through the first difficult word they encounter. And of course, slow reading means it takes forever for just to get through an assignment -- let alone understand it. Active Readers are faster readers.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you're reading this, you're already on the right path. By taking early action, you are preventing deficits from becoming disorders. You are preventing reading from becoming an endless source of frustration and shame. For a struggling reader, every day in school can create or reinforce the belief that "Something's wrong with me. I'll never be able to read like a normal kid. School is stupid... and so am I."
That does not have to be your child's story. Unlock literacy with The Active Reader, and give your child the gift of confidence. It's a gift that changes lives.
Reading in America
Maybe you know the stats; there are tons of them, but here are a few that are particularly powerful:
Thirty-four percent of American fourth-graders can't read.
34% test below proficiency.
Only 32% read well.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
Reading shouldn't be this hard. And in fact, it's not.
Reading and writing are complex processes that challenge many students, but with the right instruction, and plenty of targeted practice,
literacy is within reach.
It's possible for students across the country, and it's possible for the child you love. There are no quick fixes, and no shortcuts. But there are answers, and there is hope. Plenty of it.
Is Reading a nightly battle?
Does it seem like he won't even look at the words on the page?
Is her spelling terrible? Does he struggle with sight words you've reviewed a million times?
Does she make random guesses at words that she should be able to read?
Does it take hours instead of minutes to complete assignments?
Do you think that if you were a more patient person, your child wouldn't be struggling?
Does the mere mention of reading
make your child mad or frustrated?
Does she seem anxious or sad when it's time for school?
Is homework a nightly battle?
When it’s time to read, does he look at
the pictures...
your face...
the band-aid on his thumb…
anything except the words?
Do you think that if you were a more patient person, your child wouldn't be struggling?
book your free
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
to see how this foundational skill impacts your child
Does the mere mention of reading
make your child mad or frustrated?
Does she seem anxious or sad when it's time for school?
Is homework a nightly battle?
When it’s time to read, does he look at
the pictures...
your face...
the band-aid on his thumb…
anything except the words?
Do you think that if you were a more patient person, your child wouldn't be struggling?
book your free
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
to see how this foundational skill impacts your child
If this sounds familiar,
you are not alone.
The research is clear:
- 40–50% of readers require code-based, explicit instruction to become proficient.
- 10–15% need explicit, systematic instruction with many repetitions.
- This is the profile of a dyslexic reader: not only do they need skilled instruction—they need more of it.
- One of the key deficits dyslexic readers struggle with is weak phonemic awareness.
What is Phonemic Awareness? And what is the role it plays in learning to read?
What is
Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic Awareness (often referred to as “PA”) is the ability to identify, separate and blend individual speech sounds (known as “phonemes”) within spoken - as opposed to written - words.
PA is a foundational skill, and if that foundation is weak, reading will not make sense. Because if you can't hear and isolate the sounds in spoken words, how are you supposed to connect them to the letters that represent those words?
PA is also the skill most commonly overlooked in early literacy, because it doesn’t look like “reading." It’s not about books, spelling, sight words, or even letters... it's about sound.
While most reading programs emphasize recognizing the first sounds in letters, it's the ability to ability to separate all the sounds in a word that is the foundation to fluent, automatic reading. It's not necessarily hard, but it's definitely all "natural." And it is the foundational skill that is underdeveloped in the dyslexic brain.
Fortunately, it is totally learnable....
once you find the missing link.
Scarborough's Reading Rope is the conceptual framework behind what’s known as The Simple View of Reading, which informs what's often commonly referred to as “The Science of Reading" — a body of research built over more than 30 years, and strengthened by increasingly sophisticated brain-imaging evidence.
The key idea is, (appropriately) simple:
What is
Phonemic
Awareness?
Awareness?
Scarborough's Reading Rope
Scarborough's Reading Rope is the conceptual framework behind what’s known as The Simple View of Reading, which informs what's often commonly referred to as “The Science of Reading" — a body of research built over more than 30 years, and strengthened by increasingly sophisticated brain-imaging evidence.
The key idea is, (appropriately) simple:
Phonemic Awareness (or “PA”) is the ability to identify, separate and blend individual speech sounds (known as “phonemes”) within spoken (not written) words. If you can't hear and isolate the sounds in spoken words, how are you supposed to connect them to the letters that represent* those words?
PA is the skill most commonly overlooked in early literacy, because it doesn’t look like “reading." It’s not about books, spelling, sight words, or even letters... it's about sound.
While most reading programs emphasize recognizing the first sounds in letters, it's the ability to ability to separate all the sounds in a word that is the foundation to fluent, automatic reading. It's not necessarily hard, but it's definitely all "natural." And it is the foundational skill that is underdeveloped in the dyslexic brain.
Fortunately, it is totally learnable!
*if that connection was never made, you might think that written English is totally illogical and random, and think you have to memorize everything. Can you imagine how exhausting that would be?
Structured
Literacy
Literacy
Explicit
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
The alphabetic code is taught
intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
Intentionally links handwriting,
pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
Instruction is based on the learner’s mastery,
not on a prescribed curriculum.
VS.
Traditional Reading
Instruction
Instruction
Implicit
Skills are expected to be inferred
Incidental/non-sequential
The alphabetic code is introduced
as it appears in reading materials,
not in a cumulative sequence
as it appears in reading materials,
not in a cumulative sequence
Print-focused
emphasizes whole-word
recognition over handwriting and
sound–symbol understanding
recognition over handwriting and
sound–symbol understanding
Curriculum driven
Instruction follows a scripted program,
moving on even when gaps remain.
moving on even when gaps remain.
Structured
Literacy
Literacy
Explicit
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
The alphabetic code is taught intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
Multisensory
Intentionally links handwriting, pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
Diagnostic/Flexible
Instruction is based on the learner’s mastery, not on a prescribed curriculum
VS.
Traditional Reading
Instruction
Instruction
Implicit
Skills are expected to be inferred
Incidental/non-sequential
The alphabetic code is introduced as it appears in reading materials, not in a cumulative sequence
Print-focused
emphasizes whole-word recognition over handwriting and sound–symbol understanding
Curriculum driven
Instruction follows a scripted program, moving on even when gaps remain
The Active Reader Difference
Structured
Literacy
(aka "Orton Gillingham")
A research-backed approach endorsed by the IDA, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and ALTA builds reading from the ground up, step by step.
Gold standard for literacy instruction
Expert Instruction
+
Human Connection
Dyslexic kids need different help
Students learn the skills the dyslexic brain struggles to develop on its own, taught by a real human who knows them, and who makes sure they're aleart and engaged.
Passive learning doesn't work.
Designed from the ground-up to be delivered online.
Hand-picked
Video Games
Customized for your child
Games that reinforce the
specific skills that need to
be developed in your child.
specific skills that need to
be developed in your child.
These are skills that are overlooked in almost all literacy programs.
The
Active Reader
Difference
Active Reader
Difference
Structured
Literacy
(aka "Orton Gillingham")
A research-backed approach endorsed by the IDA, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and ALTA builds reading from the ground up, step by step.
Gold standard for literacy instruction
Expert Instruction
+
Human Connection
No Scripts. No Flashcards
Active Readers learn how our spoken language is translated into text - not through rote memorization, but through understanding. Sessions are dynamic and engaging, designed from the ground up to be delivered online.
Passive learning doesn't work. Engaged learning does.
Hand-picked
Video Games
Customized for your child
Unique games based on over twenty years of experience with real students, designed specifically to target the skills dyslexic students struggle with.
These are skills that are overlooked in almost all literacy programs.
Relationship +
Deliberate Practice
= Lasting Results
Deliberate Practice
= Lasting Results
Relationship:
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
Deliberate Practice:
Customized video Games
with leaderboards to help your child build automaticity, confidence, and motivation.
Customized video Games
with leaderboards to help your child build automaticity, confidence, and motivation.
Lasting Results
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
a full grade level in 12 weeks — guaranteed.
Relationship + Deliberate Practice = Lasting Results
Relationship
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
Practice
Custom video games are sequenced intentionally to build understanding layer by layer, building the pattern recognition needed for fluent, automatic reading.
Custom video games are sequenced intentionally to build understanding layer by layer, building the pattern recognition needed for fluent, automatic reading.
Leaderboards keep things interesting while repetition and variety work together to make reading easier.
Results
Struggling readers fall further and further behind because they don't even want to look at text, in or out of the classroom.
Active Readers naturally engage with the text that's all around.
Learning becomes self-reinforcing as skill and confidence grows.
"When you're reading fast and you're understanding, it's like you're flying."
Sam, aged 10
Dyslexia Doesn't Fix Itself
Without the right support, difficulties can compound over time, undermining confidence and self-image
Insufficient
school support
school support
Reading difficulties
intensify over time
intensify over time
Emotional and psychological consequences
It's not too late!
Wherever your child is right now, there’s still time to help.
Dyslexia Doesn't Fix Itself
Without the right support, difficulties can compound over time, undermining confidence and self-image
Insufficient
school support
school support
Reading difficulties
intensify over time
intensify over time
Emotional and psychological consequences
It's not too late!
Wherever your child is right now, there’s still time to help.
What's Right for My Child?
Lexercise® Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
What is right for my child?
Lexercise®
Professional Therapy
Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
Lexercise®
Professional Therapy
Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
Kim's Story
This is conversation I had with parent (who happens to be an attorney) talking about how she learned dyslexia was at the root of her son's behavior struggles. I asked to record it because I knew how much other parents would appreciate hearing her story.
Hi! I'm Kate.
I’m The Active Reader.
I like big words, small dogs (well, my small dog), and punctuation.
I’ve been teaching reading for over twenty-five years, to
students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. I’m a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Therapist, trained
through IDA-accredited programs including Lexercise, Lindamood-Bell, Words in Color, and F.A.S.T. Phonics.
After graduating from Smith College and spending some years writing screenplays, waiting tables, touring with a pop band, and generally being convinced I was going to “change the world,” I found myself teaching English in a failing middle school in Compton. To my surprise, I discovered that while I could talk about books, stories, and word origins 'til the cows came home, what I couldn’t do was teach a classroom full of kids how to actually read when they were already behind.
I get how hard it is to be a classroom teacher. I’m also a certified yoga instructor, and while I’m a terrible meditator, I’m an excellent breather. I've used that training to help my students manage their anxiety, settle down, and perk up. (I have yet to find anything more energizing than doing a headstand, and believe it or not, I often do them with my student, even over Zoom.)
Someday, I want to start a middle school where all academic content is taught through the science and business of food and cooking.
But for now, I just want to teach kids how to read.
As many as possible.
With the right support,
real progress is possible.
real progress is possible.
Hear from parents like you:
Hi! I'm Kate.
I’m The Active Reader.
I like big words, small dogs (well, my small dog), and punctuation.
I’ve been teaching reading for over twenty-five years, to
students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. I’m a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Therapist, trained
through IDA-accredited programs including Lexercise, Lindamood-Bell, Words in Color, and F.A.S.T. Phonics.
After graduating from Smith College and spending some years writing screenplays, waiting tables, touring with a pop band, and generally being convinced I was going to “change the world,” I found myself teaching English in a failing middle school in Compton. To my surprise, I discovered that while I could talk about books, stories, and word origins 'til the cows came home, what I couldn’t do was teach a classroom full of kids how to actually read when they were already behind.
I get how hard it is to be a classroom teacher.
I’m also a certified yoga instructor, and while I’m a terrible meditator, I’m an excellent breather. I've used that training to help my students manage their anxiety, settle down, and perk up. (I have yet to find anything more energizing than doing a headstand, and believe it or not, I often do them with my student, even over Zoom.)
Someday, I want to start a middle school where all academic content is taught through the science and business of food and cooking.
But for now, I just want to teach kids how to read.
As many as possible.
Is this what you
see when it's
see when it's
time to read?
It doesn't have to be!
Is Reading
a Nightly Battle?
a Nightly Battle?
Does the mere prospect of reading makes your child mad or frustrated?
When it’s time to read, does he look at the pictures, your face, the band-aid on his thumb… anything except the actual words.
Does she seem anxious or sad when it's time for school? Does she get a lot of stomach aches that would keep her home?
book your free
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
to see how this foundational skill impacts your child
Is Reading a Nightly Battle?
Does the mere prospect of reading makes your child mad or frustrated?
When it’s time to read, does he look at the pictures, your face, the band-aid on his thumb… anything except the actual words.
Does she seem anxious or sad when it's time for school? Does she get a lot of stomach aches that would keep her home?
book your free
Phonemic Awareness Assessment
to see how this foundational skill impacts your child
What is Phonemic Awareness?
This is known as
Scarborough’s
Reading Rope.
Scarborough’s
Reading Rope.
It’s the conceptual framework behind what’s commonly referred to as “the science of reading" — a body of research built over more than 30 years, and strengthened by increasingly sophisticated brain-imaging evidence.
What is Phonemic Awareness?
1. “Phonemic Awareness” (or “PA”), along with “spelling” and “sight word recognition” is one of three core skills needed to decode words — ie, connect letters and sounds to accurately pronounce a spoken word. If decoding written words is difficult or inaccurate, reading will not come easily.
2. PA is the skill most commonly overlooked in early literacy, because it doesn’t look like “reading.”
3. It’s not about spelling, sight words, or even letters. It’s about learning to identify, separate, blend indidual speech sounds (known as “phonemes”) in spoken words.
4. Strong PA is the ability to separate all the sounds in a word — not just the first sounds.
If a child cannot reliably hear, isolate, and manipulate the sounds
in spoken words, written words will never fully make sense—no matter how
smart they are, how much they read, or how hard they try.
smart they are, how much they read, or how hard they try.
What is
Phonemic
Awareness?
Phonemic
Awareness?
It’s the conceptual framework behind what’s commonly referred to as “the science of reading" — a body of research built over more than 30 years, and strengthened by increasingly sophisticated brain-imaging evidence.
This is known as
Scarborough’s Reading Rope.
What is Phonemic Awareness?
1. “Phonemic Awareness” (or “PA”), along with “spelling” and “sight word recognition” is one of three core skills needed to decode words — ie, connect letters and sounds to accurately pronounce a spoken word. If decoding written words is difficult or inaccurate, reading will not come easily.
2. PA is the skill most commonly overlooked in early literacy, because it doesn’t look like “reading.”
3. It’s not about spelling, sight words, or even letters. It’s about learning to identify, separate, blend indidual speech sounds (known as “phonemes”) in spoken words.
4. Strong PA is the ability to separate all the sounds in a word — not just the first sounds.
If a child cannot reliably hear, isolate, and manipulate the sounds in spoken words, written words will never fully make sense—no matter how smart they are, how much they read, or how hard they try.
With the Active Reader, your child will gaina full grade level in 8 weeks — guaranteed.
With the Active Reader, your child will gain a full grade level in 8 weeks — guaranteed.
What Makes
The Active Reader Different
Structured
Literacy
(aka "Orton Gillingham")
A research-backed approach endorsed by the IDA, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and ALTA builds reading from the ground up, step by step.
Gold standard for literacy instruction
Expert Instruction
+
Human Connection
Dyslexic kids need different help
I teach the exact skills the dyslexic brain struggles to develop on its own. To ensure the child doesn't "check out." Passive learning doesn't work.
Designed from the ground-up to be delivered online.
Hand-picked
Video Games
Customized for your child
Games that reinforce the
specific skills that need to
be developed in your child.
specific skills that need to
be developed in your child.
These are skills that are overlooked in almost all literacy programs.
What Makes
The
Active Reader
Different
Structured
Literacy
(aka "Orton Gillingham")
A research-backed approach endorsed by the IDA, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and ALTA builds reading from the ground up, step by step.
Gold standard for literacy instruction
Expert Instruction
+
Human Connection
Dyslexic kids need different help
I teach the exact skills the dyslexic brain struggles to develop on its own. To ensure the child doesn't "check out." Passive learning doesn't work.
Designed from the ground-up to be delivered online.
Hand-picked
Video Games
Customized for your child
Games that reinforce the specific skills that need to be developed in your child.
These are skills that are overlooked in almost all literacy programs.
Structured
Literacy
Literacy
Explicit
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
The alphabetic code is taught
intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
Intentionally links handwriting,
pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
Instruction is based on the learner’s mastery,
not on a prescribed curriculum.
not on a prescribed curriculum.
VS.
Traditional Reading
Instruction
Instruction
Implicit
Skills are expected to be inferred
Incidental/non-sequential
The alphabetic code is introduced
as it appears in reading materials,
not in a cumulative sequence
as it appears in reading materials,
not in a cumulative sequence
Print-focused
emphasizes whole-word
recognition over handwriting and
sound–symbol understanding
recognition over handwriting and
sound–symbol understanding
Curriculum driven
Instruction follows a scripted program,
moving on even when gaps remain.
moving on even when gaps remain.
Structured
Literacy
Literacy
Explicit
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
The alphabetic code is taught intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
Multisensory
Intentionally links handwriting, pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
Diagnostic/Flexible
Instruction is based on the learner’s mastery, not on a prescribed curriculum.
VS.
Traditional Reading
Instruction
Instruction
Implicit
Skills are expected to be inferred
Incidental/non-sequential
The alphabetic code is introduced as it appears in reading materials, not in a cumulative sequence
Print-focused
emphasizes whole-word recognition over handwriting and sound–symbol understanding
Curriculum driven
Instruction follows a scripted program, moving on even when gaps remain.
What is the
Active Reader Method?
Active Reader Method?
Structured Literacy...
with a twist
with a twist
The Active Reader Method is a dynamic, multisensory therapeutic approach to dyslexia that is 100% customized for your child.
Systematic without
being scripted.
being scripted.
Rigorous without
being rote.
being rote.
What is the
Active Reader
Method?
Active Reader
Method?
Structured
Literacy
with a twist
Literacy
with a twist
The Active Reader Method is a dynamic, multisensory therapeutic approach to dyslexia that is 100% customized for your child.
Systematic without
being scripted.
being scripted.
Rigorous without
being rote.
being rote.
Share a story about this student
Relationship + Deliberate Practice = Lasting Results
Relationship:
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
Deliberate Practice:
Customized video Games
(with leaderboards, daily practice drills designed specifically for your child)
Customized video Games
(with leaderboards, daily practice drills designed specifically for your child)
Lasting Results
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
Relationship
+ Deliberate Practice
= Lasting Results
+ Deliberate Practice
= Lasting Results
Relationship:
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
Deliberate Practice:
Customized video Games
(with leaderboards, daily practice drills designed specifically for your child)
Customized video Games
(with leaderboards, daily practice drills designed specifically for your child)
Lasting Results
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
Dyslexia Doesn't Fix Itself
Without the right support, difficulties persist and compound over time.
Without the right support, difficulties persist and compound over time.
Insufficient
school support
school support
Reading difficulties
intensify over time
intensify over time
Emotional and psychological consequences
Delayed intervention
= Lost Opportunities
= Lost Opportunities
Dyslexia
Doesn't Fix
Itself
Doesn't Fix
Itself
Without the right support, difficulties persist and compound over time.
Insufficient
school support
school support
Reading difficulties
intensify over time
intensify over time
Emotional and psychological consequences
Delayed intervention
= Lost Opportunities
= Lost Opportunities
Three Paths Forward:
Foundations - Orthography + Spelling Patterns - Morphology + Word Inquiry
Lexercise®
Professional
Therapy
Professional
Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
Three Paths Forward:
Foundations - Orthography + Spelling Patterns - Morphology + Word Inquiry
Lexercise® Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
With the right support,
real progress is possible.
real progress is possible.
Hear from parents like you:
Hi! I'm Kate.
I’m The Active Reader.
I like big words, small dogs (well, my small dog), and punctuation.
I’ve been teaching reading for over twenty-five years, to
students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. I’m a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Therapist, trained
through IDA-accredited programs including Lexercise, Lindamood-Bell, Words in Color, and F.A.S.T. Phonics.
After graduating from Smith College and spending some years writing screenplays, waiting tables, touring with a pop band, and generally being convinced I was going to “change the world,” I found myself teaching English in a failing middle school in Compton. To my surprise, I discovered that while I could talk about books, stories, and word origins 'til the cows came home, what I couldn’t do was teach a classroom full of kids how to actually read when they were already behind.
I get how hard it is to be a classroom teacher. 
I’m also a certified yoga instructor, and while I’m a terrible meditator, I’m an excellent breather. I've used that training to help my students manage their anxiety, settle down, and perk up. (I have yet to find anything more energizing than doing a headstand, and believe it or not, I often do them with my student, even over Zoom.)
Someday, I want to start a middle school where all academic content is taught through the science and business of food and cooking.
But for now, I just want to teach kids how to read.
As many as possible.
With the right support, real progress is possible.
Hear from parents like you:
Hi! I'm Kate.
I’m The Active Reader.
I like big words, small dogs (well, my small dog), and punctuation.
I’ve been teaching reading for over twenty-five years, to
students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. I’m a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Therapist, trained
through IDA-accredited programs including Lexercise, Lindamood-Bell, Words in Color, and F.A.S.T. Phonics.
After graduating from Smith College and spending some years writing screenplays, waiting tables, touring with a pop band, and generally being convinced I was going to “change the world,” I found myself teaching English in a failing middle school in Compton. To my surprise, I discovered that while I could talk about books, stories, and word origins 'til the cows came home, what I couldn’t do was teach a classroom full of kids how to actually read when they were already behind.
I get how hard it is to be a classroom teacher.
I’m also a certified yoga instructor, and while I’m a terrible meditator, I’m an excellent breather. I've used that training to help my students manage their anxiety, settle down, and perk up. (I have yet to find anything more energizing than doing a headstand, and believe it or not, I often do them with my student, even over Zoom.)
Someday, I want to start a middle school where all academic content is taught through the science and business of food and cooking.
But for now, I just want to teach kids how to read.
As many as possible.
"When you're reading fast and you're understanding, it's like you're flying."Sam, aged 10
"When you're reading fast and you're understanding, it's like you're flying."Sam, aged 10
Find Out What Your Child Needs With a
Free Phonemic Awareness Assessment
Meet one-on-one with a real specialist who understands dyslexia.
Takes about 20 minutes • Meet on Zoom • You, Your Child, and Kate
Find Out What
Your Child Needs With a
Free Phonemic Awareness Assessment
Meet one-on-one with a real specialist who understands dyslexia.
Meet one-on-one with a real specialist who understands dyslexia.
Takes about 20 minutes • Meet on Zoom • You, Your Child, and Kate
