What is Reading Garden Club?
What? The Reading Garden Club is a parent education + tutoring service providing phonics-focused reading resources for families of young children. Instruction and resources are designed by myself, Director and Head Gardener, Elisabeth Forde.
Why? Many students receive ineffective reading instruction in US schools. Teachers and families often do not have the training to support children who need explicit reading instruction, so children get left behind. Reading struggles affect a student’s confidence and all academic learning.
How? Like growing food, learning to read takes patience and repetitive, systematic hands-on steps. My priority is to meet children where they are + I teach to mastery! I use a “structured literacy” approach and empower parents to do the same.
Experience and Training.
I taught primarily as a special educator in elementary, middle, and high schools in Washington, DC, English online and in South Korea, and as an adjunct professor. I earned a dual Masters in Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education and Special Education for Mild to Moderate Disabilities from Lesley University.
I am trained in the Wilson Reading System intervention, a structured literacy program based on the Orton-Gillingham research. I use additional materials and take a speech-to-text approach to provide systematic, multi-sensory reading instruction.
I have gardened for many seasons, and I’ve been a bookworm since childhood. I grew up in Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland.
What People Are Saying.
“We've tried other tutors however, their method was not working, showing no progression.”
— ShaMonique, Parent
“Working with you this past year has been phenomenal! [My child] now has a solid foundation, strategies, and the confidence to continue his reading journey, and it's all thanks to your incredible instruction and encouragement. You've made a huge difference in this kiddos life and our whole family can't thank you enough!!!”
— Parent
“The Wilson sound flash cards and finger tapping were extremely effective.”
— Parent