Hello, Friends!
I hope this newsletter finds you and your family thriving! I’m excited to share some wonderful updates with you.

A New Chapter in Woodinville

First, I want to let you know that I’ve recently relocated to Woodinville—a beautiful move that marks a new chapter for my practice. As I settle in and explore the best permanent office location for our work together, I’m offering programs at your homes. This actually creates a wonderful opportunity: we get to work in the spaces where you and your family are most comfortable, and I get to see firsthand the environments where learning and growth happen every day. It’s a win-win! If you’re interested in scheduling a program, I’d love to connect with you.

“You’re Invited: ‘Who Knew’ — A Dyslexia Documentary Screening”

I’m thrilled to invite you to something special: a beautifully crafted documentary called “Who Knew,” created by a fellow Davis facilitator, Sue Hall. This is an award-winning short 30 minute film explores how the dyslexic brain relies on visual, spatial, and intuitive thinking rather than language, positioning these traits as incredible strengths rather than a learning disorder; I genuinely believe it’s a must-watch for anyone with a dyslexic child. Mark your calendars for July 16th at 4pm PT. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see our work reflected through a powerful visual medium. Look on my facebook page for the link to register for the event in early July.

A Gift for Our Community

Here’s some exciting news: the Davis North America Facebook page is hosting a “Gift of Dyslexia” book giveaway!
If you’re not already following, now’s the perfect time to join our community there. Head over to the Davis North America Facebook page to enter. It’s our way of spreading resources and hope to everyone who needs it.

Practical Support for Your Neurodivergent Athlete

My latest blog article, “How to Support Your Dyslexic Athlete at Home,” just came out in the Davis Dyslexia International Newsletter. I share what I’ve learned helping neurodivergent kids—including my own son—thrive in sports: simple self-regulation tools, ways to pre-teach new vocabulary so practice feels less overwhelming, and how to talk with your child after a rough game in ways that build resilience instead of shutting them down. If your child plays sports—or just learns with their body—this one’s for you. Read it here. —I hope you’ll find it valuable!

Summer Program Slots Available—With a Special Offer

Finally, I have a couple of summer program slots still available! If you’ve worked with me before and are considering a second program, I’d love to chat with you about timing. All second programs completed this summer will receive a discount of 15% —my way of supporting families who are committed to their child’s continued growth and success.

If you’re interested in any of these opportunities, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to support you and your family on this journey.

With warmth and gratitude,
Sophia Goebel
Licensed Davis® Facilitator

The post Summer News & Opportunities appeared first on Learning Tools.

Why do a Dyslexia Program?

A parent recently asked me, “Why should I pay for a program for my son?” She noted that she navigated school and life without such support despite being dyslexic herself, and emphasized that grades matter less than recognizing her child’s intelligence.

Here is my response.

Concrete Methods for Improvement

If your son wants help and wants to improve, a structured program offers concrete strategies to achieve that goal—moving beyond general understanding to actionable skill development.

Restoring Self-Esteem

For many families, self-esteem is the primary concern. I pursued a program for my son because it pained me to hear him call himself “stupid” or compare himself negatively to peers. After completing the program, this behavior diminished significantly. My son began recognizing his strengths and took pride in them—a pattern I consistently observe in follow-up conversations with other parents.

Empowering Student Control

When students understand their own learning process, they gain genuine control over their education. They learn to recognize when they are disoriented or confused and can adjust their approach accordingly.

Many dyslexic students excel at concentration, yet heavy concentration without proper focus often creates confusion, increases effort, and can be frustrating. Understanding the distinction between focused learning and unfocused concentration is transformative—when students learn to focus effectively rather than simply concentrating harder, learning becomes more efficient and less painful.

Recognizing Strengths and Potential

When students grasp how their brain works, they often become energized by new possibilities. They may discover excitement in their creative abilities, their capacity to see problems from different angles, or their talent for noticing patterns others miss. This shift—from viewing themselves as slow or challenged to recognizing their unique strengths—is profound and lasting.

Efficiency and Long-Term Value

A Davis® program works with an individual’s natural learning and thinking style, teaching students to leverage this style to their advantage. Traditional tutoring, by contrast, typically reteaches school material using the same verbal, repetition-based methods employed in classrooms, often at a slower pace.

While some tutors employ multi-sensory approaches, these methods frequently require years of ongoing sessions, ultimately costing equal to or more than a comprehensive program. A structured program aligned with how your child actually thinks delivers faster results and better long-term value.

Tags:Alaska, Davis Dyslexia, Davis Methods, dyscalculia help, dysgraphia help, dyslexia program, dyslexia tutoing, Reading help, seattle, stop the struggle

The post Why a Program and not Tutoring appeared first on Learning Tools.

Below is Jamie’s account of the day:

• Start off the morning with a check-in, how we are feeling about being there, did we sleep well, do we need a snack or to do some stretching – make sure we are set up to be successful for the day.
• Then we take time to check and make sure our focusing tools is where it needs to be and do any fine tuning if need be. This is as easy as 1,2,3, balance.
• Then we play around with koosh balls (a type of rubbery stringy ball).   From there we are really focused and ready to do some reading.
• We only read for 5-10 minutes depending on how one is feeling. When we work on reading comprehension it might be longer and a good discussion of “the movie” that we have visualized while reading.
• Next, we would do clay work to master words. We talk about the “trigger words”, look it up in a dictionary (it is amazing to see how many different meaning one of these words can have), make all kinds of sentences until that word is really clear to us, then we get to create a model of the word in clay. Creativity is welcome here, but simple models work great. So for the word “on”, while Sophia modeled a child who rode “on” the camel, I modeled a boy flew “on” the plane. This was a bit more challenging then I had thought it would be – but I was happy with the model in the end. {“on” definition used “used as a function word to indicate means of transport“}
• Then we take a break, maybe a 10 minutes break, maybe 15 – just depends on what we together think is needed. “I love how I get to help make the decisions, ‘it is your program, after all, Sophia says’.
• We end our break with koosh balls or start our work session, however, you prefer to think of it. Koosh balls help to ensure we are focused and ready for the next task at hand.
• When we get back to work, we often do another reading exercise. If not reading, we work on spelling words; we tackle another spelling word that has given me trouble in the past. Using the tools, making the word in clay, and then mastering has me spelling the word in no time! The best part is, I remember the word.
• We continue the day in this pattern. The day goes by fast actually, and while it is work, it doesn’t feel like work. The best part was each day I felt proud of the models I did and surprised by how much working with the word helped me, I don’t have problems with these words anymore when I am reading or trying to write and spell them – weird but true.

Spelling word “apologize” learned during the Dyslexia Reading Program.

Clay model showing the meaning of “always” (at all times) done during the Dyslexia Correction Program.

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