Dyslexia Tutor in Ann Arbor
Patient, one-on-one reading lessons for children who find reading hard — built on how reading is actually learned, so words start to make sense and confidence comes back.
Signs Reading Is Harder Than It Should Be
None of these mean something is wrong with your child. They do mean reading is worth a closer look.
Guessing At Words
Using the first letter or the picture instead of sounding the word out.
Slow, Tiring Reading
Reading aloud is effortful and a page leaves them exhausted.
Spelling That Won't Stick
Words spelled right on Friday's test are wrong again by Monday.
Skipping Small Words
Leaving out or swapping words like "of", "the" and "was".
Avoiding Books
Stomach aches at reading time, or a sudden need for water.
It Runs In The Family
A parent or sibling who also found reading hard.
Reading Is Taught, Not Caught
Some children pick up reading from being read to. Many don't — especially children with dyslexia — and more practice with the same methods won't change that. What helps is being taught how written words work, one step at a time: sounds, letters, syllables, then the patterns that tie them together.
Our lessons follow a structured literacy approach based on Orton-Gillingham methods. Each one is multisensory — seeing, saying, hearing and writing — and builds on the last, so nothing is left to guesswork.
- ✓Explicit, step-by-step phonics
- ✓Multisensory practice in every lesson
- ✓Lessons that build on each other
Help At Every Stage
Every child starts with an assessment, so lessons begin exactly where they need to.
Reading Assessment$195
A 75-minute one-on-one assessment of phonics, decoding, fluency, spelling and comprehension, followed by a written summary and a 30-minute call to go through it. It's not a medical diagnosis — we'll tell you if a full evaluation would help.
Dyslexia Tutoring$85 / lesson
Structured, multisensory lessons, 50 minutes, two or three times a week. For children with a dyslexia diagnosis or the same signs without one.
Early Reading (K–2)$70 / lesson
Sounds, letters and first words for young readers who are falling behind — caught early, gaps close faster.
Reading Comprehension$85 / lesson
For fluent readers who still lose the meaning: summarizing, inferring and keeping track of longer texts.
Spelling & Writing$85 / lesson
Spelling rules taught explicitly, then sentences and paragraphs — so ideas make it onto the page.
Summer Reading Intensive$1,150
Four lessons a week for four weeks in July — a strong boost before the new school year.
A 50-Minute Lesson
Warm-Up Review
Five minutes on sounds and words from last time, so nothing slips.
One New Concept
A single new sound, rule or pattern — introduced, said aloud and written.
Hands-On Practice
Letter tiles, tapping out syllables and building words.
Reading Real Text
A short passage that uses only what your child has been taught.
Spelling And Dictation
Writing the new words and a sentence or two from dictation.
In The Loop
After every lesson you get a short note: what we covered, what went well, and five minutes of practice for home if your child is up for it. Every eight weeks we retest the key skills and talk through the results with you.
If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, we can share our notes with the school and join a meeting, with your permission.
- ✓A note home after every lesson
- ✓Skills retested every eight weeks
- ✓Happy to work with your school
What Parents Say
Our son was in second grade and still guessing at words from the first letter. Within the first month at Fernsby he was sounding out words he'd never seen. By spring he read a whole chapter book to his little sister, and I cried a little.
After a dyslexia diagnosis we felt completely lost. Fernsby explained exactly what the evaluation meant, built lessons around it, and came to our IEP meeting with notes the school actually used.
My daughter used to hide her books. Now she picks her own at the library. The lessons are patient, structured and somehow fun, and the progress notes show us exactly what she's working on.
Honest Expectations
Reading progress is real but rarely instant. Here's what to expect.
Steady, measurable progress
We retest every eight weeks so you can see the change, not just hear about it.
Most children need time
Many students work with us for a school year or longer; some need less.
We don't diagnose dyslexia
We can tell you when a formal evaluation by a psychologist would help, and work from its results.
We'll say if it isn't working
If progress stalls, we change the plan — or tell you honestly if another kind of help would suit your child better.
Questions Parents Ask
Does my child need a dyslexia diagnosis first?
No. We work with children who have a diagnosis and with children who show the same signs without one. Our assessment will show whether a formal evaluation would be worthwhile.
What is Orton-Gillingham?
It's a long-established approach to teaching reading that is explicit, structured and multisensory — children see, say, hear and write each sound and pattern. Our lessons are based on it.
How often are lessons, and how much do they cost?
Most children come two or three times a week for 50 minutes. Lessons are $85 ($70 for early reading), and the assessment is $195.
How long until we see a difference?
Many parents notice more confident decoding within the first couple of months. Real fluency usually takes longer, and every child is different — the eight-week retests show you where things stand.
Do you offer online lessons?
Yes, for children age 8 and up who can work comfortably on a screen. Younger children usually do better in person with the hands-on materials.
Can you work with my child's school?
Yes. With your permission we'll share our notes, suggest classroom accommodations and join an IEP or 504 meeting.
Let's Find Out How Your Child Reads
Start with a free 15-minute call. We'll listen, answer your questions and tell you whether an assessment makes sense.
Let's Talk Reading
Send a few details and we'll call within one business day. Everything you share stays between us.
- Visit us402 Brambleton Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
- Call us(734) 555-0129
- Email ushello@fernsbyreading.com
- Opening hoursMon – Thu: 2:30 PM – 7:00 PM, Fri: 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM, Sat: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Sun: Closed