Building fluency and comprehension for dyslexic and divergent learners.
Specializing in
Dyslexia, Language and Auditory Processing Disorders, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorders
Working Memory and Learning to Read
What does the International dyslexia Association have to say?
Working memory, in its simplest form, is a limited and temporary system that enables a student to hold and manipulate information to accomplish more complex tasks.
For instance, if a student has a weak working memory, it is like trying to juggle too many tasks at once, but for their brain. This makes reading and writing a struggle. Without the ability to hold and manage all the necessary reading information simultaneously, there is a breakdown in working memory.
What reading skills are directly connected to working memory and literacy?
- For a student to understand that letters make certain sounds, they must hold and manipulate those sounds in their mind.
- When sounding out a new word, a student must remember the sounds of each letter or letters in the correct order to blend them into a complete word.
- As a student learns to read, decoding words should become automatic, freeing up their brain's resources and working memory for other tasks.
- To connect and pull together information from earlier in a sentence or paragraph requires a strong working memory.
Phonological Awareness Instruction
What is Phonological Awareness?
A simple view of phonological awareness (PA) is the ability to understand that the sounds of our spoken language are connected to written language. This foundational literacy skill develops along a continuum, preparing a student for reading and spelling.
Without phonological understanding, a student must rely on memorizing words by sight, a strategy that can limit the development of reading fluency.
- From big to small: At Ed Memory, we teach phonological awareness (PA) skills in a specific order. Connecting skills, beginning with larger units, such as compound words, to smaller, more complex units, like individual sounds or phonemes.
- Our strategy enables students to understand the abstract concept of blending and segmenting as a pattern for reading and writing, not a skill in isolation.
About RAVE-O
What is RAVE-O?
RAVE-O is a research-based, structured literacy program designed by Maryanne Wolf. RAVE-O's focus is to build students’ reading fluency and comprehension through a multi-component approach.
Each unit in RAVE-O teaches students metacognitive strategies that develop skills in multiple components of reading, including phonics, phoneme aware
RAVE-O is a research-based, structured literacy program designed by Maryanne Wolf. RAVE-O's focus is to build students’ reading fluency and comprehension through a multi-component approach.
Each unit in RAVE-O teaches students metacognitive strategies that develop skills in multiple components of reading, including phonics, phoneme awareness, English orthography, vocabulary, syntax, and morphology.
Explore the curriculum
Connecting the Parts: RAVE-O is the only program that simultaneously integrates phonology, orthography, semantics, syntax, the alphabetic principle, and morphology.
Fluent Comprehension: This integration facilitates fluent comprehension, particularly in deep reading processes such as inference, empathy, and critical analysis.
RAVE-O is de
Connecting the Parts: RAVE-O is the only program that simultaneously integrates phonology, orthography, semantics, syntax, the alphabetic principle, and morphology.
Fluent Comprehension: This integration facilitates fluent comprehension, particularly in deep reading processes such as inference, empathy, and critical analysis.
RAVE-O is delivered in 30-minute sessions to small groups (typically 1-6) of students. The program consists of three modules, each containing approximately fifty lessons.
A placement assessment helps determine the starting point for each student's curriculum.
Evidence Backed
Evidence Backed
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) funded a
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) regarding the effectiveness of RAVE-O.
The study found that students receiving instruction in RAVE-O outperformed comparison groups in areas of decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension.
The Story
Once Struggling Reader
Carleen M. Paul, M.S., ET/P
Elementary school was difficult, as I had to work harder than most of my peers to keep up. Needless to say, learning to read and write was a challenging task.
I was embarrassed to be placed in the "lowest reading group." I was humiliated when I was told I was slow and was ordered to the vacant desk at the back so the teacher could continue her next task.
These challenges have given me an edge and provided an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of my students.
Over the last 25 years, I have had the privilege of teaching students with and without special needs in public and private schools. The ability to help students grasp how "reading works" is my life's passion.
Educational Background:
California State University, Fullerton
· Bachelor of Science in Child and Adolescent Studies (B.S.)
· Master of Science in Special Education (M.S.).
· Multiple Subject Credential
· Learning Handicapped Credential
· Resource Specialist Certificate of Competency
· Language Development Certificate of Competency
Specialized Training:
· RAVE-O (Marianne Wolf) 2023, 2025, 2026
· IMSE –Orton Gillingham Training 2022, 2023
· UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) 2024, 2025
· LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) 2024, 2025
· Lindamood Bell - Visualizing & Verbalizing, Seeing Stars, Talkies (2015)
· Educational Therapist Training (500 hours of clinical supervision by the Association of
Educational Therapists) (2005)