Sometimes, challenges can become a springboard to success. Hugh, an 11-year-old student from Stonington, CT, can attest to this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently in fifth grade, Hugh has mastered reading, writing, and spelling, earning marks well above his grade level. He excels in all subjects, from science and math to composition, but this wasn\u2019t the case four years ago. In fact, Hugh was held back in first grade because he lacked literacy skills. His worried mom, Kim, knew this was a blow to his self-confidence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At that time, Hugh\u2019s literacy challenges ran deep: decoding, encoding, and automaticity were all difficult. In particular, he didn\u2019t know how to pair letters with sounds, so reading connected text was nearly impossible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s when Wilson\u00ae<\/sup> Credentialed Trainer and Wilson\u00ae<\/sup> Dyslexia Therapist Jeanne Morgan stepped in. Jeanne, a public school teacher and private Wilson Reading System\u00ae<\/sup> (WRS) tutor, was highly recommended by mutual friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUpon meeting Hugh, conducting several preassessments, and reviewing his diagnostic file, it was evident that he\u2019s extremely bright with a love of learning,\u201d said Jeanne. \u201cHe\u2019s articulate, animated, and owns a smile that can warm any heart, and I knew Wilson Reading System would be a bridge to reaching his potential.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeanne also could tell that Hugh had gaps in his orthographic and phonological skills and didn\u2019t know many high-frequency words. However, his listening skills were above grade level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe was an auditory sponge, and that set him up to be successful with the WRS program,\u201d explained Jeanne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beginning in January 2018, Hugh and Jeanne met for an hour twice a week. They worked during school breaks and increased their time together in the summers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they sat outside at a table Hugh\u2019s parents set up in the backyard, wearing coats, hats, and scarves to fight off winter\u2019s chill. When it was too cold to be outside, they met virtually. Regardless of the setting, Hugh gave 150 percent effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hugh enjoyed the time he spent with Jeanne as much as he enjoyed mastering literacy skills. If there was ever a time they couldn\u2019t meet, Hugh would ask when he\u2019d see Jeanne again. The pair worked together for three years and completed all 12 Steps of WRS in January 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the beginning, Hugh was frustrated by this one piece of himself, feeling ashamed and embarrassed of his struggles,\u201d shared Jeanne. \u201cHowever, when he started to see the instruction work, that\u2019s when he soared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hugh now excels in all his studies; English is his favorite subject. The skills and learning he received during WRS instruction have helped him in other classes. For example, where he once struggled with math word problems, he now finds success. His mom says the positive change in his attitude toward school and his peers is remarkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor me, the biggest change in school would be my confidence in myself to be able to do reading-related work on my own,\u201d said Hugh. \u201cI became much more independent. In 2nd and 3rd grade, I always had to ask a friend or a teacher anything about this and that. But I noticed that in 4th and 5th grade, I barely had to ask anything (not saying asking questions is bad). Wilson helped me by making me more independent in reading and writing, and most importantly, it made me a better person to be around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, Hugh\u2019s reading challenges didn\u2019t slow him down or stop him. Instead, his experiences launched him into an exciting new territory where reading isn\u2019t only possible\u2014it\u2019s enjoyable. Congratulations on your accomplishments, Hugh!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sometimes, challenges can become a springboard to success. Hugh, an 11-year-old student from Stonington, CT, can attest to this. Currently in fifth grade, Hugh has mastered reading, writing, and spelling, earning marks well above his grade level. He excels in all subjects, from science and math to composition, but this wasn\u2019t the case four years […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1409,"template":"","success-story-cats":[],"success-story-tags":[],"class_list":["post-1408","success_stories","type-success_stories","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n