Read/Write
Our Read/Write department offers individualized, one-to-one literacy instruction for struggling learners of any age.
Children who are diagnosed with a Learning Disability in reading or writing (or suspected of a Learning Disability) benefit from direct and intensive instruction. Read/Write Programs offer evidence-based instruction customized to each student's needs. Programs range in intensity from 60 minutes per day to 3 hours per day. The vast majority of our programs are offered in a one-to-one setting. Small groups may be requested. Group availability depends on applicants of the same age and literacy needs as your child and so do not always run.
Intake Criteria
Age |
Children who are 4 - 6 years of age for the Early Literacy Program |
| Students in Kindergarten and higher for Read/Write Program | |
Diagnosis |
4 - 6 Years: No diagnosis required for Early Literacy Program |
| K - Gr. 3: No diagnosis required but suspicion of a skills gap, recommendation from a teacher or doctor, or noticeable difficulty with reading, writing or math. | |
| Gr. 4 and Up: Strong preference for a psycho-educational assessment with a diagnosis of an LD, Specific Learning Disorder, or ADHD; if no psycho-educational assessment has been completed, teacher recommendation, report cards, or interview are required. | |
| Please Note: Our Instructors are very skilled but our programs are not designed to manage behavioural concerns. |
We strongly recommend that students participate in an intensive program before moving to weekly programs. Our weekly programs are designed to support and reinforce learning. Students experience growth in our weekly programs but it is helpful if they have worked in an intensive environment so that instruction can build on learning.
Read/Write Literacy Programs
Our literacy program has offered Structured Literacy for many years through the Lindamood Bell methods. Published research has confirmed the benefits of Foothills Academy’s Read/Write & Math program. “Significant improvements were found in the areas of nonword decoding, phonological awareness, and spelling following the reading remediation program” (Dick, Kaplan, & Crawford, 2006, p.106). More recently we have also added Wilson Reading methods to our Instructors’ repertoires. Our instructors have also trained in the Voyager Sopris: Step up to Writing program to support more focused instruction in writing.
Please note: In addition to one-to-one programs, we now offer a Small Group option for the literacy programs. Small groups include up to three students. If this is of interest, please indicate interest on the application form. Not everyone who applies to a group is accepted into a group. Admission requires other learners at the same age and with comparable or complementary learning needs indicating an interest at the same time. We will work with you to find the best solution if there is not a small group running that works for your student.
Early Literacy Program - New!
Age |
Children 4 - 6 years of age |
Diagnosis |
No diagnosis necessary |
| Please Note: Our Instructors are very skilled but our programs are not designed to manage behavioural concerns. |
Learn more about the Early Literacy Program
Paige is a life-long learner. She completed an Honors Undergraduate Degree in Economics which led to some graduate work in Economics in Ontario and working at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal before she returned to Calgary to work in executive search. She spent the next thirteen years with both national and international companies consulting senior executives and advising on the structuring of executive teams in companies of all sizes in a variety of industries. Her daughter was diagnosed with Learning Disabilities in 2012 and Paige immediately began studying Learning Disabilities and ADHD, pursuing a variety of certifications and gaining experience in providing direct instruction to children with Learning Disabilities in literacy and numeracy. In 2015 she decided to pursue a Masters in Counselling Psychology with a focus on working with children and adolescents diagnosed with Learning Disabilities and/or ADHD. Paige is now a Registered Psychologist with a passion for supporting children and adolescents diagnosed with Learning Disabilities and/or ADHD. She continues to seek out evidence-based practices for remediation to build confidence in each learner who comes through the Read/Write & Math Program. Moreover, Paige brings a level of compassion and empathy to the role as a parent of two children with unique learning needs who have required different levels of intervention over the last ten years.