Educational tutoring sessions to address each learner’s specific literacy goals.
The Diagnostic Reading Centre of Calgary (DRCC) provides regularly-scheduled, intervention (educational tutoring) sessions to address each learner’s specific literacy goals in language, reading, and/or writing.
Goals are determined on the basis of the comprehensive, diagnostic language and literacy assessment results and recommendations.
INTERVENTION PROCESS how we can help you
The DRCC literacy interventions incorporate effective diagnostic and research-based instructional methods, learning strategies, and print materials at an appropriate developmental level.
INDIVIDUALIZED SESSIONS
Each session is individualized and designed with the necessary support and scaffolding to ensure that each individual makes progress and develops greater proficiency in the particular skills and strategies which require further development.
ONE-ON-ONE
Each learner receives explicit one-on-one instruction of targeted skills and strategies using quality texts as the foundation for meaningful language and literacy experiences and development.
PROGRESS
The DRCC intervention services are systematic, intensive, and cumulative which means that the strategies and skills learned and practiced in each session build on the previous sessions.
Ongoing observation and progress monitoring provides the basis for responsive instruction to determine the focus of each subsequent intervention session.
CUSTOMIZED FOR EACH LEARNER
Much consideration is given to ensure that the interventions are appealing, stimulating, and sufficiently challenging for each learner by taking into account his/her unique intellectual and learning profile, and personal interests.
duration
The duration of the literacy intervention depends on the nature and complexity of each individual’s language and literacy difficulties; the rate of progress and success of the interventions; and the motivation and initiative of the learner to practice and apply the strategies.
We provide private consultation and presentations on a range of topics related to language and literacy development and the challenges that learners encounter.
We have been working with Dr. Vavra for a year now. The entire experience has been worthwhile and very meaningful to our family. Our son needed help with his literacy skills. We were concerned about his transition from Elementary school to Junior High as well. His time spent working with Dr. Vavra has made a significant difference in his proficiency in reading, writing, and spelling over the year...
- Ginger (mother of grade 7 learner)
Coming to work with Dr. Karen is one of the best parts of my week! She makes reading and writing so much fun that my hour with her simply flies by. The strategies and tricks she teaches me are all super helpful with my reading, writing and spelling, but the best part is they all make sense in my mind for why I use them. Dr. Karen is always kind, patient and helpful, and we often share a good giggle together as we work. If any of my friends or classmates needed extra help, I would definitely tell them to go see Dr. Karen. I feel lucky that I get to work with her!
- Sophie (grade 4 learner)
It is like magic how Dr. Vavra blends her vast knowledge and expertise to create meaningful, thoughtful, engaging and fun lessons to teach and help build my daughter's literacy skills all while providing her with strategies and activities that are practical, make sense and most of all really do work! However, this may not be the greatest gift of working with Dr.Vavra. She is caring and compassionate and...
- Jennifer (mother of grade 4 learner)
Tai’s words when asked if she was glad she went through the process with Karen: “I am glad because, I feel like I am at the top of the class now, and I found out I really like reading”.
Supporting individuals with reading, writing, and language difficulties.
The Diagnostic Reading Centre of Calgary (DRCC) provides specialized, diagnostic language and literacy assessment, intervention, and consultation services for children, adolescents, and adults who experience significant and persistent challenges in language, reading, and/or writing development.
