Highly Structured / Individualized / Multisensory / Sequential

About Areté

What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?

A highly effective, structured therapeutic approach based on research and science. It introduces the idea of breaking reading and spelling down into foundational skills involving letters and sounds, systematically building on these skills over time.

The Role of a Therapeutic Practitioner

Unlike a general tutor helping with weekly homework assignments, an Orton-Gillingham practitioner is specially trained in how the brain processes language. Achieving this level of expertise requires hundreds of hours of coursework, mentorship, and supervised clinical practice on top of an established foundation in education. Rather than relying on cookie-cutter worksheets, we isolate each student's specific challenges and build an individualized lesson plan to meet them right where they are. Every session adapts in real time to the student's unique learning profile, building genuine skills, independence, and long-term confidence.

How Our Sessions Work

What will each session be like?

Each session is one hour long. The initial and second sessions consist of an informal diagnostic to highlight specific gaps and areas of challenge for your child. Once the assessment is complete, an individualized plan is created to target their specific learning needs, and a detailed report is emailed to you. Subsequent sessions are cumulative, multisensory, structured, and sequential.

Do I need to stay with my child?

Research shows that instructional time is most effectively optimized in a dedicated one-on-one session between practitioner and student. With practitioners across Langley, Vancouver, and Maple Ridge, each location offers great nearby spots to grab a coffee, catch up on work, or run errands during the hour. Please return five minutes before the end of the session so your child can share what they have learned.

What will online classes look like?

Because these sessions involve intensive focus and brain exercises, students require a quiet workspace at a desk or table free from background distractions. Working from a bed is not permitted. If working in a bedroom, please provide a solid workspace and ensure the door remains open at all times.

Face-to-Face Sessions

In-person sessions are held in Langley, Vancouver, or in Maple Ridge. Students should bring a water bottle; all required learning materials are supplied. Shoe covers are provided upon entry. If your child is feeling unwell, please reschedule in accordance with our cancellation policy.

More than a business, my mission is to change lives and give hope. To change self-doubt into confidence. To guide and empower students to discover their unique gifts and strengths. Your excellence is my mission. – Avril Wessels

The student is assessed each month to ensure progress, and a report is emailed at the end of each term. The monitoring of the student's growth is an essential part of the learning plan. If a student is not responding to the approach, parents will be advised immediately.

Three reports per year will be emailed at the end of each term. If the student requires summer sessions, the third term report will be issued at the end of the summer. Reports itemize all the content we have worked on with the student over the term. The reports help the school understand what is happening during the child’s intervention time, often affecting progress measured on a student’s school IEP. Reports will be issued a week before the end of the term and meetings will be available for the first fifteen minutes on the last day of your child’s tutoring session.

All lessons presented to the students are multi-sensory. Reviewing the newly learned work is an important component of memory retention. After most sessions, the student will be given one or two review cards.

Reviewing and tracing the concept on these cards at home will be of great benefit to the student. Ask your child to “teach” the concept to you as this will solidify the concept. Once the concept is secure, keep the cards in a box and revisit them periodically. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Late Shows: The lesson will continue with the remainder of scheduled time without refund.
No-Shows Without Notice: Full fees apply.
Cancellations (24+ Hours Notice): One makeup session is permitted per term. Thereafter, fees apply.
Summer Sessions: No cancellations or makeup sessions are permitted during summer terms.
Multiple Missed Sessions: If more than one session is missed during the term with at least 24 hours' notice, a personalized review package is emailed in place of the session. Full payment applies to cover the curriculum preparation time.
Health-Related Absence: If your child is feeling unwell, please do not bring them to an in-person session. The session will be conducted online, or a review package can be emailed in its place.
Vacations & Competitions/Sports: A minimum of 2 months' notice is required. Sessions may be switched online during travel. Due to our waitlist, we cannot offer partial sessions or hold unpaid spots.

A Note on Consistency: Attendance consistency is essential for your child’s progress due to the cognitive restructuring involved in Orton-Gillingham instruction. In the event of an unavoidable delay on our end, your practitioner will notify you promptly with the option to reschedule or cancel without charge.

Learn about the Orton-Gillingham Method

Structured. Individualized. Multisensory. Sequential.

EXCELLENCE

"Facts can be taught quickly, but skills come slowly."

- Anna Gillingham

Areté Orton-Gillingham Studio