Straight Talk About Learning Problems and Tutoring

academic tutoring bastropWhen parents call me to ask if I can help their child, they usually seek academic tutoring. They ask for help for his or her reading, spelling, math, or pass-the-TAKS needs. From experience, I can listen and tell that the child has problems with processing skills.  The student may have a true learning disability, such as an auditory processing deficit or dyslexia. Those critical needs must be addressed before academic training can be truly effective.

Processing skills are those fundamental abilities that we bring to the learning table:

  • memory
  • auditory and visual processing (what the brain does with what we hear and see)
  • attention / focus
  • processing speed
  • organization, planning, and completion (executive function skills)
  • logic and reasoning

These skills or the lack of them seriously impacts any person's success and wellbeing. They must be in place before academic training can be effective. Therefore, academic tutoring alone will only put a very expensive "band-aid" on the child's problems. When tutoring is discontinued, academic performance and motivation drop off steadily. Now, the parents really don't know what to do!

What Is Needed:

  • Correct assessment of what is causing the learning issues - very important
  • Carefully planned protocol for the student's needs, to train and stabilize deficient processing areas
  • One-to-one therapeutic training and coaching to assist the student toward becoming a capable and independent learner

Academic TutoringWhat We Do:
A+ Learning Solutions has a very high success rate.  In fact, we have been improving the lives of children and adults for more than fourteen years. Through the assessment process, processing and reading skills weaknesses are identified. Based on your child's assessment, I will then carefully plan and guide an individualized therapeutic approach and make recommendations to you. I advise; you decide.

Building processing skills is the key to motivating reluctant learners. Success builds confidence. Your child will experience success during each one-to-one session, as we train in skills that will help him or her achieve success on his/her own.

My goal is to insure that each client reaches his or her full potential as soon as possible to secure a successful future.

Ann Conolly Smoot

Educational and Specialization credentials:

  • B.S. Special Education, University of Corpus Christi, 1978
  • Certified Texas Educator, 1979
  • Special Education Teacher, Conroe ISD, 1979-1983
  • Covenant Christian School, 4th grade teacher, 1986-1987
  • Certified Dyslexia Specialist, EduTherapeutics (Joan M. Smith, Ph.D.), 1997
  • Certified Phono-Graphix Reading Therapist, 1998
  • Authorized PACE Provider (Processing and Cognitive Enhancement), 2000
  • Licensed Phono-Graphix Master Trainer, 2005
  • Samonas Provider (Sound Therapy), 2006
  • Learning Ears Provider (Ear-Voice Training), 2006
  • The Listening Program (Sound Therapy), 2009
  • TLP - Bone Conduction Certified Provider, 2009
  • Private Reading Therapist and Cognitive Trainer, 1997 - present

My Texas teaching certificate can be viewed online

Since 1997, I have offered one-to-one training for hundreds of private clients of all ages. Some of their responses can be read on the "praise" page.

Testing shows that most students who come to me with learning issues are three to eight years behind age level in auditory processing skills development. For that reason, I have pursued continuing education and certification in this area of treatment. Each program I use serves the auditory processing system, I am trained in two sound therapy programs and have completed certification through Advanced Brain Technologies in The Listening Program -  Bone Conduction. The research available on the Listening Program is extensive, please view the online research reports and case studies.

A current study of The Listening Program is available online.