When SLD Read tutor Karen Hassler was introduced to new student Thomas, she was in awe of the bright, kinetic energy she was met with. At 8 years old, Thomas was buzzing with an untapped excitement for reading and literacy.

“He turned out to be a very excellent learner,” says Hassler. “He’s very, very bright.”

Having started later in the year, Hassler and Thomas only completed half a year’s worth of lessons – but in that time, immense progress was made. Thomas has improved his reading by an entire grade level with just over thirty tutoring sessions.

Hassler realized that Thomas was a kinetic learner. He had to be moving. Hassler learned to adapt to Thomas’ energy, rather than condemning his excitement.

“He loves to run around,” says Hassler. “We had a variety of things we’d do. Every time we would practice our red words, he would run in a circle around the table. We’d spell words out on his arms. He was always on the move, very physical.”

Over the year, Hassler got to know Thomas better. She discovered how sociable he is and saw his sense of humor start to shine through.

“He’d make puns with our red words,” says Hassler. “He loves making jokes.”

By accommodating his needs, Hassler was able to assist in Thomas’ literacy journey. His progress was steady and quick, and his scores improved greatly. According to Hassler, Thomas was eager to learn and read.

“The improvement was across the board,” says Hassler. “He’s good at memorizing things. He’s always looking for patterns. He’s interested in applying what he’s learning.”

Hassler is eager to see Thomas succeed in the future.

“He’s going somewhere,” says Hassler.