Struggles with Reading and Writing? LiteracyQ can help!

What is LiteracyQ?

LiteracyQ is a science based reading and writing system that helps students and adults who struggle with literacy. LiteracyQ pairs together two award winning programs, Units of Sound and WordQ, to give anyone 8 and older the opportunity to reach their literacy goals. Independently, both Units of Sound and WordQ have provided literacy support, helped bridge learning gaps, and worked to foster equity in education. Together as LiteracyQ they offer a Response to Intervention approach to ensure that each program is built to the needs of the person using it, and supports them from learning phonemes to reading and writing independently.

Not everyone learns to read and write the same way. For 20% of kids, the way that we’re traditionally taught to read and write doesn’t work. LiteracyQ is different.

Each LiteracyQ Program is as unique as the student using it, and it all depends on individual student needs and their personal literacy goals. Every LiteracyQ Program begins with a virtual meeting with our Certified Literacy Specialist, who will determine your child’s level of literacy to see where they need to start. Based on that conversation, our specialist is able to identify what individual supports are needed in order to design a LiteracyQ program that will help your child reach their literacy goals.

Is LiteracyQ Right For You?

LiteracyQ combines Units of Sound and WordQ, two world renowned programs, into one powerful system that has given students across North America who struggle with literacy a second chance to learn how to read, write, and communicate. The LiteracyQ program focuses on increasing your child’s literacy skills in four key areas; Reading, Spelling, Memory, and Dictation. These four literacy skills form the foundation of literacy for everyone. That’s why every LiteracyQ journey begins with assessing those skills and planning the best path to literacy for your child.

“When he was a child, I made him a promise that I would do everything that I could to give him the tools that he needed to be whatever he wanted. I truly believe that LiteracyQ has helped me keep my promise.” – LiteracyQ Parent

When you’re ready for your child to begin their LiteracyQ Program, the first thing you will do is book a LiteracyQ Assessment with our Certified Literacy Specialist. During this 45 minute virtual meeting, our Literacy Specialist will listen as you and your child explain what school is like for them, whether they have an IEP in place, where they see successes and where they struggle, and what their personal literacy goals are. Based on these conversations and observed behaviour during this initial meeting, our Certified Literacy Specialist is able to advise you about what your child’s LiteracyQ Program would look like, should you decide to proceed.

If LiteracyQ is a good fit for your child, they’ll begin their second chance at literacy with the LiteracyQ Introductory Package. This package gives them one 30-minute virtual LiteracyQ Session a week, one-on-one with their own personal Literacy Coach. During these sessions, your child will be re-learning how to read and spell, anywhere from 3 letter words to adult-level reading, beginning at the level that meets their needs and in a way that makes sense for them.

Depending on your child’s level of literacy when they begin and their personal literacy goals, after completing the Introductory Package it may be recommended that they proceed to the LiteracyQ Extended Support Package with a Certified LiteracyQ Tutor, Certified LiteracyQ Teacher, or Certified LiteracyQ Specialist. When your child is enrolled in LiteracyQ, working one-on-one with their Literacy Coach, they’ll begin to understand reading and writing in a way that they haven’t before. The reason for this is simple, their program is specifically designed for how they learn. For the first time, your child will truly have the opportunity to achieve literacy for life.

To find out more about how LiteracyQ has helped students increase not only their level of literacy, but their confidence and self-esteem, visit our LiteracyQ Success Stories.

LiteracyQ: It’s Not Too Late to Learn How to Read and Write

Struggles with Reading Can Affect Many Aspects of Students’ Lives

We know that low levels of literacy impact students both socially and academically because “the ability or inability to read affects the success level of students in every single subject. Therefore, when a child is not confident in reading, they have lower self-esteem,” (TeachHub, How to Improve Self-Esteem In Struggling Readers) which impacts them in every aspect of their life.

“Our son struggled with reading, writing, spelling, many things – the distractions in class, so that he didn’t have to read, he would make everybody laugh. Teachers would constantly give us phone calls. [Now] his confidence is great! He is no longer embarrassed to read in front of the class.” – LiteracyQ Parent

As kids who struggle with literacy grow into adults, there are many consequences of low literacy that they’ll have to manage in their lives. “It negatively affects individuals in their daily lives and can jeopardize their future.” (Literacy Pittsburgh, Challenges of Low Literacy). According to Literacy Pittsburgh, low literacy in students can lead to:

• Limited ability to obtain and understand essential information

• Unemployment: The unemployment rate is 2–4 times higher among those with little schooling than among those with bachelor’s degrees

• Lower income

• Lower-quality jobs

• Precarious financial position

• Low self-esteem

LiteracyQ Offers A Second Chance at Literacy

“Literacy is essential to developing a strong sense of well-being and citizenship. Children who have developed strong reading skills perform better in school and have a healthier self-image. They become lifelong learners and sought-after employees.” (Reading Rockets, The Importance of Literacy in a Child’s Development) If your child is struggling to keep up in school because of low literacy or a lack of literacy skills, it’s not too late.

At Quillsoft we create products and programs that help students and adults alike reach their full potential when it comes to reading, writing, and communicating. Our literacy support software and systems are championed by teachers and specialists around the world. If you want to find out more about how the LiteracyQ Program has helped students in North America, please visit our Case Studies to see the difference LiteracyQ has made in student’s lives.

This article was drafted and edited using WordQ Desktop v5.