Hi there!
thank you for your interest in our literacy & Learning Studio
I’m Courtnie Graybill, the founder and owner of the Graybill Literacy & Learning Studio. I’m dedicated to supporting students to find success in the classroom. I apply my broad educational experience in the classroom and education as a certified Orton-Gillingham multisensory reading instructor to instill confidence and encourage students to become effective, active, and empowered learners who seek to have a growth mindset.
After teaching at elementary, middle, and high schools in Scituate, Hanover, Holbrook, and Quincy, I founded the Graybill Literacy & Learning Studio to serve students in an intimate, focused setting where we can work together to overcome their learning challenges.
Learn More About the Graybill Literacy & Learning Studio
Click Here to Learn More About the Graybill Literacy & Learning Studio
We strive to be your child’s best advocate and success coach.
Private Tutoring is available in the following categories:
Orton Gillingham Specialized Reading
Reading & Comprehension: elementary through high school
Essay Writing Skills: Middle, High & college-level tutoring
Math Skills: elementary, middle and high school
The real stars of our operation
Creating a comfortable, engaging, and fun setting for children to learn in sets them up for success in our tutoring sessions. A big part of that are Winnie Buttercup and Maple Sugar—my therapy dogs have become beloved friends to many students and help put students at ease in our learning environment.
A little more about Courtnie’s background and credentials
CERTIFICATIONS:
Massachusetts Preliminary Licensure for History 5-8 and 8-12 and Mild/Moderate Disabilities 5-12.
Orton Gillingham reading certification pre-K-2; completed Orton Gillingham Intermediate practicum grades 3-12
SEI Endorsement completed Spring 2018.
AWARDS:
Plymouth County Education Association Distinguished Service Award for outstanding support and interest in public education 2012-2013.
EDUCATION:
Master's in Education, Eastern Nazarene College
Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications, Towson University
Our Proven Approach Helps Students Find Academic Success
APPLYING A personalized program LEVERAGING THE PROVEN APPROACHES FROM ORTON-GILLINGHAM, STRUCTURED LITERACY, and MULTISENSORY TECHNIQUES, WE ENGAGE CHILDREN IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY ARE READY TO LEARN.
Every child’s learning style and energy is unique, which is why the Graybill Literacy & Learning Studio was designed to house all of the resources needed to create a dynamic, engaging, and effective learning environment that benefits every student.
ORTON-GILLINGHAM
STRUCTURAL LITERACY
MULTISENSORY TECHNIQUES
About Orton-Gillingham
One of the methods we use at the Graybill Literacy & Learning Studio is the The Orton-Gillingham Approach
This is a direct, explicit, and multisensory system of teaching literacy. After years of experience and success with this approach in the classroom setting, I know it can be a powerful tool of exceptional breadth, depth, and flexibility to help your student.
What it looks like at Graybill Literacy & Learning Studio
I incorporate the Orton-Gillingham approach throughout all of my activities and lessons with students. This includes utilizing multisensory instruction, a method of teaching that engages more than one sense at a time. Using sight, hearing, movement, and touch gives kids more than one way to connect with what they are learning. Some of my favorite techniques include writing in sand, story sticks, air writing, and engaging in a physical activity during the learning process.
These activities increase engagement by tapping into a child’s creativity and sense of fun.
About Structured Literacy
Another proven educational APPROACH WE USE AT THE GRAYBILL LITERACY & LEARNING STUDIO IS structured literacy
Structured Literacy prepares students to decode words in an explicit and systematic manner. This approach is effective at helping all readers, including students with dyslexia.
What it looks like at Graybill Literacy & Learning Studio
I apply the structured literacy approach throughout all of my activities and lessons with students. This includes the following:
SYSTEMATIC: THE ORGANIZATION OF MATERIAL FOLLOWS THE LOGICAL ORDER OF THE LANGUAGE. THE SEQUENCE BEGINS WITH THE EASIEST AND MOST BASIC CONCEPTS AND ELEMENTS AND PROGRESSes METHODICALLY TO MORE challenging/complex CONCEPTS AND ELEMENTS. Following this learning sequence helps students gain both fluency and confidence.
Cumulative: each step is based on concepts previously learned.
Explicit Instruction: We deliberately teach all concepts with continuous student-teacher interaction. It is not assumed that students will naturally deduce these concepts on their own so direct instruction is integrated into our regular sessions.
Individualized Teaching: Our instruction is designed to meet your student’s specific needs and based on careful and continuous assessment. The content is then presented until it is mastered to the degree of automaticity. Automaticity is critical to freeing your student’s attention and cognitive resources to focus on comprehension and expression.