Building reading skills to change the lives of children with dyslexia in the
Greater Albuquerque Area
What Is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia Defined
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects approximately 10 percent of children. Those diagnosed with dyslexia have trouble connecting sounds to letter symbols. This affects the way children with dyslexia learn to read and spell. Fortunately, major strides have been made in understanding this language-based disorder, allowing children with dyslexia to learn how to read and be successful despite their learning difficulties.
Cause
Dyslexia is a word reading problem due to differences in the brain that make learning letter sounds difficult. Without adequate letter-sound knowledge, recognizing words in print is slow and inaccurate. The root cause is weak phonological, not visual, processing. This phonological weakness is with the sounds of language.
Diagnosis
There is no single test for dyslexia. Dyslexia is identified by gathering information about all of the factors that influence reading development and measuring reading ability. Family, medical, social-emotional and school data include questionnaires, health records, behavior ratings, grades and academic testing. Adequate general intellectual functioning, oral language, vision and hearing are determined using prior results or direct assessment. The dyslexia evaluation includes tests of the root cause (phonological processing) and reading subskills (accuracy, speed, comprehension, and spelling). A clinician, or assessment team, makes the diagnosis after studying all of the relevant information.
Treatment
Intervention for dyslexia directly, explicitly and systematically teaches an awareness of the sounds of language, letter-sound associations, vocabulary and strategies for understanding written language. Guided, repeated practice enables the child to apply what they have learned efficiently. Intensity (e.g., smaller group size, extended length of sessions and treatment, more individualized lessons) is what distinguishes dyslexia intervention from regular reading instruction. Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia is the most recent treatment developed by the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia & Learning Disorders
About Masonic School for Children with Learning Disabilities
Our Mission
To support, provide, and help fund a therapy program in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area for children affected by dyslexia.
What We Do
MSCLD is a 501(c3) non-profit organization formed at the Sandoval Masonic Lodge to support and serve the children and families with children diagnosed with dyslexia. We offer the Texas Scottish Rite Take Flight language intervention program.
https://scottishriteforchildren.org/care-and-treatment/dyslexia
We offer to families the Take Flight, A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia program. The only requirement to enter the program is a diagnosis of the specific learning disability of dyslexia. The program is self-paced with the student meeting five days per week and they may take 2 years or more to complete the lessons. Our program is free to the family. Our current program is a live online meeting via Zoom between one student and the teacher. The program targets individual specific phonemic, fluency, and comprehensive needs. In the process of improving reading skills, self-confidences, self-worth, and a positive outlook are developed. In many cases, this program saves lives. It is estimated that 50% of people in prisons have some level of dyslexia.
Marci Easterbrook: Educator and Language Intervention Specialist
Marci Easterbrook is a dedicated educator with over ten years of experience in teaching the "Take Flight" language intervention program, specializing in helping students with dyslexia and other language-based learning difficulties. Trained at the prestigious Scottish Rite Learning Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico, under the guidance of master teacher Judy Carter, Marci has honed her skills in the renowned multi-sensory learning for language intervention approach.
Marci Easterbrook’s passion for education and her commitment to helping students with language-based learning challenges make her a trusted guide for families seeking effective, personalized support.
A Photo Exhibition of Masonic School for Children with Learning Disabilities’ Educational Adventures
Financial Information
MSCLD is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. In addition, we hold fundraiser events such as bowling tournaments, motorcycle rallies, dinners, raffles, used clothing drives, concerts, and fund drives. A typical student will cost MSCLD $16,000 to complete two years of training.
Of all the money raised, 96% goes directly to support our teacher. Operated by a Board of Directors and with only our teacher being paid, we operate with very low costs.
History of the MSCLD
The Masonic School for Children with Learning Disabilities was founded in 2013. We hired our current teacher and provided her with the training needed to become certified in the teaching of the Scottish Rite Take Flight program. The teacher and student met at Sandoval Lodge No. 76 who provided a classroom and use of their facility at no charge. We have had over 65 students go through the program and many are now doing very well in high school and college. With the onset of COVID the Lodge building was closed. Our teacher set up a classroom in her home and developed the program of teaching remotely with great success. Teaching one student at a time allows the program to be taught very effectively. The benefits of doing teaching remotely has had many advantages for the parents and students. It allows our teacher to instruct 8 students.
A Few Current & Previous Donors to MSCLD
"Together, we achieve more—thank you for your support!"
The MSCLD Needs YOUR Support!
Your donation qualifies for Income Tax deductions as we are an IRS-classified 501(c3) not-for-profit charitable corporation.
We ask you to send your checks to:
MSCLD
218 Ranchitos Rd.
Corrales, NM 87048
Or make your contribution to:
MSCLD at PayPal
Corporate Address
MSCLD
1420 Barbara Loop SE
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
Direct Contact: Dan Irick
President
Phone: (505) 980-9304
Email: dirick@aol.com
Contact Us
Thank you for considering us for your child's educational needs.
