SAT Prep for Students with Surface Dyslexia in NYC

Between mastering SAT material and following a strict study schedule, preparing for the SAT can feel overwhelming for most high school students. Good planning is key to staying on track. But students with learning disabilities such as ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dyscalculia, find it difficult to complete tasks on time or stay focused while studying for the SAT exam. Luckily, the tutors at CATES are well-versed in learning disabilities such as Surface Dyslexia, Rapid Automatic Naming Dyslexia, and Double Deficit Dyslexia. Our LD tutors have years of experience in working with LD Dyslexia and ADHD students both in-person and remotely. Our highly-qualified tutoring professionals build lasting relationships with upper west side-based students, acting as an insightful mentor, dedicated teacher, and a reliable SAT coach.

What is Surface Dyslexia?

Surface Dyslexia – also called visual dyslexia or dyseidetic dyslexia – is a learning disability that affects how the brain processes letters and numbers. Surface dyslexia can be traced back to damage to the brain’s left hemisphere acquired as a result of an illness or accident. The brain uses both the right and left hemispheres for reading, so people with this condition retain the ability to read, but the damaged left hemisphere means problems with language functionality.

A child may be adept with phonics, meaning they can sound words out well, but his or her visual word recognition doesn’t match up with semantic knowledge. This means that students with surface dyslexia struggle to read irregular words such as enough, colonel, debt, island, earth, or yacht.

How Can NYC Students with Surface Dyslexia Manage SAT Prep?

The SAT attempts to analyze a student’s readiness for college with a series of (mostly) multiple-choice questions that cover verbal reasoning, knowledge of the language, and mathematical proficiency. Many high school students with surface dyslexia dread the SAT because it uses intentionally tricky language. At CATES, our certified LD experts work with Manhattan-based students living with surface dyslexia by implementing personalized education programs using a multi-sensory approach geared towards each individual’s innate strength of learning.

The SAT consists of 154 questions, mostly multiple-choice, spread across 180 minutes and three test sections: Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. There is also an optional, 50-minute essay section. CATES Tutoring’s personalized SAT prep programs maximize LD students’ potential by focusing holistically on the academic, psychological, emotional, and physical elements of learning. Introduction of content and test-taking strategies are carefully applied to ease anxiety or difficulty that may inhibit NYC students from exceeding their goals. CATES’s data-driven, personalized approach helps our LD tutors achieve unparalleled success rates in improving east side-based students’ scores, grades, and admissions outcomes.

Helping Harlem-based Students Gain A Competitive Advantage with a CATES LD Specialist

Harlem holds a fascinating and long history, dating back to the 1600s. With a unique atmosphere defined by music, art, food, and cultural events. Harlem residents enjoy a thriving nightlife, historic buildings, live music, and affordable housing. Harlem is almost like a mini-borough within Manhattan. While small, Harlem has distinct neighborhoods like Sugar Hills, Hamilton Heights, Manhattanville, and Spanish Harlem. Harlem is also home to Restaurant Row, a stretch of Frederick Douglas Boulevard, filled with many different cuisines. Founded in 2007, Shrine World Music Venue is a multimedia arts and culture venue located on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard.

Students living near Harlem have access to many public schools like Frederick Douglass Academy and Mott Hall High School. Harlem also houses several higher education institutions such as City College of New York, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, and CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy.

As graduates of the country’s top special education and teacher training programs, every CATES Learning Specialist holds advanced certifications to mentor students with various learning disabilities. CATES Learning Specialists are trained to work with a multitude of learning differences that may interfere with cognition, organization skills, retention of content, and processing speed. In-person and virtual tutoring programs begin with a CATES diagnostic assessment and careful analysis of the student’s performance.

Based on the results, CATES Head Learning Specialist coordinates with the student’s matched tutor to create a customized course of study in preparation for students’ full schedule of standardized tests. Having serviced countless students living in the nearby Upper East and West side, CATES can help your child reach his or her target SAT scores. Whether students benefit from in-person sessions or online tutoring, CATES can meet your student’s needs regardless of his or her learning differences. Dial (212) 359-4208 today to schedule a meeting with the LD specialists at CATES Tutoring.