We were lucky to catch up with Rebecca Keller recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rebecca, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

After years of experience working in schools with special needs children, I did not expect my background would be so beneficial in my own family. My eldest two children had no issues in their educational development and started into school with no difficulties. Then my third child came into the family. Her speech and language were delayed from the very beginning. She was developing normally in many areas, but even after many different programs and interventions there was a language problem that could not be denied. Once she started school the problem became even more pronounced. Through many different approaches and consultations, we finally identified the challenge as dyslexia.

With dyslexia finally diagnosed, I knew I needed to act to find the best possible interventions available to help give my girl the tools to be successful. My research led me to the Barton Reading and Spelling System. This system is an evidence based systematic approach to training a dyslexics mind in language, phonics, reading and spelling. I knew I could learn the program and help my child. I was motivated to become the best tutor I could be.

We were very fortunate to have a school that supported my efforts and allowed me to be on site to aid my girl. I was allowed to take her out of her traditional reading classes and tutor her in the methods her dyslexic brain needed while still on site at her school. The teachers and administrators of her school were so collaborative in educating themselves about dyslexia that they started to identify other students who could use the same interventions. One such student needed help, and the school approached me to see if I could extend my interventions beyond my child. That was the ultimate birth of Learning to Soar Dyslexia Support. However, before I could roll out a business, I knew I needed more training and education and that was my next step.

The more I worked with children who had dyslexia, the more I realized how necessary the services of a dyslexia specialist are in the community. The condition is prevalent, and schools do not have the tools necessary to identify the condition or provide the necessary interventions when it is diagnosed. I took those first experiences with my daughter and other students in her school and challenged myself to become trained and certified in the Barton System. The certification process is extensive and requires formal approval from the creator of the program, Susan Barton. Additional training was required to develop the skills necessary to allow me to assess and identify students who may be affected by dyslexia.

One of the most impactful aspects of my training process was recognizing that I was also dyslexic. Dyslexia can present itself in many ways and with a wide spectrum of severity, however, it is estimated that up to twenty percent of people suffer from dyslexia in some form. Many people go through their entire childhood and complete school without ever knowing that their performance in school was hindered by dyslexia. That was me! I always struggled in school and college. I was able to be a “C” student, but I always had to work harder than my peers and could never get ahead. I never felt smart enough to succeed and even in my dyslexia support training classes I felt like a fraud.

Undiagnosed dyslexia has a way of destroying a child’s self-esteem and convincing them that they are not as capable as their classmates. With my newfound knowledge of my own condition and my Barton Certification, I was passionate about fulfilling the vision of my new company. I wanted to teach every child the tools they needed to “Soar” in school and in their life. I knew I could help students realize their potential and save their self-worth before it is impacted by failures and difficulties. That is my passion and the reason Learning to Soar exists. I want each student to not only learn to read and spell, but also to realize their unique strengths and amazing attributes.

Rebecca, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Learning to Soar Dyslexia Support offers many services to the community by providing intervention to those struggling with reading and language. As the founder of Learning to Soar, I am certified in the Barton Reading and Spelling System and utilize my training to identify students who may be affected by dyslexia and provide them with the tools necessary to succeed. I also am passionate about increasing the awareness of a condition that affects up to twenty percent of students, many of whom are undiagnosed, but struggling. My business is built around the goal of helping students achieve their potential and giving them the self-confidence to know that dyslexia is not something that has to hold them back. My vision is teaching children to “Soar.”
I started my business by researching the best program available to help my dyslexic daughter. Through that process I discovered that I was an adult who had always struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia. My commitment is to help as many children as possible avoid the difficulties of growing up with reading and language problems.
Learning to Soar offers one-on-one dyslexia tutoring through the Barton Reading and Spelling System. This program is the gold standard of tutoring systems, based entirely on the Orton Gillingham approach which is the most documented and researched supported systems available. This systematic and multi-sensory approach has nearly a century of proven success.
Our approach is to value the sacrifices a family must make to provide their children with the intervention they need. Our tutors come to you in your home, your school or a location most convenient to you. We even offer our full services on-line with a schedule that makes tutoring possible for even the busiest families. We support students by collaborating with their schools to find ways to add tutoring to their education plans and recommend other interventions and accommodations. We also support home school families by offering our services through the state’s ESA programs.
In addition, we help to advance the awareness of dyslexia in the community. I have served on the Board of the Arizona branch of the International Dyslexia Association an organization committed to the advancement of dyslexia awareness. I love to go into the community and educate teachers, families and schools on dyslexia and the need for intervention. Additionally, one of the things I am most proud of is my work to develop a dyslexia screener to be used for early detection of dyslexia in doctor’s offices at six-year-old well visits. This work is being supported by a collaborative research team comprised of Learning to Soar, Healing Hearts Pediatrics, Arizona State University and Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

I know the struggles of parents as they try and navigate a reading difficulty in their children. It’s frustrating and scary and there are many challenges with getting children identified and diagnosed. Intervention is also expensive and time consuming.
I believe my families value my experience as the mother of a dyslexic child who was once in their shoes. I listen to parents and their frustrations. I love letting them tell me the history of their child and then the struggles that they have gone through. I give them a safe space to talk and explore options. My clients become much more like families as we work closely with their children through their struggles and successes. This dedication to making the intervention process as convenient as possible for families is our primary differentiator.
Our new families are almost always reached through the success stories of other students. We change the lives of these children as they often go from being held back due to reading difficulties to being at, or above, grade level. That type of success gets the attention of parents, teachers and school administrators who love to recommend us to other students who are struggling. They become like my family and I think that personal attention has propelled my families to share my information.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

The Barton Reading and Spelling program is a very effective system that has been proven to be successful for many decades. We are committed to completing the program and ensuring students improve and advance. In addition to a successful program, we integrate a supportive system for families that helps them create a convenient and flexible schedule to ensure the program can meet the needs of every family. We strive to be a partner in helping each student reach their potential and achieve a self-worth that is not defined by dyslexia.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.learningtosoar.net