Download "Learning Disabilities: What to Know and What to Do" with useful information for parents on how to detect signs of a learning disability and when and how to get your child the help they need.

Is CrossWalk right for your child?

CrossWalk began several years ago as a small program to help bright students who were struggling with a diagnosed language-based learning difference (such as dyslexia and/or dysgraphia). Since its inception, the CrossWalk Program at North Cross School has grown to almost 40 students and six instructors have been either certified or are on their way to being certified. They use the Orton-Gillingham method, a multi-sensory, systematic way of teaching. Through its one-on-one or small group sessions, CrossWalk gives neurodiverse  students the tools they need to master a skill that has never been innate to the human species: the written language.

Our mission is to provide remediation of language skills for bright students with dyslexia and similar language-based learning differences in grades ECP Level 3/Kindergarten through eighth grade with the goal of returning the student to mainstream education fully prepared to realize their highest potential by ninth grade. Students in the program spend much of their school day in the classroom with their grade-level peers. A portion of their day is spent in the CrossWalk classroom where they receive individualized instruction in language and math. CrossWalk also connects students with specific needs in tutoring or subject-specific instruction to the appropriate professional. ​
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Common signs of dyslexia:

In Preschool: 
  • Speaks like a younger child (mispronounces words frequently)
  • Has trouble calling things by the right name (hands you a spoon when you ask for a fork)
  • Struggles with rhymes (can't recognize common rhymes like "dog" and "log")
  • Can't seem to follow directions (will forget portions of longer directions)

In Gradeschool:
  • Has trouble sounding out words
  • Seems confused or bored by books, even about favorite characters
  • Can't seem to remember details of what he or she just read
  • Mixes up the order of letters (mis-spelling or mispronouncing words, like "wuz" instead of "was," or "mazagine" instead of "magazine")

In Middle / High School:
  • Reads very slowly
  • Often can't find the right word to say
  • Struggles with written assignments (misspells the same word in the same essay)
  • Struggles with learning a foreign language
  • Lacks a sense of direction
  • Often needs someone to explain the punch line to a joke, doesn't always understand puns, proverbs and idioms.
  • Has a hard time "fitting in" (doesn't read body language well, or pick up on social cues easily)
Adapted from Understood.org
Do you think that your child may have dyslexia or another learning difference? What now? Email or call us and we can help you navigate the process. Call 540-989-6641 and ask for CrossWalk, or email Kit Prillaman, the director of CrossWalk at [email protected].

Our Approach

Orton-Gillingham instruction is a multisensory approach to teaching reading, writing, spelling and math skills customized to the individual needs of each student.

​Instructors directly teach the phonics and linguistics of the English language and writing in a systematic manner. Teaching is diagnostic and prescriptive—each teacher seeks to understand how each child learns and devises an appropriate teaching strategy for that student. Instructors address the whole child, meaning they work to ensure they leave CrossWalk with the tools to succeed in any learning environment, giving them back confidence and, more important, a love of learning.

Recently, our teachers completed an intense training in math instruction for students with language-based learning differences. 
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​Instructors closely monitor the student’s progress in order to identify and analyze individual needs. Material is presented in a sequential way that ties new concepts with past material. Lesson time is structured so students are comfortable and know what to expect each day when they enter the classroom. Teaching is also directed towards providing the experience of success, increased self-confidence, and motivation. ​

Resources for Current Families:

Download our "Pre-reading Explained" document which outlines the benefits of pre-reading, class reading and re-reading with your dyslexic child when assigned class reading.

Our Support

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Jamie Martin, an expert in assistive technologies, gave a small group session for our parents.
It’s important to know that while dyslexia impacts learning, it’s not a problem of intelligence. Kids with dyslexia are just as smart as their peers. Many people who have had to live with dyslexia have gone on to successful careers. That includes a long list of actors, entrepreneurs and elected officials.

Students don't outgrow dyslexia. True remediation can only happen when the child has a consistent approach and support in the classroom and at home. Along with their own professional development, CrossWalk sponsors a number of relevant lectures and learning opportunities presented by industry experts for families of CrossWalk students. (Above: Jamie Martin, a leading advocate for the use of assistive technologies leads an iPad class for families in 2017.) A CrossWalk teacher makes herself available not only to her student, but to the student's family as well—as a resource, support system and educator. 

In addition, we recommend the following websites as resources:
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In the News

10/21/2019 Dyslexia: What every parent should know​​

How to Apply

In order to apply to the CrossWalk program, all applicants must have an outside psycho-educational or neuropsychological education evaluation. These evaluations are comprehensive and should diagnose the learning difficulties that the child is experiencing and suggest a treatment plan. In general, it is recommended that evaluations be done every 3 years, but a more recent evaluation may be necessary during the admission process. For more information, contact our Admission Office at 540.989.6641.