Evening Program for Dyselxic Adults

The Adult Dyslexic Program was launched in 1999 from a vision by our School founder, David Schenck. Mr. Schenck aspired to share his knowledge of Orton-Gillingham and teach adults who were never able to share his joy of reading. Always community oriented, Mr. Schenck was made aware of the Goizueta Foundation whose primary purpose is to fund programs which benefit communities on a state and national level.

The School was fortunate to receive such funding and the Program was then spear-headed by Foster Soules and Ellen Hill. The Program began, and remains, at St. Anne’s Church on Northside Drive. This location has proven to be very successful and is on a major transportation line allowing students to easily access the classes. The early years of the Program saw small class sizes but great impact! Both Ellen and Foster were overwhelmed by the dedication and intelligence of their students. They state, “We were prepared to teach the Orton-Gilliam Approach but were not prepared at how emotional this experience truly was and remains.”

To date, over 400 students have attended the classes and are now readers! On average the class size is 8-10 students, keeping the size small allows for more one-on-one instruction thus greater success.

The Adult Program

Instruction is phonics-based and multi-sensory. The Orton – Gillingham approach is phonics instruction which matches letters and combinations of letters to distinct sounds. Multi-sensory teaching combines seeing, saying, hearing and writing. Students will study basic letter patterns and master the rules that govern reading and spelling.

The course is offered in Atlanta three times a year, with fall, winter and spring sessions. Classes consist of 16 sessions held Tuesday and Thursday evenings for eight weeks.

The Steps to Take:

1. Schedule a Screening
   Schenck only schedules screenings individually. Contact the program administrator, Foster Soules. Call (404) 252-2591 extension 110, or e-mail
2. Evaluation
   The evaluation screening fee is $20. Applicants are screened by the program administrator and other members of The Schenck School faculty. The School screens all applicants to the Adult Dyslexic Program. The screening process is not to diagnose dyslexia but to determine whether the program will be of genuine help to the applicant.
3. Be Admitted
   Applicants accepted into the program are assigned to a class based on their skill level. The maximum class size is ten students. The course fee is $100. Scholarships are available. For scholarship information, please contact the program administrator, Foster Soules.
4. Attend Class
   Students attend class Tuesday and Thursday evenings for eight weeks. Classes are held at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 3098 Saint Anne's Lane Atlanta, GA 30327 which is located at the corner of Moores Mill Road and Northside Parkway in Buckhead (MARTA bus route 12 from the Midtown station). Fall classes meet from late September to mid-November; winter classes meet from mid-January to mid-March and spring classes from mid-March through May.