Pittsburgh New Church School: Overcoming Dyslexia and Other Learning Challenges

By Kevin Brown

Pittsburgh is home to a unique, advanced school that offers education to children with language-based learning challenges such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia. The Pittsburgh New Church School (PNCS) was established in 1885 on the Northside and moved to its current location in Point Breeze in 1929.

Originally formed to provide education to children of the church members, it has grown to include non-church members as well and draws students from a 50-mile radius. Today, it offers instruction to kindergarten through eighth grade in multi-graded classrooms. Its small enrollment, 31 students, allows teachers to offer highly individualized instruction. In 2018, the school added education for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning challenges.

Dyslexia, a difficulty with reading, is perhaps the most well-known of the learning challenges. Dysgraphia is difficulty with handwriting and written expression and dyscalculia is a difficulty with arithmetic and mathematics.

In a welcome message on the PNCS website, Cyndi Glenn, principal of PNCS, describes what PNCS is all about. “We cater to families who are looking for a New Christian education for their children. Our entire staff is trained and most are certified as well in the Orton-Gillingham method, a multi-sensory instructional approach to reading and math. We are highly trained to help students with language-based learning challenges, however, our school is open to all students with or without learning challenges.

“We have a small, family-style atmosphere where students of all ages play and learn together. Our classes are multi-graded which means more than one grade is assigned to a teacher in any subject. Most classes have a range of three grades or fewer. These multi-graded classrooms allow students to work to their own level and ability in each class. For example, a student in 5th grade might be doing 3rd-grade reading, 7th-grade math, and 5th-grade science and social studies. In this way, prescriptive learning plans for each child can be designed and implemented to augment their strengths and shore up their weakness,” she explains.

How do you know if your child has dyslexia or another learning difficulty? According to Cyndi, “Early symptoms can include trouble with rhyming. You ask them to give you a word that rhymes with goat, and they say ‘cat’. With toddlers, they’ll mispronounce words, like ‘bisquetti’ instead of saying ‘spaghetti’. Also, having difficulty with directionality, knowing left from right, can be really difficult sometimes, or learning how to tie their shoes. A big red flag is a child who avoids reading at all costs,” she says.

Dysgraphia is a difficulty with handwriting and written expression. “Students can't hold the pencil well and their handwriting is sloppy. It also includes children who have struggles getting their ideas down on paper. Writing a story is very difficult for them,” she notes.

Dyscalculia’s core deficit is trouble understanding quantity. “I had a student who had fairly severe dyscalculia. I'd put five M&M's in front of her and have her count them one by one and touch them. When asked how many M&M’s, she'd say, seven, nine,” Cyndi recalls.

Cyndi is currently getting her certification in dyscalculia training. “That's a new training worldwide and, with very few people trained in it, I'll be one of the first people to be certified in dyscalculia instruction. I'm super excited,” she says.

If your child is exhibiting any of these symptoms, there are steps you can take to determine whether he or she has a language-based learning challenge.

“If you have concerns,” Cyndi advises, “go to your school, tell them you have concerns, and ask them if they will test your child. Public schools will do the neuropsychological testing for free. That level of testing isn't going to be as comprehensive as if you get a private evaluation through a psychologist, but the first step is to contact your school district and see if you can get your child tested,” she says.

What methods are used to teach children with learning challenges? Cyndi explains that, “The key approach to teaching children like this is that they must have explicit, direct instruction, and that instruction has to be systematic, sequential and cumulative. We also make it multi-sensory. For example, if a child has trouble with the visual input into their brain, we will have them use their tactile or kinesthetic senses. They'll have to touch something. They'll trace a letter with their fingers, almost like teaching a blind person Braille. If they are not hearing things properly, then we show them pictures or teach them how the mouth forms the sounds. We'll have them repeat words or sounds and focus on how their mouth is forming the words or sounds. We try and use as many senses as possible at the same time. It's called multi-sensory instruction with simultaneous processing.”

If you suspect your child may have a learning challenge like dyslexia, dysgraphia or dyscalculia, there is local help available for testing and education. For more information, visit the Pittsburgh New Church School website at www.pittsburghnewchurchschool.org, email them at info@pittsburghnewchurchschool.org, or call them at (412) 731-0122. They are located at 299 Le Roi Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15208.

Pittsburgh New Church School Summer Camp
June 16-20, June 23-27, June 30-July 3
Drop off 8:00 am, pick up 4:00 pm

Our Summer Enrichment Camp is the perfect opportunity for students who have completed kindergarten through 6th grade to engage in hands-on, multisensory learning. Each day is filled with exciting activities that inspire creativity, spark exploration, and foster discovery – all while making learning fun.

Cost per week is $350. Scholarships may be available. Tuition due by May 30th. Register here.