We’ve been doing this longer than anyone else in Oregon.
Oregon's first Orton-Gillingham network, with roots going back to 1960 — before dyslexia was even recognized in Oregon schools.
Mahta Marcy, our Program Director, reaches out personally — within one business day.
Many bright, capable children quietly fall behind in reading despite trying their best.
Over time, frustration can lead to anxiety, loss of confidence,
and a growing belief that they are not good at learning.
Dyslexia does not resolve on its own. But with the right instruction,
children with dyslexia can develop the skills they need to read, write,
and succeed — and begin to rebuild their confidence.
For over 60 years,
Language Skills Therapy (LST) has helped
Oregon families find their way forward
with clarity and confidence.
Watching your child struggle
to read is heartbreaking.
You are not alone — and there is real help.
Our founder, Dorothy Blosser Whitehead, with a student in 1975
You have the diagnosis.
We'll help you figure out
what comes next.
Whether you just suspect dyslexia or have had your child formally tested, LST can help.
A psycho-educational report can feel overwhelming. You now have a name for what your child has been experiencing — but the report doesn't tell you who to call, what kind of help actually works, or how to find someone you can trust.
That's where LST comes in.
We read your child's report, if there is one. We talk with you personally. And we match your child with a tutor whose training, experience, and availability are the right fit — not just whoever is available.
This isn't a database.
It's a conversation.
Early, expert instruction can change a child’s trajectory.
The quality of instruction matters enormously — not all reading support produces the same results.
Children with dyslexia need more than encouragement — they need structured, evidence-based instruction from trained specialists.
When intervention is both early and expertly delivered, it can change not only academic outcomes, but a child’s confidence and long-term path.
LST therapists are trained, certified Orton-Gillingham specialists — carefully matched to
your child's specific needs.
What Makes LST Different
Oregon's oldest Orton-Gillingham organization — with a matching model unlike any other tutoring service in the state.
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Dyslexia does not resolve on its own — but with the right instruction, children can learn to read and thrive.
Research from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that children who receive targeted reading instruction before third grade are far more likely to keep pace with their peers. The window matters — and so does the quality of instruction.
Without specialized support, reading struggles tend to deepen over time, affecting not just academics but a child's confidence and belief in their own ability to succeed.
LST therapists use the Orton-Gillingham approach — a structured, multisensory method actively promoted by the International Dyslexia Association and used by specialized literacy educators for nearly a century. It teaches the way dyslexic brains learn: systematically, explicitly, and through multiple senses at once.
Waiting to see if your child catches up is the one thing the research consistently advises against.
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Not everyone who teaches reading is qualified to teach a child with dyslexia. The difference between a general reading tutor and a trained Orton-Gillingham therapist is the difference between good intentions and genuine expertise — and for a dyslexic child, it matters enormously.
OG therapists complete extensive training, supervised practice hours, and ongoing professional development before they are certified. They learn to assess where each student is, design lessons that build systematically on prior learning, and adjust their approach based on how each child responds.
Every therapist in the LST network has met rigorous certification standards. Many hold advanced degrees in education or literacy. All are committed to ongoing professional development.
LST has been training and supporting Orton-Gillingham therapists in Oregon since the 1960s — longer than any other organization in the state.
When you work with an LST therapist, you are not getting someone who completed an online course. You are getting a specialist.
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Most parents searching for dyslexia support quickly discover how confusing the landscape is — directories, agencies, individual tutors, different methods and certifications, and no clear way to know who is actually qualified or right for your child specifically.
That's exactly what LST exists to solve. When you reach out, you aren't submitting a form into a void. You reach a real person — our Program Director, Mahta Marcy — who calls you personally within one business day.
From there, the process is thorough and unhurried. Mahta reviews your child's profile, reads any existing evaluations, and writes a detailed narrative summary to identify the therapist best suited to their learning needs, personality, location, and schedule. She then introduces your family directly. You don't browse a list or cold-call strangers — you get a thoughtful introduction to a vetted specialist who has chosen to work with your child.
Our therapists are independently certified Orton-Gillingham specialists, not agency employees. They run their own practices and bring years of specialized experience to every session. Every student placed through LST is also covered by professional liability insurance — something most independent tutors and agencies don't provide.
There is no cost to your family until a placement is successfully made. We do the work first.
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Language Skills Therapy traces its roots to 1960, when Dorothy Blosser Whitehead — a pioneer in Orton-Gillingham instruction — began working with children with dyslexia in Portland, at a time when the condition was barely recognized in most schools.
Dorothy understood something that research has since confirmed many times over — that children with dyslexia are not less intelligent, not less capable, and not less deserving of the right to read. They simply need to be taught differently, by someone who understands how their brain works.
For over six decades, LST has carried that belief forward. We have trained therapists, supported families, and built a network rooted in genuine expertise and deep commitment to this work. We are Oregon's oldest Orton-Gillingham organization — and the only one that has been doing this continuously since the beginning.
That history is not just a point of pride. It is a measure of trust earned one student at a time, across generations of Oregon families.
We’re here to guide you every step of the way.
What Families Say
Families often come to us after years of concern. Here is what they find.
“The tutor we found through Language Skills Therapy has fundamentally changed my son’s life. Not only has his reading improved, but his desire to read has grown exponentially. He no longer gets frustrated and gives up on reading or writing assignments. But the most important change in my son is his confidence. He now has confidence in himself that has positively impacted every aspect of his life.
The intake process for Language Skills Therapy was very easy! We have been working with our tutor for 1.5 years and I am grateful to her everyday for all the skills she has taught my son. I highly recommend Language Skills Therapy!”
— Suzanne T.
“We can't believe the improvement we are seeing. Jamie lacked confidence and felt self-conscious about her reading. She was behind grade level and very aware of how much easier reading seemed for all of her friends. We just met with her teacher, and Jamie was AT grade level with the end-of-year iReady testing. We can't believe the improvement we have seen over the past several months!”
— Parent of 5th Grader
(Names in italics have been changed for privacy reasons)
“It would be nearly impossible to overstate the academic improvement, as well as the very positive psychological and emotional growth and the over-all confidence that our daughters have experienced since they began tutoring with our LST tutor … They are proud and confident.
What is more important is that their progress is objective, measurable, and life changing. Now they read books to us at bedtime or at least help to read the more difficult books. They are genuinely more confident in math and reading, and for our younger daughter the alphabet, sounds, and many words. They are not at the top of their classes, and may not be, but the academic progress they have made in just about 16 months is astounding. They are both much happier and more confident at school and at home.”
— Scott and Kristin B.
"I can't imagine what Seth’s life would have been like without your tutoring. It has literally been life changing for him. When he began with you, he was just over two years behind grade level in reading, and now he's reading AT grade level. We cannot convey how thankful we are that you were able to work with him."
— Parent of 4th Grader
— Parent of 4th Grader
You don’t have to navigate this alone.
We will guide you through a thoughtful process to understand your child’s needs and connect you with a highly trained Orton-Gillingham tutor from our network.
Tell us a bit about your child
Connect with Mahta, our Program Director
Be matched with the right therapist
Take the Next Step Toward the
Right Support
No commitment required. We’re here to help you explore your options.