When, while lovely valley teems with vapour around meand meridian sun strikes the upper impenetrable.
For over 40 years, Dyslexia Tutoring Program (DTP) has been a cornerstone in the Baltimore community dedicated to preventing life without literacy for scholars from strategically underinvested communities with dyslexia or language based learning barriers.
DTP got its start in 1984 in Southeast Baltimore’s juvenile detention centers, where the impact of undiagnosed dyslexia on young lives was tragically evident.
A group of concerned citizens working with repeat offenders noticed many of the youths struggled with reading and processing language. With the help of Dr. Roger Saunders, an internationally recognized authority in dyslexia and language-based learning differences, they discovered the youths had dyslexia.
Determined to make a difference, this pioneering group set out to prove that a small investment of time and energy could help these youths overcome the challenges of dyslexia and change the course of their futures. They developed a pilot program that used trained volunteers to provide structured one-on-one tutoring for 60 hours. The goal was to improve not just academic skills, but also self-esteem and behavior—ultimately guiding these youths away from criminal behavior and toward literacy and employability.
In 1985, the pilot program incorporated as a 501(c)(3) – Maryland Associates for Dyslexic Adults and Youth (MADAY) – and was renamed Dyslexia Tutoring Program (DTP) in 2000 to better reflect a broader mission. From its initial focus on incarcerated youth, DTP expanded its scope in order to prevent dyslexic children from following the same troubled path as the original participants.
For over 40 years, DTP has served as a vital safety net for individuals who learn differently but lack the financial resources to overcome their challenges. Today, DTP’s free services help children and adults from strategically underinvested communities in greater Baltimore learn how to read, unlock their potential, and live more productive, fulfilling lives.
Dyslexia Tutoring Program (DTP) provides proven, evidence-based multisensory instruction that yields real, measurable improvements in our students’ core reading skills. Thanks to our generous donors, DTP has become a lifeline for thousands of learners in greater Baltimore. Our vital, life-changing services empower individuals from strategically underinvested communities, helping them overcome learning challenges, build a brighter future and find their voice and confidence through the power of literacy.
But we address more than just how our students see words on a page. We address how they see themselves. Our approach fosters significant growth in our students’ confidence, self-esteem, motivation, and ability to participate in their education.
In addition to year round one-on-one tutoring, DTP’s summer camp and mental wellness programs offer the supportive environment and professional understanding needed for dyslexic learners to grow socially and emotionally. Suddenly students realize they can learn, and they are not alone. Skills improve, confidence grows, fear disappears.
One parent sums up the benefits: “M learned so many amazing things … and that it’s okay to be different. He was given an opportunity to just be himself.”
Typically, students arrive with below-basic reading skills – about 2-3 grade levels behind –struggling to read simple text, write basic words and comprehend sentences and paragraphs.
After 30 hours of tutoring, most students achieve basic proficiency – or beyond – for their age/grade level. By 60 hours, students typically demonstrate average or better proficiency for their age/grade level.
Annual independent evaluations show students in our program make steady progress in all core reading skills – phonemic awareness, decoding, accuracy, rate, fluency and comprehension.
But success doesn't stop there. We offer our students a chance to unleash their excellence and experience a life full of opportunity.
We see remarkable long-term outcomes—high school graduations, college admissions, master's degrees. Jobs, promotions, apprenticeships. Improved grades, honor rolls, books read. Careers in nursing, social work, the arts, IT, and more. Accomplishment, success, and pride.
For over 40 years, DTP has been changing lives, one word at a time.
When, while lovely valley teems with vapour around meand meridian sun strikes the upper impenetrable.
When, while lovely valley teems with vapour around meand meridian sun strikes the upper impenetrable.
When, while lovely valley teems with vapour around meand meridian sun strikes the upper impenetrable.