Dyslexia Tutoring in Billings, MT
A Different Approach to Reading Support. When reading and spelling are hard, more practice is not always the answer.
Little Legends Therapy provides one-on-one dyslexia tutoring using the Wilson Reading System®.
Wilson gives students clear, step-by-step instruction while adjusting to each student’s unique needs and strengths.
At Little Legends, instruction is delivered by a certificated teacher with Master’s-level literacy expertise.
Structured lessons. Personal support. A plan built around your child.
Does Reading Seem Harder Than It Should Be?
- Your may notice that your child may be bright, creative, and curious but still struggle to read.
- Reads slowly or guesses at words
- Has trouble sounding out new words
- Struggles with spelling
- Avoids reading aloud
- Understands more when someone reads to them
- Gets frustrated during reading
- Still struggles after getting extra help
These challenges may mean your child needs a different way to learn reading and spelling.
Our approach
Our approach breaks written language into clear, manageable steps so children can understand how sounds, letters, syllables, words, and sentences work together.
Why Families Choose Little Legends
Our Approach
Our approach breaks written language into clear, manageable steps so children can understand how sounds, letters, syllables, words, and sentences work together.
Wilson Reading System®
We use an intensive reading system built for students who have ongoing trouble with reading and spelling.
Individualized Teaching
Lessons are adjusted based on how your child responds and what they are ready to learn next.
Experienced Instruction
Your child works with a certificated teacher with Master’s-level literacy expertise.
Clear Private-Pay Options
Dyslexia tutoring is offered as a private-pay service, so families know the cost before getting started.
How Is Our Approach Different?
Billings Families Have More Than One Option
The local dyslexia providers we reviewed offer structured reading support.
These providers advertise the Barton Reading & Spelling System®.
Little Legends Therapy offers families another option through the Wilson Reading System®.
Meet our Dyslexia Tutor:
Lori McManus
M.A. in Education: Language & Literacy, MT Teaching License (K-8)
Lori McManus is passionate about helping every child develop the skills, strategies, and resilience to tackle reading challenges and thrive. She brings more than 25 years of experience as a public and private school English Language Arts and reading teacher, literacy coach, and designer/facilitator of professional learning for educators. Lori holds a Montana Professional Teaching License (K-8), a M.A. in Education: Language and Literacy, and a B.A. in Child Development.
Before joining Little Legends Therapy, Lori served as a dyslexia specialist for Billings Public Schools. She is currently working toward certification in the Wilson Reading System®, a structured literacy intervention based on the principles of the Orton-Gillingham approach. Lori takes a holistic view that recognizes the impacts a learning difficulty can have on motivation, regulation, social interactions, and emotional well-being. Through strong partnerships with families and careful use of data, Lori tailors a personalized plan to each child’s strengths and needs, providing multisensory, sequential, cumulative, and responsive instruction. She weaves games and movement into each lesson, helping children stay engaged while building confidence and essential literacy skills.
Outside of work, Lori enjoys reading and chatting about books, recharging with Aqua Tabata and yoga classes, meandering trails with her affectionate dog Paddy, and exploring new places with her husband. Lori’s latest adventure is scuba diving, where she’s always hoping to spot a sea turtle.
The Biggest Differences?
Little Legends vs local dyslexia providers
Wilson vs. Barton vs. Other Reading Programs
Not Every Reading Program Works the Same Way Here is a simple look at the differences.
Why Little Legends Chose Wilson
Wilson combines a clear teaching sequence with the ability to respond to the individual student.
Children learn how language works—from sounds and spelling patterns to syllables and meaningful word parts.
They then use those skills in:
- Spelling
- Fluent reading
- Understanding what they read.
The goal is not just to finish lessons.
The goal is to build skills your child can use on their own.
Individual Dyslexia Tutoring
One-on-One Support Using Wilson Reading System®
If tutoring is recommended, your child receives instruction based on their current skills and progress.
2 times per week
50 minutes per session
Designed for students in Grades 2–12 with dyslexia.
We use the Wilson Reading System® to provide explicit, systematic, sequential, diagnostic, and multisensory instruction based on each child’s needs.
Key Elements
Dyslexia-specific tutoring at Little Legends Therapy:
- Develops language skills step-by-step
- Uses multisensory learning strategies
- Moves from simple to more complex concepts
- Builds new learning on mastered skills
- Explicitly teaches reading and spelling patterns
- Connects reading with spelling
- Applies skills to connected reading
- Supports accuracy, fluency, and comprehension
- Provides regular practice and review
- Introduces challenges in manageable steps
- Recognizes effort and meaningful progress
- Builds confidence and independence
Our goal is to create a supportive learning environment where children can develop the skills, strategies, persistence, and confidence they need to approach reading with greater independence.
Resources for Families
We want families to better understand dyslexia and feel informed about how to support their child.
We provide trusted resources related to:
- Understanding characteristics of dyslexia
- Supporting reading development at home
- Helpful technology and learning tools
- School accommodations that may improve access to learning
We can connect families with reliable organizations, information, and resources.
Please note: Little Legends Therapy does not provide advocacy or consultation services for Special Education or 504 plans.
It is our mission at Little Legends Therapy to help children who find reading and spelling difficult to develop the skills and strategies they need to become confident, independent readers through individualized, evidence-based instruction based on Orton-Gillingham principles.
Getting started is simple
Three easy steps
Call for a free phone consultation
Call for a Free 15-Minute Phone Consultation. We’ll talk about your child’s reading challenges, learning history, and what to expect from our screening and tutoring services.
Schedule a Dyslexia Screening
We’ll take a closer look at your child’s reading, spelling, and language skills to determine whether dyslexia-specific intervention may be appropriate.
Establish a Tutoring Schedule
If tutoring is recommended and you choose to move forward, we’ll establish a consistent schedule and create an instructional plan based on your child’s needs.
Tutoring takes place 2x per week for 50 minutes per session.
Dyslexia Information and Resources
International Dyslexia Association
Provides information, education, advocacy, and resources for families, educators, and individuals impacted by dyslexia.
National Center on Improving Literacy
Offers evidence-based information and resources for families and educators supporting K–12 students with literacy-related disabilities, including dyslexia.
Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity
Provides research, educational resources, advocacy tools, and stories focused on dyslexia.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Wilson Reading System® the same as regular tutoring?
A: No. Regular tutoring may focus on homework, schoolwork, or extra reading practice. Wilson teaches the core skills a student needs to read and spell more independently.
Q: Does your screening diagnose dyslexia?
A: No. Our screening looks for reading and language patterns that may be linked to dyslexia. It helps us decide whether structured reading support may be a good fit.
Q: Does my child need a dyslexia diagnosis?
A: Not necessarily. You can start by talking with our team about the reading and spelling challenges you are seeing. We can help you decide on the next step.
Q: Do you accept insurance for dyslexia tutoring?
A: No. Dyslexia tutoring at Little Legends Therapy is private pay and is not billed to medical insurance.
Q: Why doesn’t medical insurance cover dyslexia tutoring?
A: Dyslexia tutoring is generally considered educational rather than medical treatment. Because of this, medical insurance usually does not pay for private dyslexia tutoring.
Q: Can I use my HSA or FSA?
A: Possibly. Eligibility depends on your plan and individual situation. Please check with your HSA/FSA administrator or tax professional.
Q: How much does tutoring cost?
A: Contact our team for current screening and tutoring rates. We will explain the cost before you decide to move forward.
Q: When will comprehensive dyslexia risk evaluations be available?
A: They are coming soon. Little Legends Therapy plans to offer standalone dyslexia risk evaluations for approximately $350. Contact our team if you would like to know when scheduling opens.
Voted “Best of Billings” in Occupational Therapists
Platinum Winner July of 2023 and 2024.
