Find Your glow!

luminessence

Wonder is running barefoot chasing fireflies. Learning is wonder with shoes on, exploring the hows and whys that cause us to wonder. It’s another circle of this incredible life.

Ever mindful that beautiful minds are often full of noise, and doubt – we set out to silence the negative voices – to build confidence and new pathways with science, strategies and positive messaging – like those delivered from our hearts. Be patient. You’ve got this.

We lift the lid off the jar that houses imagination, problem solving, grit, and the freedom to see challenges as opportunities to grow.

The journey is, after all, the most important journey of a lifetime,
and one that begins with gusto at The Old Clarksburg Schoolhouse.

What you will discover along the way is your courageous, capable, glowing self.

Where Science Meets Spark

A Different Kind of Learning Support

Support begins with understanding the learner. At Illuminated Learning, each student’s path is built around their unique learning profile, strengths, gaps, and goals.

Using structured, research-based remediation and a holistic understanding of both academic and emotional needs, we help learners build skills, confidence, independence, and a brighter sense of what’s possible.

We develop the processing skills that underlie reading, spelling, and comprehension (including written expression, executive functioning, and math):

Phoneme Awareness
Orthographic Mapping
Dual Coding

We help people of all ages achieve their full potential.

Let's Glow!

At Illuminated Learning we use evidence based, intensive programs tailored to individual needs -- helping people of all ages achieve their full potential.

We offer one-on-one instruction in:

Reading & Spelling
Comprehension
Written Expression
Math
Executive Functioning
Mindfulness & Meditation Techniques
Mentoring

As a retired secondary school Principal and past Parent client, I can highly recommend Ali and Lib Kennedy at Illuminated Learning to not only care for your child’s academic future, but provide a solid science based literacy approach that will provide the foundation they need for years to come. For some time both my son’s were struggling in the regular school literacy program. I spent many months researching what science based literacy learning required. We were so fortunate to find the Kennedy’s in our own backyard. They were able to diagnose and create a unique program for each of my sons which was based on their specialized individualized needs. For decades, they have been delivering what science has determined children need in order to acquire strong language skills. Illuminated Learning is a leader in individualized literacy learning.

Lucy Hilts

Reading & Spelling

Symptoms & Indicators:
• Avoids reading, but usually likes being read to
• Does not connect sounds and letters
• Memorizes words instead of sounding out
• Weak sounding out
• Reading is slow, choppy, and awkward
• Spells phonetically, but not accurately (ex. bote instead of boat)

Causes

• Weaknesses with Phonological Awareness (Onset-Rime, Rhyme & Alliteration, Phonemic Awareness, Syllables, Words in Sentences)
• Challenges with Phonemic Awareness (Segmenting Sounds, Blending Sounds, Discriminating Identity, Number and Order of Sounds)
• Difficulties with Orthographic Mapping

Let's Glow!

Comprehension

Symptoms & Indicators:
• Avoids reading
• Difficulty understanding what has been read
• Has difficulty following directions, especially multiple steps
• Weak organizing skills
• Often finds written expression and math challenging
• Has difficulty grasping humour
• Weak at interpreting social situations
• Has challenges thinking critically and problem solving
• Described as "unmotivated" or "lazy"

Causes

• Inability to form complete images for language (Dual Coding)
• Weak concept imagery
• Executive functioning difficulties

Let's Glow!

Written Expression

Symptoms & Indicators:
• Illegible handwriting
• Has difficulty with letter formation, size, and spacing
• Lacks and or misuses grammar and punctuation
• Challenges with organizing thoughts and ideas
• Weak and slow writing fluency

Causes

• Inability to form complete images for language (Dual Coding)
• Executive functioning difficulties

Let's Glow!

MATH

Symptoms & Indicators:
• Difficulty understanding and grasping mathematical relationships
• Difficulties with estimating numerical values
• Challenges with memorizing and recalling math family facts
• Difficulties performing accurate and fluent math calculations
• Often does not follow proper mathematical operations
• Difficulties solving word problems
• Struggles with understanding and applying mathematical concepts

Causes

• Inability to form complete images for language (Dual Coding)
• Challenges with creating images for math concepts
• Attempts to memorize instead of think, reason, and problem solve with numbers

Let's Glow!

Testimonials

lluminated Learning absolutely changed my children’s lives. From the very beginning, they took the time to truly see and understand each of my kids. They looked beyond academics to understand how they learn, what they were struggling with, what made them feel safe, and what they needed to thrive. For the first time, I felt like we had a team walking alongside us. The confidence both of my children have gained has been incredible to watch. They’ve learned to reflect on their own growth, celebrate their wins, and believe in themselves in a whole new way. The staff have this amazing ability to be incredibly supportive and encouraging while also knowing exactly when to challenge them just enough to step outside their comfort zones. We are so incredibly lucky to have Illuminated Learning in our community. I honestly can’t imagine where we’d be without them, and I’ll always be grateful for the impact they’ve had on our whole family.

I signed my 9 year old son up for an 8 week reading intensive with Ali and Lib at Kennedy Illuminated Learning Center. He had been working with different tutors for years and had been making slow progress, but this program was a game changer! Ali and Lib's experience made a huge difference. They started and ended the program with comprehensive testing and met with me several times to keep me in the loop so that I could get a sense of how he was progressing. Best of all my son enjoyed his time with Ali and Lib; he was engaged, tried hard, and was happy when I picked him up. Ali and Lib didn't just work through a predefined curriculum but rather took cues from my son, how he learns, what he was sensitive about and what motivates him. Unlike our past reading programs they were able to teach to his intelligence so he was challenged in the right way and therefore felt more pride and accomplishment than we previously saw in him. I loved that they not only addressed the hard work of learning to read and write, but also taught him emotional regulation techniques that helped to keep him calm and grounded. My son will continue to work with Ali and Lib, and I would wholeheartedly recommend Illuminated Learning to other parents.

An all around positive experience. The whole child approach means that in addition to academic focus my child has developed impactful learning and emotional strategies that will support her beyond the classroom. We have seen such growth in reading, writing and math. Now my child is confident to read environmental print, write with more confidence and doesn't shy away from situations that involve the application of these skills with peers. We are so grateful to the entire team and regularly think about how lucky we are that Illuminated Learning exists in our community - world class approach to learning right in our backyard.

Our daughter attended Kennedy Illuminated Learning for reading support for her dyslexia when she was 9 years old in grades 4 and 5. She spent almost a year working with Ali and Lib diligently on her reading skills and growth mindset strategies. I feel truly fortunate for their involvement in our daughter's life and learning at that time. Our daughter is now 14 years old and is still achieving academic success, now in grade 10. I asked my daughter if she thought that attending Kennedy Illuminated Learning changed her life and she replied that she thinks it did. Ali and Lib were professional, warm and caring and I felt that they were really invested in seeing our daughter progress and succeed. I appreciated their one-on-one personalized approach. Our daughter emerged from her time at Kennedy Illuminated Learning as a capable reader, self-assured and with more confidence overall.

The world belongs to those who read.
(This is where we come in.)

Wondering where to begin? Let’s talk it through. Set up an assessment and we’ll guide you to success.

How the Process Works

Every learning journey begins with understanding. We take time to discover where a student is struggling, how they learn best, and what kind of support will help them move forward. From there, we create a customized intensive learning path using structured, research-based strategies, steady one-on-one instruction, and plenty of encouragement along the way.