Students enrolled in The Reading Clinic’s Core Reading Programme are continuing to enjoy the benefits.

According to the clinic, during the 2015-16 school year, 94 children received services through the programme, designed for students with specific reading disabilities.

Using the Orton-Gillingham Method — a structured, multi-sensory, phonetic approach to teaching decoding and spelling — students received up to three one-on-one sessions with a trained tutor each week.

For those who received five months or more of tutoring, preliminary end-of-year tests indicated an average of more than one grade level of progress in both oral reading skills and reading comprehension.

Several parents have reported on their child’s progress while enrolled in the programme.

One said her child now enjoyed reading “so much that she challenges herself every evening by re-reading at bedtime what was read to her from the chapter books.”

Another said her son, who started at level 1.0 with 30 words per minute reading is now at level 1.5 with 67 words per minute reading. His comprehension has markedly improved and he has achieved a 100 per cent response rate to questions posed, she said.

Several parents told of their own success stories.

HSBC is sponsoring the programme and the bank’s Head of Human Resources Yolanda Outerbridge, who is also the HSBC spokesperson for the partnership, said: “Reading is a critical skill that forms the foundation for learning.

“Effective reading at an early age provides the platform to build other skills. The ripple effect of ineffective reading is greater than the reading deficiency itself. Consequences can include poor self-esteem, difficulty in social development, and can ultimately impact future employment.

“HSBC is very proud to support The Reading Clinic in the amazing work that they do. Our scholarship programme includes supporting services and testing for students through one-on-one sessions. Through this partnership, we are helping children achieve their highest potential and ultimately preparing them for the future.”

Dr Glenn Faries, the executive director of clinic, added: “The Reading Clinic’s goals for the future are to maintain the integrity and quality of its programmes, and to continue to increase The Reading Clinic’s visibility by partnering with organisations in the areas of education (for those with learning differences and those without), providing professional development for educators along with parent and community education.”

In addition to lead sponsor HSBC, the Core Reading Programme is supported by Tokio Millennium Re, Renaissance Re and AspenRe, as well as the Chubb Foundation, The Buechner Society and The Stempel Foundation.