Pearl Center Frequently Asked Questions:

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between tutoring and educational therapy?

Tutoring focuses on helping a student succeed in a specific subject by reteaching academic content.

Educational therapy is different. It targets the root causes of learning difficulties by strengthening the underlying cognitive and processing skills needed for reading, writing, math, attention, memory, and executive functioning.

At Pearl, our goal is not just short-term improvement—but long-term, lasting change in how a student learns.

How do you individualize the program for each student?

We tailor every student’s plan based on their unique learning profile, strengths, and needs. At Pearl, we draw from three research-based intervention programs, allowing us to customize the approach for each learner:

• Search & Teach
  A developmental assessment and early-intervention program for young children. It identifies foundational skill gaps early and provides targeted activities to strengthen those areas before significant academic struggles appear.
• NILD Educational Therapy®
  A comprehensive intervention that addresses the underlying processing deficits that interfere with learning. It strengthens perception, reasoning, memory, language, and executive functioning through structured, dynamic, one-on-one therapy sessions.
• Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE)
  A cognitive development program designed to improve attention, working memory, flexible thinking, problem-solving, and executive functioning. FIE helps learners of all ages build stronger thinking habits that carry over into academic and real-life situations.

By combining these approaches, we create a truly individualized program that supports meaningful, lasting changes in how a student thinks and learns.

How long do students usually stay in the program?

Every student’s learning profile is unique, but most engage in educational therapy for an average of 3 years. This timeframe allows enough consistency for the brain to build new pathways, develop stronger learning habits, and experience significant academic and cognitive growth.

Some students finish sooner; others continue longer, depending on their needs and goals.

We conduct annual assessments each spring, using standardized tests and informal measures to evaluate progress. These results help us determine the student’s growth and guide the ongoing direction of their individualized program.

Are you a school?

No. The Pearl Center for Learning is not a school.

We are a specialized learning center that provides one-on-one educational therapy, structured literacy intervention, cognitive development programs, and small classes for students who learn differently and need additional individualized support.

How long and how often are therapy sessions?

Students attend educational therapy twice a week, and each session is typically 80 minutes long.

We operate on a 10-month contract (August–May) that follows the traditional school year.

We also offer a separate summer contract, which provides more flexibility in scheduling and allows students to continue making progress without the demands of regular schoolwork.

Do you offer academic classes?

In addition to one-on-one educational therapy, we also offer small-group classes (maximum of 6-8 students). Our classes include:

• Math
• Language Arts
• Science
• Social Studies
• Art

These classes follow the public school calendar and are designed to support and reinforce the skills students are developing in therapy.

Because we are not a school, parents must be legally registered with a homeschool association in South Carolina.

We do not issue grades; instead, we provide progress reports that families may submit to their homeschool association as documentation that education is taking place.

What ages and grades do you serve?

Educational therapy at Pearl is highly adaptable, allowing us to serve children, teens, and adults. Anyone seeking to improve foundational thinking skills, executive functioning, or academic abilities can benefit from our individualized approach.

Our classes serve students from early elementary through middle school, depending on their learning needs.

Do you offer anything in the summer?

Yes! We offer a full Summer Learning Program, which may include:

• Intensive educational therapy
• Structured literacy intervention
• Cognitive skill-building
• Executive function support
• Enrichment options depending on availability

Summer is a wonderful time for students to make accelerated progress without the demands of regular schoolwork.

Do you diagnose dyslexia or other learning disabilities?

No. We do not provide formal medical or psychological diagnoses.

However, we do offer comprehensive educational evaluations, learning profiles, and screenings that identify patterns of strengths and weaknesses commonly associated with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, processing disorders, and other learning challenges.

We can also guide families toward formal diagnostic options if they haven’t already received them. All students must have a current psychoeducational evaluation before enrollment. The data from this assessment allows us to establish a baseline and develop an individualized intervention plan aligned with each learner’s cognitive and academic needs.

Can you help students with ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Yes to both, and more!

Many students with ADHD benefit greatly from educational therapy. Our work focuses on strengthening attention, working memory, processing skills, self-regulation strategies, and executive functioning—skills that directly impact academic success.

We also serve many students who are on the autism spectrum. Our approach is individualized, structured, and relationship-based, which helps students thrive.

As long as a child can engage in a one-on-one learning setting, we are able to tailor instruction, strengthen cognitive and academic skills, and support communication and thinking strategies.

How much does it all cost?

It all depends on the combination of services. For pricing, it is best to call the office and talk it over with the Director.