A predictable routine
Each lesson follows a familiar structure so students can focus on the reading task instead of wondering what comes next.
About Sisu Reading
Why the name Sisu Reading?
si·su
/ˈsee·soo/ noun, Finnish
- Quiet, inner strength in the face of long odds.
- Courage that keeps going after the first try fails.
Children who struggle with reading are rarely short on effort. They need instruction that is clear, patient, and responsive. The name Sisu is a reminder that perseverance matters, but children should not have to persevere without a plan.
Why Sisu exists
Some students need reading to be taught more explicitly.
Hanna has worked with capable, hardworking students who memorized familiar words, guessed from pictures, or avoided unfamiliar text because they did not have reliable decoding strategies.
Those students did not need more pressure or another reminder to “try harder.” They needed sounds, spelling patterns, and reading strategies to be explained clearly and practiced in a sequence. Hanna created Sisu Reading to provide that kind of focused instruction in a calm, one-on-one setting.
Teaching principles
What students can expect.
Direct explanations
Important skills and patterns are explained, modeled, practiced, and reviewed rather than left for a student to infer.
Specific feedback
Mistakes are treated as useful information. Hanna points out the strategy a student used and the progress that came from it.
The first step
Tell Hanna what reading looks like right now.
Feel free to let Hanna know what you are noticing, what your child has already tried, and what you hope will change. Hanna will reply to arrange a free consultation and help you decide whether Sisu Reading is the right next step.
Tell Hanna about your reader