SMARTER is an acronym for a Structured and Multisensory AppRoach To Enhance Reading. It is based on the principles of the Orton-Gillingham method, a well-established approach to teaching phonics in a clear, systematic, and step-by-step way.
Rather than relying on memorisation, SMARTER*phonics helps children build strong foundational reading skills through structured learning and multisensory experiences.
The program also uses multi-sensory learning activities (seeing, hearing, saying, and doing), which have been shown to improve both reading and writing skills in:
In the same way, the foniks*PINTAR program supports children in learning to read and write in Bahasa Melayu through a structured phonics-based approach
Step 1: Free Consultation
Meet with our Educational Psychologist to discuss concerns and determine whether intervention may be beneficial.
Step 2: Reading Assessment
Identify strengths and areas requiring support.
Step 3: Individualised Learning Plan
A learning pathway is developed based on your child’s needs.
Step 4: Intervention Sessions
Regular structured sessions with trained interventionists.
Step 5: Progress Monitoring
Ongoing review and adjustments as needed.
Our program is available in 2 languages:
Jernestcia is an educator with a background in Educational Psychology and English language education. She is passionate about helping children who struggle with reading discover that they are capable learners.
Through our Reading Intervention Program, she works with children using structured literacy approaches based on SMARTERphonics and foniksPINTAR, helping them develop foundational reading, spelling, and phonics skills in a supportive and encouraging environment.
Jernestcia believes that many struggling readers do not need to try harder—they need to be taught differently. Her goal is to help children build confidence, experience success, and develop a positive relationship with learning.
Individualised support tailored to your child's learning needs
Built on proven reading science and effective teaching methods
Lessons follow a clear systematic sequence to build strong foundations
Regular monitoring to track growth and celebrate achievement
Supported by our multidisciplinary team in MY Psychology KK, including clinical psychologist
It is available in English (SMARTER*phonics) or Bahasa Melayu (foniks*PINTAR). You may enrol in one language or both languages.
Our reading intervention programme is based on SMARTERphonics and foniks*PINTAR. These programs are based on the Orton-Gillingham approach, an evidence based method designed for children who are struggling with reading, spelling, and phonics skills.
It focuses on rebuilding the foundation of reading step by step, especially for children who have not made progress in regular tuition or phonics classes.
Normal Phonics: is mainly designed for children who are just starting to learn reading in a regular classroom setting.
SMARTERphonics: designed as an intervention program. It is more targeted, more systematic, and moves at the child’s own pace to help close specific learning gaps. It identifies why a child is struggling and fixes those gaps step-by-step.
1-to-1 intervention: Every session is tailored to your child’s specific learning needs.
Builds foundational skills: We focus on the underlying reading skills needed for success, not just schoolwork or homework.
A different approach, not just more practice: Designed for children who have not improved with regular tuition or may have dyslexia and other learning difficulties.
Regular progress monitoring: We track your child’s progress and adjust the intervention as needed.
Multidisciplinary support: The programme is backed by the team at MY Psychology KK, including clinical psychologists and therapists. If other concerns are identified, the interventionist can consult the team and recommend appropriate support.
No. While it is very helpful for children with dyslexia traits, it is also suitable for:
A formal diagnosis is not required, however, if our interventionist thinks that a comprehensive assessment for dyslexia is necessary, you would be referred to our clinical psychologist in MY Psychology KK.
The programme is:
Each lesson is adapted based on the child’s progress.
Every child is different, but many parents notice:
Reading development is gradual, especially for children with learning difficulties.
Our interventionist will monitor your child’s progress regularly and provide a comprehensive progress report every 12 sessions. If your child is progressing more slowly than expected, we may consult with our multidisciplinary team at MY Psychology KK, including clinical psychologists and therapists, to determine whether additional assessments or interventions may be beneficial.
Our fee is RM100 per session, and each session lasts 1 hour.
Typically, our interventionist will recommend one session per week, and we will help schedule your child’s sessions in advance. This usually works out to 4–5 sessions per month, depending on the calendar.
As the sessions are booked in advance, payment is made upfront before the start of each month’s sessions. Therefore, the monthly payment is usually RM400 or RM500, depending on whether there are 4 or 5 scheduled sessions in that month.
For the first month only, there is an additional RM400 deposit. This is not an extra programme fee. The deposit will be kept on your account and will be used to cover your child’s final 4 sessions when they complete the Reading Intervention Program. 🙏
