Yeshivat Shalshelet is a yeshiva day school for children with language-based learning differences. Through Shalshelet’s carefully designed special education dual curriculum, small group learning structures and direct instruction, students become academically skilled, confident lifelong learners, who can navigate the academic landscape. We view thinking differently as a strength to be nurtured and celebrate each of our student’s individual talents and intelligence. Our program produces students who are poised for academic, spiritual and social-emotional success in a mainstream educational environment.
“Small group reading, writing, math and kriya (Hebrew reading) lessons allow for teachers to provide individualized instruction and attention, meet each child at their academic level and build upon foundational skills,” says Shulamit Roth, head of school.
Language-based learning difficulties affect the understanding, processing or use of spoken and written language. This can impact a child’s reading, writing, comprehension and expression of spoken language. One of the most common language-based learning disabilities is dyslexia,
although not all of our students have that diagnosis. Others may have intact decoding skills, but struggle with language processing and/or verbal expression.
Since language drives much of a school’s curriculum, students who struggle with language often struggle in many academic areas. As a yeshiva day school with a specialized dual curriculum, we address these challenges in a way that maximizes both academic and spiritual potential.
With a rich experiential learning program led by strong Torah role models and co-curricular programming, our students grow to believe in themselves and their ability to succeed—both as individual students and as active members of a Jewish community.
Roth, a speech and language pathologist with a speciality in language and literacy, has dedicated her career to serving students who struggle with language and learning disabilities. She began her career as a clinician at the Soifer Center for Learning and Child Development in White Plains, New York. After working in private practice, she served as a language and literacy specialist in public and private schools in Boston, New Jersey and New York, including Brookline Public Schools, The Carroll School, Maimonides School, Yeshivat Noam and The Shefa School.
This school is personally meaningful to Roth, who focused her career on language and literacy when her brother was diagnosed with dyslexia in third grade. “It was difficult for my parents to choose between the best educational environment or yeshiva day school education for him.” Since then, she has been passionate about helping students reach their academic and personal potential.
“For years, people have been discussing the tremendous need for a yeshiva day school like this in Bergen County,” said Dov Adler, president of Yeshivat Shalshelet. “Every child deserves to be educated in the way that maximizes their potential. Our current yeshiva day schools do an outstanding job at educating our children. Shalshelet complements the array of services already provided and affords every child the opportunity to learn locally, al pi darko [in their own way], in a yeshiva environment.”
“Shalashet has provided an environment for my daughter to learn at her own pace and feel confident about her abilities, even when they are different from her peers,” said one Shalshelet parent. “She finally loves to go to school! The expertise, instruction, care and warmth displayed by the entire Shalshelet staff is second to none. We are truly grateful for the second chance at learning that Shalshelet is offering its students.”
Learn more about Yeshivat Shalshelet at its information session on November 29 at 8 p.m. Visit shalsheletnj.org/info-session to register.
