Question 1

What exactly happens in a 16-week cycle?

Accepted Answer

The program runs through The Loop — Read → Think → Speak → Write — across 16 structured weeks. Each session involves live instruction with a Navigator, structured practice between sessions, and progress tracking. Your child moves through grade-level content, not simplified material.

Question 2

How many sessions are there and how long is each one?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the plan you set with your Navigator. A common setup is one Literacy lesson and one Writing lesson a week, 16 of each in a 16-week cycle. Some children take one lesson a week, alternating the two streams; others take three for a faster pace. Every lesson runs 50 minutes.

Question 3

What grade levels does DODO serve?

Accepted Answer

The ELA Program begins at Grade 3 and runs across seven levels to college-tier academic English — each level three 16-week cycles at the common setup. Little DODO is a separate programme for ages 5 to 8, with its own early-childhood educators. Placement comes from the diagnostic, not from your child’s school year.

Question 4

Is this a group program or one-on-one?

Accepted Answer

One-on-one. Every child works with a dedicated Navigator for the full 16 weeks. Live sessions are always 1:1.

Question 5

What happens if my child misses a session?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are recorded and accessible within 24 hours. Your child’s Navigator will adjust the following session to address any gaps. Two consecutive missed sessions trigger a parent check-in to assess whether the cohort timing is correct.

Question 6

How is DODO different from an after-school English class?

Accepted Answer

DODO builds English Thinkers at mastery level—children with the cognitive capacity to reason academically in English at the highest level — the ability to read complex texts, argue a position with evidence, and write with precision. An after-school class builds conversational skills. The Loop trains reading comprehension, analytical thinking, oral argument construction, and structured writing. These are not language skills. They are cognitive architecture.

Question 7

Why not just use ChatGPT?

Accepted Answer

AI is a tool your child will use for the rest of their life, and using it well is a skill in itself. What it cannot do is build the judgment behind the question. It will answer whatever you ask; a Navigator teaches your child which question is worth asking — how to read a difficult text closely, hold a position under challenge, and write something that earns its conclusion. In a session your child does the reading and the reasoning; the Navigator presses on the point they haven’t made yet.

Question 8

Is DODO Letter House the same as DODO Learning?

Accepted Answer

Yes. DODO Letter House is the program families knew as DODO Learning, renamed in October 2026: same Navigators, same curriculum, same website. DODO Learning is now the name of the family of DODO programs, which also includes DODO Coding.

Question 9

What is the LCS System?

Accepted Answer

The LCS System is DODO’s curriculum framework — Literacy, Composition, Speaking. Literacy is the reading treasury, where language goes in: whole unabridged classics, the Latin and Greek roots beneath English, and an ear for how good writing is built. Composition is the construction engine: grammar first and fast, then sentence to paragraph to essay. Speaking is our own strand, and the one a book cannot deliver — oral defence, Socratic dialogue, taking the other side. Inside every session those three run as one sequence: Read → Think → Speak → Write.

Question 10

Why Read → Think → Speak → Write in that order?

Accepted Answer

Because that is the order the thinking wants to go in. Reading puts something worth arguing about in front of your child. Thinking gives them a position on it. Speaking makes them defend that position out loud, where the gaps show. Writing is where it settles into something they own. Run it backwards and you get fluent sentences with nothing underneath.

Question 11

How is a single session structured?

Accepted Answer

One session runs the full sequence, not one quarter of it. A literacy session and a writing session are each 50 minutes. Your child reads, is asked what they make of it, says it aloud to a Navigator who presses on the part they haven’t thought through, and then writes. The next session does the same thing with harder material.

Question 12

Does the sequence change as your child improves?

Accepted Answer

The sequence stays. The material moves. That is what the seven ELA levels are for — L1 begins at Grade 3 and L7 is college-tier academic English, with each level running three 16-week cycles at the common setup. A child at L1 and a child at L5 have the same session shape and completely different books.

Question 13

How is this different from what my child’s school already does?

Accepted Answer

Most classrooms teach reading and writing as separate subjects, a term apart. Here they are one motion, every week, with one Navigator who has read everything your child has written. School measures whether the work was done. We estimate the Lexile at Week 0 and Week 16, and check every book in between.

Question 14

Where will my child start?

Accepted Answer

At the level the diagnostic puts them, not at the level their grade implies. The 20-minute consultation gives a first read of where their reading actually sits, and the Week 0 Lexile baseline, taken after enrollment, confirms which of the seven levels they enter. Every session runs the full Read → Think → Speak → Write sequence from the first week, whatever the level.

Question 15

What is a Navigator?

Accepted Answer

A Navigator is your child’s dedicated instructor for the full 16 weeks. They guide your child through The Loop, track their reading and writing growth, adjust content difficulty in real time, and communicate progress to you every four weeks.

Question 16

How is a Navigator different from a teacher or tutor?

Accepted Answer

A teacher delivers curriculum to a classroom. A tutor remediates gaps. A Navigator builds cognitive systems. They do not reteach what your child’s school already covered — they construct the thinking architecture that lets your child use what they already know at a higher level.

Question 17

How is my child matched to their Navigator?

Accepted Answer

Matching is based on two inputs: baseline Lexile score from the entrance assessment, and the parent diagnostic call. We match cognitive profile, not personality. Your child’s Navigator is selected for their ability to guide your child’s specific thinking development — not to be their friend.

Question 18

Will my child have the same Navigator for all 16 weeks?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Consistency is non-negotiable. Changing Navigators mid-program disrupts the trust required for cognitive risk-taking. If a match is incorrect, we address it in week 2 — not week 10.

Question 19

What are Navigators’ academic backgrounds?

Accepted Answer

Every Navigator is a practicing educator, in K-12 schools or at university, chosen with an emphasis on language arts. Each holds a degree from a world top-50 university (Oxford, U of T, Queen’s, LSE and others) with a specialist background in English literature or composition. All are native English speakers. Most have longitudinal experience teaching bilingual students in North American academic contexts.

Question 20

How does a Navigator track my child’s progress between sessions?

Accepted Answer

Navigators review notes from the previous session before every meeting. They track question response patterns, depth of reasoning, and where your child pushed back or went quiet. This allows them to adjust the next session’s difficulty in real time — your child never repeats work they have already mastered.

Question 21

What happens if my child and their Navigator aren’t the right fit?

Accepted Answer

You will know by week 2. If the match is incorrect, we reassign within 48 hours. After week 4, reassignment becomes disruptive to progress and is only considered in exceptional circumstances. The diagnostic call exists to prevent mismatches — use it.

Question 22

What results can I expect after 16 weeks?

Accepted Answer

About one grade level of reading growth per 16-week cycle. Across our measured students the average gain is 187 Lexile points — about 1.2 grade levels — and 94% gain at least one full grade level. Writing is scored on the skills of your child’s level, and the scores are on every progress report, so you can see which skills are moving. See how we assess.

Question 23

What is a Lexile level and how is it measured?

Accepted Answer

A Lexile level quantifies reading comprehension ability on a scale from 0L to 2000L. It is measured using standardized assessments that evaluate sentence complexity, vocabulary demand, and conceptual density. DODO uses its own reading assessment, scored by your child’s Navigator, to estimate where your child sits on the Lexile scale. Learn more on our Lexile page.

Question 24

How is writing scored?

Accepted Answer

Writing is scored on the skills of your child’s level: building sentences and paragraphs at the first levels, essay structure, style, grammar and usage at the upper ones. The scores are on every progress report, so you can see which skills are moving. See how we assess.

Question 25

How much Lexile growth is realistic in 16 weeks?

Accepted Answer

About one grade level per 16-week cycle. The measured average is 187 Lexile points (about 1.2 grade levels), and 94% of students gain at least one full grade level. That holds for students starting between Lexile 400L and 1000L with consistent session attendance. Slower growth signals a mismatch between content difficulty and baseline ability — we adjust immediately.

Question 26

When is my child assessed — and who does the assessment?

Accepted Answer

At the start, through and at the end of the cycle. Week 0: entrance assessment before the first session, with a Lexile estimate. Weeks 4, 8 and 12: written progress reports, read from each book’s checks and the session worksheets, with Navigator meetings at weeks 4 and 12. Week 16: exit assessment with a second Lexile estimate. The assessments are DODO’s own: your child takes them at their own pace in our online classroom, and their Navigator scores them. Within 72 hours of each Lexile estimate you receive the number, a written report in English and Chinese, and a call with the Navigator. See how we assess.

Question 27

What if my child doesn’t show measurable growth?

Accepted Answer

If the book checks and worksheets show progress stalling by week 8, we initiate a diagnostic review. This involves a parent call, Navigator observation, and content difficulty audit. If the issue is engagement, we adjust. If the issue is developmental readiness, we defer enrollment to a later cohort and refund the remaining balance.

Question 28

How does DODO’s measurement compare to what my child’s school reports?

Accepted Answer

School grades measure compliance and effort. Lexile scores measure comprehension capacity. Your child may receive an A in English class while reading below grade level. DODO reports what your child can do — not how hard they tried.

Question 29

Can I see the assessment results during the program — not just at the end?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You receive a progress report after weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16. Each report includes the book-check results, writing scores and the Navigator’s observations from the previous four weeks. You will never be surprised by the final assessment — you will have watched your child’s growth unfold across four data points.

Question 30

Is DODO’s approach evidence-based?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and the strongest evidence sits under the vocabulary work. Teaching the Latin and Greek roots beneath English is one of the most-researched strategies in education. About 60% of English comes from those roots — over 90% of the words in science — so a term your child has never seen becomes one they can take apart and solve. In a study of 493 middle-school students, root-based teaching outperformed traditional vocabulary instruction for gifted and typically-developing students alike (Gallagher, 2017, Roeper Review). Across dozens of controlled studies, teaching word structure produces measurable gains in vocabulary, decoding and spelling (Goodwin & Ahn, 2010, 2013; Bowers, Kirby & Deacon, 2010). One more finding shapes how we choose texts: children grow most on rich, challenging material rather than simplified readers, which is why we read real, unabridged classics set a step above the comfortable level.

Question 31

How long does the entrance assessment take?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the level: about 40 minutes at the first level, up to about 75 at the top, with a separate writing session at the upper levels.

Question 32

Who sees the assessment results?

Accepted Answer

Your family and your child’s Navigator, who uses them to plan the sessions. They’re never shared with anyone else without your permission.

Question 33

Can the level change if the placement was off?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Navigator reviews the placement at the Week 4 meeting and changes the level then if it was off.

Question 34

Is the assessment included in the fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every plan includes the entrance, midpoint and exit assessments and the four progress reports.

Question 35

Can parents help or sit in during the assessment?

Accepted Answer

The assessment shows what your child can do alone, so please don’t help with answers. Younger children may have a parent beside them.

Question 36

What happens after Week 16?

Accepted Answer

The exit report and a meeting with you decide the next step: another cycle at the same level, or the next level. See how we assess.

Question 37

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

It starts with a diagnostic consultation — 20 minutes with a Navigator, not a sales call. We estimate where your child’s reading sits, talk through the gaps you are seeing, and show you what the first 16 weeks look like for a student exactly like yours. The Lexile baseline itself is measured at Week 0, after enrollment. Families who enroll during a new city’s launch are recognised through the Founding Family Program. Book your consultation to begin.

Question 38

What does the ELA Program cost?

Accepted Answer

Every plan is priced at the consultation, because every plan is set for one child. A common setup is one Literacy lesson and one Writing lesson a week, 16 of each in a 16-week cycle; some children take one lesson a week, others three. Every plan includes the entrance, midpoint and exit assessments, four progress reports and the recorded session archive. Book a consultation and your Navigator will set out the plan and its price with you.

Question 39

What is included in the enrollment fee?

Accepted Answer

Everything in your plan. The live lessons you and your Navigator set; a common setup is one Literacy and one Writing lesson a week. Entrance, midpoint and exit assessments. Four progress reports. Recorded session archive. Full personalization. No add-ons, no material fees, no hidden costs.

Question 40

Are there any additional costs beyond the program fee?

Accepted Answer

No. The enrollment fee covers the entire 16-week cycle. You will not be asked to purchase books, software licenses, or supplementary materials. If your child needs accommodations — extended session time, translated materials, assistive technology — those are included at no additional cost.

Question 41

What happens if my child misses a lesson?

Accepted Answer

It is made up. A cycle runs until its lessons are used, so a missed lesson moves the plan back rather than being lost, and the milestones move with it.

Question 42

What is the payment structure?

Accepted Answer

Price and payment are set with you at the consultation, once your Navigator has worked out your child’s plan.

Question 43

What is the cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

Full refund if you cancel before the first session. 50% refund if you cancel before week 4. No refund after week 4. If DODO initiates a program withdrawal due to lack of measurable progress, you receive a prorated refund for the remaining weeks.

Question 44

Can I enroll mid-cohort?

Accepted Answer

No. Every student begins at week 1. The Loop is a sequence — joining mid-program would require skipping phases, which undermines the methodology. If the current cohort has already started, you will be placed in the next available cohort.

Question 45

Is there a waitlist?

Accepted Answer

Only if the current cohort is full. DODO runs cohorts every 6–8 weeks in each city. If you are waitlisted, you receive priority placement in the next cohort and a 48-hour early enrollment window before general availability.

Question 46

What happens after the 16 weeks — is there a renewal option?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Students who complete a 16-week cycle and show measurable Lexile growth are eligible for Advanced Loop — a continuation program with elevated content difficulty. Enrollment details are shared during your week 16 exit assessment review.

Question 47

Does speaking Chinese at home hurt my child’s English development?

Accepted Answer

No. Research shows that maintaining first-language proficiency strengthens second-language acquisition. The issue is not Chinese at home — it is fragmented cognitive development. If your child is learning English conversationally while thinking academically in Chinese, they develop two incomplete systems. DODO builds cognitive depth in English — and that depth protects both languages.

Question 48

My child speaks English easily. Isn’t that enough?

Accepted Answer

Speaking easily and reading a difficult text closely are different capacities. A child can hold a conversation without effort and still lose the thread of a chapter, or write a paragraph that lists rather than argues. The conversation is surface. What we build sits under it.

Question 49

My child speaks English fluently — why do they still struggle academically?

Accepted Answer

Because conversational fluency and academic cognition are not the same skill. Your child may navigate social situations in English while still processing complex texts, logical arguments, and written analysis in Chinese. DODO trains the cognitive architecture required for academic English — not the vocabulary required for casual conversation.

Question 50

How does DODO approach the Chinese–English language relationship?

Accepted Answer

As one system, not two competing ones. We build depth in English — close reading, argument, structured writing — and that depth is portable. A child who can take a position and defend it in English does not lose that ability when they switch languages. Cognitive depth protects both.

Question 51

At what age is this development most effective?

Accepted Answer

The ELA Program starts at Grade 3, when academic reading begins to ask more than decoding. Little DODO covers ages 5 to 8 before that. There is no closing door: L7 is college-tier work, and students move up the ladder for as long as it keeps stretching them.

Question 52

Does building English depth take something away from Chinese?

Accepted Answer

No. The work is structural, and structure travels. A child who learns to hold a position under questioning, or to build an argument that earns its conclusion, keeps that capacity whichever language they are working in. We do not teach Chinese, and we do not ask families to set it aside.

Question 53

Will DODO help my child maintain their Chinese while improving their English?

Accepted Answer

DODO does not teach Chinese. But by building English mastery at the cognitive level, it strengthens your child’s ability to operate in both languages. A student who can analyze a text, construct an argument, and write a structured essay in English can transfer those cognitive skills back to Chinese. The thinking structure is portable.

Question 54

What cities does DODO serve?

Accepted Answer

Six diaspora cities: Vancouver, Richmond BC, Markham, Toronto, San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles. These cities represent the highest concentrations of bilingual Chinese-English families in North America. Expansion to additional cities is planned for 2027.

Question 55

What timezone are sessions run in?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are scheduled in your local timezone. Vancouver and Richmond BC cohorts run on Pacific Time. Toronto and Markham cohorts run on Eastern Time. San Francisco and Los Angeles cohorts run on Pacific Time. Your child will never need to attend a session outside of reasonable local hours.

Question 56

Can students in different timezones join the same cohort?

Accepted Answer

No. Cohorts are city-specific. A student in Vancouver cannot join a Toronto cohort. This ensures that all students in a cohort are working within compatible schedules and cultural contexts.

Question 57

How are sessions delivered — ClassIn, Zoom, or something else?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are delivered through DODO’s proprietary platform, which integrates live video, screen sharing, collaborative annotation, and session recording. You do not need to install ClassIn, Zoom, or any third-party software. Everything runs in a browser.

Question 58

What are the available session times?

Accepted Answer

Weekday evenings (5:00 PM to 8:00 PM local time) and weekend mornings (9:00 AM to 12:00 PM local time). Exact session time is assigned during the diagnostic call based on your schedule and Navigator availability. Once assigned, session time remains fixed for all 16 weeks.

Question 59

Do sessions run during school holidays?

Accepted Answer

No. DODO observes major school holidays in each city — winter break, spring break, and summer holidays. If a holiday falls during your cohort, that week is skipped and the program extends by one week. You are notified of holiday adjustments at enrollment.

Question 60

Is DODO available in cities not on the priority list?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. The current program is optimized for the six diaspora cities listed above. If you live outside these cities, you can join a waitlist for future expansion. DODO will notify you when enrollment opens in your area.

Question 61

What is Little DODO?

Accepted Answer

Little DODO is the K-2 foundational-reading sibling of the ELA Program. Live, one-on-one with a dedicated early-childhood educator specializing in phonetics, fluency, and pronunciation. High-frequency, low-pressure sessions that build vocabulary and the love of reading, book by book.

Question 62

What ages does Little DODO serve?

Accepted Answer

Ages 5–8 — kindergarten through Grade 2. The point is foundational reading at this stage: confidence to read aloud, comfort with comprehension questions, and the joy of understanding what they read.

Question 63

How is Little DODO different from the ELA Program?

Accepted Answer

Little DODO is the K-2 entry point. It uses the same live, one-on-one delivery model as the ELA Program, but a different specialist team: dedicated early-childhood educators trained in phonetics, fluency, and pronunciation, rather than literature and composition. Pace and pressure are adapted to the age. Formal Lexile measurement begins later, in the ELA Program. Little DODO builds the comprehension foundation that Lexile measures.

Question 64

How often does a Little DODO student meet with their Navigator?

Accepted Answer

High-frequency, low-pressure. The cadence is set with you during the diagnostic call to match your child’s attention span and family rhythm — never longer than the child can sustain.

Every question parents ask before enrolling — answered completely.

What the 16 weeks actually involves.

How a session is built, and why the order holds.

Who they are, how they work, and how they’re matched to your child.

What to expect — in numbers, not promises.

Everything in the ELA Program — no surprises.

Why English mastery at the cognitive level protects both languages.

Where DODO runs, and when.

What Little DODO is — and how it differs from the ELA Program.

Your question isn’t here.

You have the answers. Now get the assessment.