top of page
Carva King, The Literacy Lady profile
Classroom_edited.jpg

The Literacy Lady,
Carva King 

Every Word Has a Story.
Every Student Can Learn to Uncover It.

Reading is about so much more than sounding out words.

It's about discovering patterns.

Making connections.

Asking questions.

Building confidence.

And learning that the English language is far more logical—and far more fascinating—than most students ever realize.

That belief is at the heart of everything we do at The Literacy Lady.

Whether we’re working with a beginning reader, a middle school student with dyslexia, a high school student preparing for college-level coursework, or a classroom full of educators, our mission is always the same:

To help people understand how words work.

Because when students understand the structure, meaning, and history of words, something remarkable happens.

Reading becomes less intimidating.

Writing becomes more intentional.

Vocabulary grows naturally.

And students begin to believe they can tackle words they once thought were impossible.

That's why I developed the Power Words Layered Literacy Framework —a word inquiry approach to literacy that teaches students to investigate words rather than simply memorize them. From foundational phonics to advanced academic vocabulary, Power Words helps learners discover that words have patterns, stories, and meaning waiting to be uncovered.

That philosophy influences everything we do, including:

  • Individualized reading intervention

  • Dyslexia therapy

  • Small-group literacy classes

  • Homeschool support

  • Professional development for educators

  • Curriculum and instructional resources

 

I have never believed in one-size-fits-all instruction.

 

Every learner deserves thoughtful, research-informed teaching that builds both skill and confidence.

 

My mom once told me, "Carva, you can't save them all."

 

I smiled and replied, "But I sure can try."

That simple conversation still reminds me why I do this work every day.

Thank you for being here.

Whether you're a parent searching for hope, a teacher looking for fresh ideas, or a school leader committed to improving literacy, I'm honored that you've trusted me to be part of your journey.

Let's start investigating.

- Carva King, Ed.S, LDT

ACT Test Prep Expert

Adolescent Reading Specialist

Licensed Dyslexia Therapist

Workshops, Classes & Programs Led by The Literacy Lady

LA Student Pic 1.jpg

Literacy Academy

Individualized reading intervention that goes beyond tutoring.

For students who need targeted support in reading, spelling, and written language, Literacy Academy begins by identifying where learning is breaking down and builds instruction around the needs of each student.

 

Our goal isn't simply to help students perform better today. It's to give them the knowledge, strategies, and independence they need for long-term success.

Coastal Academy

A different kind of learning environment for homeschooled students.

Coastal Academy provides small-group literacy and math instruction for students using a hybrid homeschool model. 

Designed for kindergarten through 8th grade students – including those with diverse learning needs, Coastal Academy combines academic instruction with the strategies and support necessary for students to become successful learners.

Carva King working with student at Coastal Academy
Laurel Workshop 1.jpg

ACT Academy

ACT preparation built around the student—not just the test.

ACT Academy helps students strengthen the skills, strategies, and confidence needed to approach the ACT more successfully.

Rather than relying on tricks and shortcuts, ACT Academy’s direct instruction and guided practice teach students how to understand the test, manage its demands, and make more strategic decisions.

Teacher Academy

Professional learning designed for what happens after the training ends.

Teacher Academy helps educators deepen their understanding of literacy and translate that knowledge into practical, effective classroom instruction.

Through workshops, courses, and professional learning opportunities, educators explore not simply what to teach, but why it works, how language works, and how to make informed instructional decisions for the students in front of them.

Text Features Center featuring UPFRONT Magazines.jpg

"You are a teacher, a motivator, a leader, a nudger and a cheerleader."

Susan B. - Parent

The Literacy Lady's Learning Studio

We wanted to create a place where people want to be.

From the beginning, the vision for The Literacy Lady's Learning Studio has been about more than what happens during a lesson. We wanted to create a place where students, families, teachers, and visitors feel welcome the moment they walk through the door.

Our studio doesn't look—or feel—much like a school.

You'll find old books and an antique globe resting on a card catalog. Comfortable chairs tucked beside lamps and thrifted tables. Learning spaces that are engaging and inviting without being overwhelming. And at the center of it all is an old oak kitchen table that serves as our reception desk, gathering place, meeting space, and often the spot where some of our most important conversations happen.

That table is there for a reason.

When a parent comes to us worried about a child who is struggling to read, we don't want that conversation to feel like another meeting across an office desk. Sometimes parents arrive with questions. Sometimes they arrive frustrated or exhausted. And sometimes a mom sits at that table and cries because her baby can't read.

In those moments, how people feel in this space matters.

We want families to feel that they have found people who will listen, understand, and help them figure out what comes next.

And we want our students to feel it, too.

Many of the children who come through our doors have spent a lot of time doing things that are difficult for them. The last thing we want is for reading intervention to feel like one more place they have to go because they're struggling.

So we've intentionally created something different: a place where serious learning can happen without feeling institutional. A place where students are challenged but supported, where their successes are noticed, where curiosity is encouraged, and where they can simply be themselves.

The best evidence that we've succeeded may be the simplest: Our kids want to come.

They come after long school days. They come during their summers. They settle into their favorite spots, tell us their stories, do incredibly hard work—and sometimes they don't want to leave.

That's the kind of learning environment we set out to build.

Because exceptional instruction will always be at the heart of what we do. We hold ourselves to a high standard: to offer something students and families cannot find elsewhere—or to do it better than anyone else.

But we also believe how people are treated, how they are known, and how they feel when they walk through our doors matter just as much.

Great things happen here.

And we want everyone who walks through the door to feel like they belong.

“Mrs. Carva is highly educated, knowledgeable, and very prepared for instructing students and guiding them on the ACT preparation. The service is top notch!”

Holley P. - Parent

Carva's Corner

The Literacy Lady's blog with lesson plans, teaching ideas, resources, student success stories, and more!
bottom of page