Reading support for English language learners

An ESOL-endorsed teacher for your child

I am a Florida-certified teacher with an ESOL endorsement and a master’s in literacy. ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages, and the endorsement means I am trained to teach students who are learning English.

That training matters because English learners need two things at once: clear reading instruction and steady language support. A tutor who only offers one may miss half the picture.

What we work on

Lessons may include any of these skills, depending on your child’s baseline. Most children need a mix, and the mix changes as they grow.

• Oral language. Speaking in full sentences, retelling stories, and explaining ideas out loud.
• Vocabulary. School words like “compare” and “evidence,” plus everyday words your child may not know yet in English.
• Decoding. Linking English letters and sounds, including sounds that may not exist in your child’s first language.
• Fluency. Reading smoothly and with expression, so attention can go to meaning.
• Comprehension. Understanding, remembering, and talking about what the text says.
• Writing. Building sentences and paragraphs, with sentence starters that fade away as skills grow.

Respecting your child’s home language

Your child’s home language is a strength, not something to give up. Many skills, like knowing how stories work or what a word part means, carry over from one language to another.

I invite children to notice connections between languages, such as words that look and mean nearly the same in both. I never ask families to stop using their home language.

Keep reading, talking, and telling stories at home in the language you know best. It builds the background knowledge your child brings to English reading.

Working with your family

You know your child best, so on the fit call we talk about their languages, their schooling, and what you hope to see. From there, I share a short progress note each month and a fuller review every four weeks, in plain words.

Sessions and parent updates are in English, written in plain language. A family member or friend is welcome to join the fit call or a progress review if that helps.

With your permission, I am glad to coordinate with your child’s teachers or the school’s ESOL staff, so we are all working toward the same goals.

Language learning or a reading difficulty?

Sometimes it is hard to tell whether a child is still learning English or also has a reading difficulty. I do not diagnose, but my baseline shows which skills are solid and which need work.

Children can be English learners and also have dyslexia, and they deserve support for both. If I see patterns that suggest more than language learning, I will tell you honestly and point you to your school or a specialist for an evaluation.

If your child shows signs of dyslexia, read about dyslexia tutoring with structured literacy.

Paying and scheduling

Families with a Personalized Education Program (PEP) account, or a Unique Abilities Scholarship, can often pay me directly through the Education Market Assistant (EMA). The rate is the same whether you pay through Step Up or privately.

If your child attends a private school with a Florida Tax Credit (FTC) or Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) scholarship, tuition and fees come first, and leftover funds may pay for part-time tutoring. Check your balance in EMA after tuition is paid, and ask me about it on the fit call.

Sessions are one-on-one, 45 to 60 minutes, and typically twice a week. I teach in person within about 30 minutes of Lake Worth Beach and online anywhere in Florida.