Reading and writing tutoring

What a reading tutor works on

A good reading tutor finds the exact skill that is missing and teaches it until it is solid. For most kids, that means working on a few connected skills at once, in short, focused steps.

Here is what lessons may include, depending on your child’s baseline:

• Phonemic awareness. Hearing and moving the sounds inside words, like knowing that “ship” has three sounds.
• Decoding and phonics. Turning letters into sounds and blending them into words, from short vowels to longer words with prefixes and suffixes.
• Spelling. Using the same sound patterns in reverse, so spelling stops being memorized guesswork.
• Fluency. Reading smoothly, at a comfortable pace, with expression.
• Comprehension. Understanding and remembering what the text says, and talking about it.
• Written expression. Planning ideas, building sentences, and getting thoughts onto paper.

Orton-Gillingham-informed lessons, in plain words

I am Orton-Gillingham trained, and every lesson follows its principles. Your child learns how English really works, one pattern at a time, with plenty of practice.

That matters because many struggling readers were taught to guess from pictures or the first letter. Guessing works for a while, then breaks down when books get harder. Structured teaching replaces guessing with a reliable way to figure out new words.

Lessons are calm and predictable. Your child knows what is coming, which lowers stress and frees up energy for learning.

Baseline, goals, and progress you can see

Every student starts with a baseline. In the first one or two sessions, I use short educational skill checks and observation to see what your child already knows and where the gaps are. This is not a diagnosis or a clinical evaluation, and I never present it as one.

From there, we agree on two or three learning goals, such as “reads two-syllable words with short vowels” or “writes a clear paragraph with a topic sentence.” Goals are specific, so you can tell when they are met.

You get a short progress note each month and a fuller review every four weeks. Reviews cover what has improved, what comes next, and whether to adjust the schedule.

Paying with a Unique Abilities Scholarship or PEP

Families with a Unique Abilities Scholarship (FES-UA) or a Personalized Education Program (PEP) account can often pay me directly through the Education Market Assistant (EMA). You choose me in EMA, reserve funds, and Step Up pays me after each session, so there is no money out of pocket with direct pay.

Part-time tutoring is capped at 720 hours a year for grades K-3 and 900 hours a year for grades 4-12. A typical schedule of two sessions a week stays well under it. If you want to see how a schedule fits your award, try the tutoring budget planner.

In person near Lake Worth Beach, or online

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

Online sessions use the same structure, with shared letter tiles and a digital whiteboard. Online sessions start in 1st grade, and kindergartners meet in person. We decide together on the fit call.

See where I teach for the areas I serve in person.

What reading tutoring is, and what it is not

Reading tutoring is educational instruction. I teach skills, coach strategies, and share what is working with you, and with your child’s teachers if you want me to.

It is not therapy, diagnosis, or treatment of any kind. If your child might need an evaluation, or support beyond teaching, I will tell you honestly and point you to professionals who can help. If your child also works with a speech-language pathologist or another specialist, I am glad to coordinate with your permission.

If your child has a dyslexia diagnosis or signs of it, read more about dyslexia tutoring with structured literacy.