Reading and writing sit underneath every other subject. A child who reads slowly falls behind in science and history as well, because the textbook is the obstacle before the content is.
A tutor can listen to your child read, see exactly where it breaks down, and practice that one skill. For older students, a tutor reads the draft with them and shows how to turn a pile of ideas into an argument.
What English tutors cover
Elementary schoolKindergarten to grade 5
- Letter sounds and phonics
- Reading aloud with fluency
- Understanding and retelling a story
- Spelling and vocabulary
- Writing sentences and short paragraphs
Middle schoolGrade 6 to grade 8
- Reading longer texts and finding the main idea
- Grammar and punctuation
- Building a paragraph around one point
- Narrative, informative and persuasive writing
- Vocabulary from context
High schoolGrade 9 to grade 12
- Analysing novels, plays and poetry
- Thesis statements and essay structure
- Using and citing evidence
- Research papers
- Revising and editing a draft
Each tutor lists the exact grades and courses they teach on their profile.
When a English tutor helps
- Your child avoids reading aloud, or guesses at words from the first letter
- They can read the page but cannot say what it was about
- Writing assignments are put off until the night before
- Essays come back marked “needs development” with no clear next step
- A strong reader wants harder books and someone to talk about them with
What a lesson looks like
A younger child might spend a lesson reading aloud and practicing the sounds that cause trouble. An older student usually brings an assignment: the tutor asks what the piece is trying to say and helps them reorganise it. The writing stays the student’s own; a tutor teaches the skill and does not write the essay.
Every tutor will be an American Board certified teacher whose profile our team has reviewed. Lessons are booked and paid for one at a time, and if you cancel 24 hours or more before a lesson you get all of your money back.
Questions about English tutoring
Will a tutor write or edit my child’s essay for them?
No. A tutor explains what is not working in a draft and shows how to fix it, and the student does the rewriting. Work a student hands in should be their own.
Can a tutor help a child who is learning to read?
Yes. Choose a tutor who lists the early grades, and tell them what your child’s teacher has said about their reading so far.
Is this the same as English as a second language?
Not exactly. English tutoring here follows the school subject: reading, writing and literature. If your child is also learning English as a new language, say so in a message so the tutor can tell you whether they are a good fit.
