When your child starts having difficulty with their reading skills, you need to find a tutor that is the right fit for him/her. Having a basic working knowledge of how to teach reading isn't enough; you need to find a tutor that attends to the whole child – your child. There are two main factors to consider when finding out what makes a good reading tutor:
Reading Tutor Qualifications
Finding a tutor who can read is easy. Finding one who is qualified to teach reading is a different story.
When you're looking for a reading tutor, you need to find one who has the educational background to teach. This includes:
- At a minimum, a degree in education with extensive coursework in reading
- Experience teaching and tutoring others in reading
- Experience working with students in a similar age group as your son/daughter
If your tutor is lacking in any of these areas, you will probably want to continue your search.
Adaptability
If there is one thing parents (and tutors) learn early on, it's that every child is different. This is true of the way each child learns to read as well. Children come from diverse backgrounds and have their own unique experiences with reading. A good tutor will work with a child's individual differences and tailor their style to work with that student. This is where a tutor can succeed where a teacher may not.
Tutors can work with your child's interests and strengths to build confidence and encourage skill-building. By adapting their teaching style to work with what motivates your child, a tutor can help them learn in a way that excites and encourages them. And that will lead to better results. This is why a tutor's adaptability is essential to your child's success.
Once you find a tutor who has the experience, education, and skills that your child needs, try them out for a session to make sure the tutor is as good in person as they look on paper. It's a great way to ensure that your child is getting the most out of their reading education.
All of Think Tutoring’s reading tutors are state certified (minimum K-6) and have years of classroom and tutoring experience. Our tutors draw on hundreds of lessons and learning activities to give your child exactly what he/she needs. For more information, call us at 973-593-0050.