While you can do quite a bit to help your children become better readers, most parents do not have the expertise, skills, or resources to be your own child’s reading tutor. So in cases where a child is truly struggling with learning to read, consider getting a good reading tutor to help out. It can make a world of difference in your child’s school experience. Avoiding frustration early on, will help avoid years of potential frustration and struggle. Finding the right tutor can be a challenge. You can start by asking at your child’s school if they recommend any tutors or commercial learning centers. Also, ask other parents if they have experience with any tutors.
What to ask the tutor:
If it is a commercial tutoring program, check the credentials of the tutors they employ and how they will work with your child.
Will the same tutor be working with your child each time?
Is the entire session one-on-one with the tutor?
Is software used during the session?
Do you need to purchase materials that the center offers?
A tutor should be a certified teacher with experience or at least a graduate student working towards a related degree. Ask about the tutor’s teaching methods and curriculum and check online whether these are recommended by experts. If your child has any special circumstances or needs, discuss this with the tuor and try to discern if they are capable of handling your child’s needs.
To save on the expense of hiring a tutor, it is worthwhile asking about purchasing a package of sessions and/or considering the option of sharing sessions with another student. You should also ask the tutor or center to evaluate how much time they expect your child needs to improve his/her reading skills. Some children catch up to their peers within weeks. Others may take months. An experienced tutor should be abloe to provide a good estimate after the first few sessions.
If your child has dyslexia, ADD or any other learning disability, check that the tutor you hire has been specially trained to work with learning disabled students. Some of the characteristics of a good tutor include:Trained in established instructional approaches.
Lots of experience tutoring children in reading, particularly LD students if your child has been diagnosed with a learning disability.
Good at working with children — if your child wants to go back, this is the best indication.
How tutoring a student with a learning disability differs
Kids with learning disability learn the same skill set as their peers. However, the language structure is taught more explicitly, they require more guided feedback, and multisensory techniques are used to help reinforce what they are learning through simultaneous use of learning pathways.
There are many “brands” of reading programs out there that some reading tutors may use. You may not know if a particular method is right for your child until you try it. Popular methods include Orton-Gillingham, Wilson Language Training® and Lindamood-Bell® Also, a tutor may use or suggest buying a phonics software program for supplementary work, such as Hooked on Phonics Essentials 
, ClickN’Read Phonics or Frontline Phonics 
.
Parents who have not had their child tested and don’t have a formal confirmation of a reading disability, may hesitate to hire a specially trained tutor. But keep in mind that it can’t hurt to hire someone who is specially trained, even if your child is not reading disabled. If he will make quick progress, he won’t need the tutor for long. And if he does have a reading disability, hiring the right teacher from the start will be a far better decision than having to change.
Lastly, consider that some tutors may be willing to schedule a one-hour free consultation. This can be the best opportunity to learn more and to find the right tutor for your child.
