Summer Tutoring for Students with Dyslexia: How to Prevent Learning Loss
With the school year winding down, most children are looking forward to the excitement of summer. Days will be long and fun-filled outdoor activities are on the horizon. Yet without continued learning over the summer, many students, especially those with dyslexia, can face significant learning loss. With the right summer tutoring though, your child can still have fun while avoiding the dreaded summer slide.
What is summer learning loss and why is it more critical for students with dyslexia?
During the summer, many students experience academic learning loss, also known as the summer slide. This slide typically happens because students do very little (if any) academic work over the summer. In fact, research tells us at over 50% of students in the United States lose an average of 39% of gains from the school year over the summer.
For students with dyslexia, summer learning loss is often even greater because:
- They typically need consistent instruction year-round
- They need regular repetition of concepts taught in order to retain them
- Gaps in reading and writing skills can widen quickly without consistent reinforcement
- Even a short break over the summer from consistent learning can lead to learning loss for students with dyslexia and can make the start of the new school year much more challenging for them.
Why is summer such an important time for dyslexia tutoring?
Some parents may feel that their child needs a break from academic work during the summer, but consistent learning is critical for students with dyslexia. They can still have fun during this time while continuing to build their academic skills. Additionally, during the school year, it can be challenging to find time to build foundational skills and fill in learning gaps, but summer is an ideal time for that work, when there are usually fewer homework and school constraints.
When students with dyslexia receive tutoring over the summer, they tend to start the new school year feeling more self-confident and prepared, instead of feeling nervous and behind their peers academically.
What does effective summer dyslexia tutoring look like?
Tutoring for students with dyslexia should follow evidence-based, multi-sensory techniques that are catered to the needs of each student. Most students with dyslexia don’t respond as well to traditional, non-specialized tutoring or homework help. The type of methodologies used in the tutoring sessions and the expertise of the instructor are key elements to successful dyslexia tutoring.
Read our guide on how to find the best dyslexia tutor in NYC for your child at How to Find the Best Tutor for Your Child in NYC – EBL Coaching
Structured, multi-sensory summer tutoring
Students with dyslexia respond best to structured, evidence-based tutoring methods such as the Orton Gillingham approach. This type of instruction breaks down reading into clear, sequential steps. It also integrates the visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic modalities to help engage students in their learning and retain the information taught.
Learn how Orton Gillingham tutoring helps students with dyslexia at What Is Orton-Gillingham Tutoring? Multi-Sensory, Structured Help | EBL Coaching
Consistent tutoring sessions
Tutoring sessions that are occasional and inconsistent are not ideal for students with dyslexia. They need regular, consistent tutoring on a fixed schedule to make the most progress. Students with dyslexia often need multiple sessions per week, especially during the summer when there are fewer constraints of school and foundational skills building can be addressed.
Individualized one-on-one tutoring
Each student with dyslexia has an individual learning profile with unique needs. One-on-one tutoring that begins with an initial assessment and focuses on the specific areas that the student needs the most help with is most optimal for students with dyslexia.
Foundational skills building
During the school year, many students struggle to keep up with their schoolwork. However, because in the summer there are usually fewer school and scheduling limitations, and the tutoring can focus on filling in any learning gaps and building foundational reading and writing skills. Dyslexia tutoring sessions can focus on skills such as phonemic awareness, decoding, spelling, reading fluency, and writing expression. Building strong reading and writing foundations can help improve your child’s overall academic performance.
How much summer tutoring does a child with dyslexia need?
The frequency of tutoring sessions for students with dyslexia varies based on their individual needs. While some students may only need 1-2 sessions per week, students with more profound learning challenges often need multiple sessions per week to effectively build their reading and writing skills.
What are signs your child with dyslexia may benefit from summer tutoring?
You may want to explore summer tutoring for your child with dyslexia if they:
- Struggle with decoding words and reading fluently
- Have trouble spelling words accurately
- Show frustration around reading and writing
- Received poor grades during the school year
- Have an IEP or 504 plan
- Has low self-confidence related to their skills
Keep summer tutoring positive!
Some parents may feel like they are “punishing” their child with summer tutoring. Yet the opposite should be the case – with the right tutor, methodologies, and engaging approach, your child will see how much summer tutoring can help them. By providing your child with one-on-one tutoring, you are giving them tools and strategies to help them feel good about themselves and improve their academic performance. Just like soccer or baseball players receive coaching to improve their athletic performance, tutoring is like having a learning coach to help your child excel.
How can I find a summer dyslexia tutor near me?
Finding the right summer tutor for your child with dyslexia is important. Try to find someone who utilizes the Orton Gillingham approach (which is ideal for students with dyslexia) and who connects well with your child. When searching for a tutor, use specific search terms when looking online. Instead of searching just “tutor,” try searching:
- “Dyslexia tutoring near me”
- “Orton Gillingham tutoring near me”
- “Dyslexia summer tutor near me”
- “Special education tutoring near me”
- “Multi-sensory summer tutoring near me”
- “Summer tutoring for students with IEPs near me”
Discover what to look for in a one-on-one summer tutor near you at One-on-One Summer Tutoring Near Me: What to Look For
Closing thoughts
Summer should be a time filled with enjoyment and fun activities, but it should not be a time when learning is ignored. Students with dyslexia need continued learning over the summer to help reinforce concepts taught, continue building their academic skills, and avoid the summer slide.
Regular one-on-one structured tutoring during the summer can help students with dyslexia improve their self-confidence and start the new school year strong.
Are you looking for a summer dyslexia tutor for your child?
EBL Coaching can help! We specialize in providing one-on-one tutoring to students in grades prek-12 with specialized learning needs, including dyslexia. We use research-based, multi-sensory techniques to help students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, specific learning disabilities, and other academic skills challenges develop their reading, spelling, writing, math, and executive functioning skills.
Sessions can take place at our learning centers, located at 17 East 89th Street, Suite 1D, New York, NY and 50 East Palisade Avenue, Suite 201, Englewood, NJ 07631. We also provide virtual tutoring and in-person tutoring at your home.
Frequently Asked Questions about Summer Dyslexia Tutoring
Is summer tutoring necessary for all students with dyslexia?
While summer tutoring isn’t absolutely necessary, many students with dyslexia face significant learning loss without continuing learning over the summer. Instead of experiencing the summer slide, help your child continue developing their academic skills, reinforce content taught, and start the new school year on a positive note.
Can even just a few weeks of tutoring really help my child with dyslexia?
While longer stretches of tutoring time of the summer are ideal, even just a few weeks can help. The key is consistency and targeted instruction. If your child is only available for tutoring for a few weeks in the summer, you may want to consider a more intensive summer tutoring program for them.
What type of tutoring is best for dyslexia?
The ideal type of tutoring for dyslexia is systematic and multi-sensory, ideally using the Orton Gillingham approach. This technique is research-based, structured, and individualized to the needs of each student.
Should dyslexia tutoring be in-person or virtual?
Students with dyslexia can respond well to either in-person or virtual tutoring. Virtual tutoring typically offers more flexible scheduling and access to tutors who may not live in your local geographic area, while in-person tutoring offers face-to-face connections. Both modalities can be effective if the instruction is systematic, targeted, and engaging.
Learn more about virtual tutoring at Can Virtual Tutoring Help My Child? – EBL Coaching
Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students with specialized learning needs build their academic skills over the past twenty years. She is the author of the Strategies do Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert.