Missing two or three topics, in math especially, creates a chain of gaps that quietly builds into a significant lag. Kids rarely confess they need help. Fortunately, there are subtle “litmus tests” or signs that your kid needs tutoring that show up long before the report card does. Here are seven worth paying attention to.

Sign 1: Grades Are Slipping Despite Real Effort

Sometimes you can clearly see that your child is really trying to learn, but the test grades or the report card show the opposite — that’s a sign of hidden barriers to learning. The reason may be a temporary struggle or a real skill gap. How to recognize it?

Temporary Struggle

• Triggered by a specific event: illness, family stress, etc.

• Bounces back within 1-2 weeks.

• Child performs well once they’re fee-ling better.

• Errors are different each time.

• Mood improves after a break or extra support.

Real Skill Gap

• Persists for weeks regardless of how much effort the child puts in.

• The same type of mistake keeps re-peating.

• Child struggles even when genuinely trying.

• Homework takes longer than it should.

• Avoiding certain subjects.

If the second column feels closer to home, don’t ignore it. Here is what Dr. Emily Levy, expert Learning Specialist, Founder and Director of EBL Coaching, says about the lack of knowledge:

“The child struggles to learn new concepts because they have gaps in their foundational skills.”

There are signs that may indicate that the child has a real skills gap. The child struggles to learn new concepts because they have gaps in their foundational skills. For example, if a child never mastered addition facts, they will likely have difficulty solving double-digit, multi-step addition problems.

Sign 2: Homework Takes Much Longer Than It Should

According to homework researcher Harris Cooper from Duke University, the “10-minute rule” is the guideline for how much time kids should spend on their homework: 10 minutes of homework per grade level, per night. That is, if a child is in the 5th grade, this is 50 minutes per day, for the 2nd grader, it is only 20 minutes.

Becky Ward, Education Experience Specialist at Tutor Doctor, emphasizes that how your child works is as important as what they know:

“Effort without progress is the signal to look closer.”

A temporary struggle usually has an obvious cause and a quick recovery. A real skill gap looks different. It persists across weeks, it shows up even when your child is trying. The biggest tell is in subjects like math that build on themselves, where today’s lesson depends on last month’s foundation. If ‘I just don’t get it’ is replacing specific confusion, or your child is spending far longer on homework with little to show, that’s usually a gap, not a bad week.

More often than not, these are the first signs a child needs a reading tutor or math tutor.

Sign 3: The Same Gaps Keep Showing Up

The other marker is the fact that the same mistakes come up again and again. On the one hand, the kid is studying; on the other hand, they keep getting the same things wrong on tests and exams.

These repeated “holes” usually point to a gap in the foundation. The child simply has nothing to build a new topic on. If addition didn’t stick, subtraction and multiplication will fall apart. If sounding out syllables is hard, reading difficulties can snowball, and then understanding a textbook paragraph becomes a whole other difficulty. That’s why it’s worth figuring out which topics are weak and fixing them.

Sign 4: Your Child Suddenly Doesn’t Like School

Have you ever heard something like “I don’t want to go to school, it’s boring”, “I’m not doing my homework”, “I don’t care about lessons”? That “boredom” often implies gaps in knowledge. The child sees that things aren’t working out and makes the most logical move: avoids whatever makes them uncomfortable.

When a child is consistently lost in class, every single day becomes a bit stressful. It’s easier to say that school is bad than to admit that they haven’t understood the last few topics, and asking feels embarrassing. So treat a sudden dislike of school as a signal to ask yourself: does my child need extra help with school?

Note: If your child doesn’t want to go to school, first make sure it’s not because of conflicts with classmates or teachers!

Sign 5: Frustration or Tears During Homework

Frequent homework tears or anger are a clear signal that the material exceeds your child’s current skill level. Surely, it’s completely normal when something doesn’t click the first time, but if you stepped in (e.g., caught up on the topics together, took a break, gave them a little push) and it has worked out, it’s a perfect sign.

But if homework sessions regularly end in tears or anger, that’s a red flag. For many children, especially neurodivergent learners (those with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia), emotions are not just a reaction. This is a signal that the load is too high, and the material hasn’t caught up with their skills yet.

In that case, broader academic support is needed. It’s worth learning more about ADHD and reading challenges, as well as the ADHD and math relation, and looking into the best reading programs for dyslexia support. On our end, Brighterly’s dyslexia tutors work with kids who struggle with focus, making sure lessons are genuinely engaging, informative, and above all, at the kids’ own pace.

Sign 6: Low Confidence in One Subject Specifically

Pay attention to whether your child says something like “I’m bad at math”, “I hate reading”, etc. Listen for that shift as Claire Smizer, Brighterly Educational Advisor, says:

“A child who’s started narrating themselves as someone who can’t is in a different kind of trouble than one who’s behind a unit or two.”

Confidence and competence move together — when one slips, the other follows. And the worst thing a well-meaning adult can do here is agree: ‘I wasn’t good at math either.’ That hands the kid permission to quit.

What’s even more important is that the feeling that something is beyond their abilities can actually shape low self-esteem, both within school walls and throughout life. And that will affect how a pupil performs in other subjects as well. So if your child is struggling with one subject, stay careful, maybe that’s exactly why your child needs extra help in school.

Sign 7: You Keep Thinking “They’ll Catch Up on Their Own”

No, most likely your child won’t catch up on their own. Especially if the learning gaps happened in foundational knowledge, particularly in math and reading. These subjects get harder practically every week and are built on what kids have already learned. To avoid a snowball effect, the wiser move, and honestly, the cheaper one is extra support.

Spotted the first warning signs? That’s exactly when to get a tutor for your child.

What to Do When You Spot These Signs

Talk to the Teacher First

Your child’s teacher is your ally. It’s worth sitting down with them and asking what they’ve noticed that’s working, where the struggles are, which subject has taken a hit, and how your child feels during lessons. Are they engaged or checked out? Teachers notice patterns parents don’t always see at home. This conversation alone can help you figure out what to do next.

Don’t Wait for the Next Report Card

It’s tempting to hope that the next semester will just go better on its own. But it’s still smarter to act now and actually see the results in the next report card. Otherwise, there’s a real risk that school performance will only keep sliding.

What to Look for in a Tutor

One solid solution is to find a professional tutor who knows each pitfall of the school curriculum. If you already have someone in mind, great. If not, our reading tutoring and math tutoring are here.

A few things that make Brighterly work:

• Our one-on-one tutoring puts all the attention exactly where it should be — on your child.
• Math and reading require a sharper eye than most subjects, and that’s exactly where we focus.
• We know the methods, and we’ll find the right fit for your child from K-12 grades.

Conclusion: How Do I Know if My Child Needs a Tutor?

The warning signs from this article don’t appear for no reason. If you’ve noticed something from this list, then keep your finger on the pulse. And when it’s no longer just one or two bells ringing, the best thing you can do is accept the situation and fix it as quickly as possible for your child’s peace of mind and confidence.

If “does my child need a tutor” keeps coming back to you, Brighterly is at your service. You’re welcome to book a free lesson and get to know us.

Frequently Asked Questions  

Does Tutoring Help Kids with Dyslexia or Reading Difficulties?
Absolutely! Individual tutoring is one of the major ways to help kids with dyslexia specifically. It works because a dyslexia reading tutor works with the child at their own pace, ensuring the child gradually masters phonics, decoding, and fluency without pressure or comparisons to others. However, it’s important for the teacher to be qualified and understand the specifics of dyslexia and reading challenges.

What Are the Signs My Middle Schooler Needs a Tutor?
In the case of middle school, the most revealing signal is low grades, especially when they drop suddenly in one specific subject. Add to that a child who refuses to do homework, avoids a particular class, or starts comparing themselves to classmates (“everyone gets it but me”), and that’s a clear sign it’s time to look closer.

Does My Elementary Child Need a Math Tutor?
Here it’s necessary to check whether your explanations help and your child isn’t falling behind at school curriculum. If you notice that new topics are weighing on them, it’s better not to wait for better and react quickly. Elementary school is exactly where the foundation is built, the one that every new arithmetic rule gets layered onto later.

At What Grade Level Should You Start Thinking About a Tutor?
There’s no particular rule about what grade you can start hiring a tutor for; teachers work with kids from K through 12. What matters more is tuning into how your child is feeling: are they managing school tasks on their own, or is it already getting hard without extra help?

Can Online Tutoring Work as Well as In-Person for Kids Who Are Struggling?
Whatever the format, the key thing is to check whether teaching is of high quality and the teacher is seasoned. The in-person format has many advantages. However, online lessons can keep a child engaged through animated exercises and a more dynamic pace. On top of that, it’s more convenient, especially for families who don’t have the time or ability to drop off and pick up their child. Bonus is the schedule, which is flexible too.

The post 7 Signs Your Child Needs a Tutor: How to Know When to Get Help appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Summer learning loss is a decline in kids’ academic skills and knowledge that happens during summer break due to children going without regular learning practice. You can help your kid avoid this decline by using expert-backed strategies, ranging from simple daily reading and use of worksheets to taking trips and joining summer camps.

How Much Time per Day Does It Take to Prevent Summer Learning Loss?

The average minimum time that is enough to prevent summer slide or learning loss is 20 minutes of structured learning practice per day, at least 5 days a week. However, this doesn’t apply to kids in grades K-2, when learning should be based on conversations and explanations rather than on independent practice.

Backing up the minimum study time data, Dr. Emily Levy, a Founder and Director of EBL Coaching at EBL Coaching says:

“During the summer, students should do academic work for at least 20 minutes per day, ideally every day, but at a minimum, 5 days per week.”

This work should include a combination of reading, writing, and math skills.

And while agreeing with the 20 minutes minimum per day learning duration, Claire Smizer, Brighterly Educational Advisor, adds about how it’s different for younger kids, using reading practice as an example:

“The ’20 minutes of independent reading’ advice applies to older kids who already decode.”

For the youngest learners, the work is conversation and exposure. Read everything. Read it out loud. Talk about what it means.

Essentially, devoting roughly 20 minutes a day to learning can be enough to help your kid avoid forgetting roughly 17-34% of school material in summer, which is the estimated learning loss percentage for kids in grades 1-8, according to the most recent NWEA MAP Growth report covering this issue for July 2020.

How to Prevent Summer Learning Loss: 10 Strategies at a Glance

1. Work With a Tutor Over the Summer

Best for: Students who struggled during the school year or did great and want to retain their knowledge and learn more.

One of the solutions for preventing summer learning loss is hiring an online or offline tutor — a skilled professional in a particular subject. A tutor provides the structure and accountability that the kids usually lack in summer due to not attending scheduled classes and having no homework.

Speaking on the importance of structure for a child’s brain, Claire Smizer, Brighterly Educational Advisor, also advises adding something predictable to a child’s summer routine:

“A summer that’s pure unstructured time can feel like a vacation in June and a regression by August.”

The fix isn’t a rigid 9-to-5 academic schedule. It’s a loose rhythm: a predictable morning, some quiet time for reading or a project, time outside, time for play, maybe one ‘thinking’ activity a day.

Apart from someone who provides structure, a professional tutor is also someone who is inherently interested in your child’s progress. To ensure this progress, private educators usually create highly personalized and focused study programs. If needed, they may also incorporate games, quests, and challenges to make learning more fun. That’s the answer to all those who fear turning their kids’ holidays into a constant academic marathon.

For example, our summer learning loss tutors at Brighterly build a learning process in a game-like way to make it fun for the students. We have an online math program and an online reading program for kids in grades K-12, where our professionals teach your kid in a one-on-one format.

Both math and reading programs align with the U.S standards, but our tutors tailor the curriculum according to your kid’s learning style, level of knowledge, and summer learning goals.

2. Use Worksheets and Practice Tests

Best for: Learners who like quick, structured tasks.

By regularly completing worksheets that take around 20 minutes on average, children reinforce what they already know and stay mentally engaged, which helps them effectively avoid summer learning loss.

Spending the same 20 minutes on practice tests can help a child perform a quick knowledge check and assess their current performance easily. When they see incorrect answers, they know what topic or concept they need to pay extra attention to.

If you think just 20 minutes may not be enough, Kaitlynn Blyth, Founder & CEO of Happy Day Play, Inc., says “Twenty minutes a day is plenty”, clarifying that consistency is what really matters in learning:

“The mistake a lot of parents make is assuming more equals better, when consistency is what actually holds learning in place across the summer.”

A child who reads ten minutes every single day retains more than one who crams a workbook in August.

Free Brighterly Worksheets to Try This Summer

We have both tests and worksheets on our website that you can access for free. The theoretical section has a lot of materials and can be great for summer knowledge revisions, while knowledge-checking tests help assess how well a child remembers specific materials. And our math worksheets have plenty of math tasks that you can do online or print for extra practice and convenience.

3. Join a Summer Camp

Best for: Kids who like a social element in learning.

Summer camps introduce a strong social element to learning. They promote teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, while letting kids have fun through gamified experiences. In summer camps, your child can not only learn and grow academically, but also find new friends.

Apart from socialization and fun experiences, summer camps with special summer programs can provide another important thing — a daily learning routine. And consistency in learning is one of the most reliable factors against summer brain drain.

With camps, you don’t have to worry about inconsistency — the camps have programs and schedules that kids follow. For example, our summer math camp and summer reading camp run online, which means a child can have scheduled lessons and consistent study time even without disrupting your family’s summer plans.

In addition, AERA July 2022 research data proves that summer camps effectively help students maintain their past knowledge and make academic progress. In some regards, camps are even better than traditional classrooms, as they blend learning with fun activities, keeping kids mentally active without the pressure of scores.

4. Get Creative with Learning Activities

Best for: Kids who don’t like traditional, formal learning experiences but enjoy learning with a creative element.

Effective learning can happen even when kids are having fun and are not aware they are learning at all. To help your child enjoy learning, you can take creative, fun activities your kid already loves and build learning around the academic skills hiding inside these activities.

Creative Activities That Keep Kids Learning

Examples of activities you can offer your kid to make their learning engaging and fun include storytelling (for working on writing and reading skills), arts and crafts (for working on motor skills), science experiments (for refreshing science-related knowledge), and educational games (for refreshing knowledge across different subjects).

• Storytelling is what helps kids fall in love with writing and reading, while also enhancing vocabulary memorization and creative thinking.
• Arts and crafts activities help kids develop fine motor skills, while also letting children express themselves and relieve stress.
• Science experiments can help kids refresh science-related past knowledge and build new ones on it.
• Educational games for refreshing knowledge can be built around different subjects and are always conducted in groups, which makes them ideal options for quality family activities or friend time.

Just like camps, creative activities help kids perceive learning as an enjoyable process, while also helping them build confidence, develop curiosity and independence.

5. Take Educational Trips

Best for: Curious, hands-on learners who prefer real-life-based learning to traditional classrooms.

Museums, science centers, historical landmarks, or nature parks are all great knowledge reserves where you can take your kid for an educational trip to help them grasp new facts, ideas, and perspectives. Additionally, visiting such places is practical for improving memory retention — when kids actually see and feel what they have to learn, they understand and remember it much more easily.

This method of summer learning loss prevention is also a great way of spending quality family time. For example, Helen Neale, Therapeutic Counsellor and Parenting and Neurodivergence Expert at KiddyCharts, shares how such educational trips can help with both studying and family bonding:

“Educational trips are definitely the way to go – and they can be totally free.”

Just get the kids out enjoying the sunshine. My Dad taught me about wildlife on our photography walks – I now know a shed load of names for all the common butterflies out there in the UK.

To see how important educational trips are, you can look at the COVID-19 times. It was a period of limited trips and interactions, and also the time when school education struggled significantly. That’s when a new condition, known as pandemic learning loss, emerged. Limited social contact, no new impressions, and a lack of real-world interactions — all these factors combined to cause children to forget their past academic gains.

6. Set Clear Learning Goals for the Summer

Best for: Kids who do better at learning when they have clear goals they’re trying to reach.

Set clear study plans and goals for your child to follow so that the summer months don’t just pass by with the best intentions but no real progress. Make sure that these plans and goals are very specific, not something vague like “get better at math” or “improve reading”. For example, if you want your child to stop summer learning loss through reading, make sure to discuss and agree with them on an exact number of books they’ll need to read during the school break. You can break the task even further and turn it into a fun competition. For example, you can establish prizes for each book or chapter read to keep your child more motivated to move on.

If your kid doesn’t like reading, try to make this habit more attractive and even inevitable to follow. Create an encouraging environment to make reading a cool and consistent habit. Also, think of the perfect moment in your summer schedule to open a book together.

That’s the key recommendation on this point from Neeru Khosla, the Creator of CK-12 educational platform:

“Make reading enjoyable and accessible.”

Let children self-select text, create cozy reading spaces, and make books available. Have them set a reading goal or get involved in a local reading “competition” from libraries. Also, there are lots of summer camps focused on practicing reading along with writing, math, and creativity skills.

After setting the goal and planning everything, remember to support your kid even if they struggle while trying to reach this goal. The process matters even more than the end result. That’s what Daniela McElhaney, Head of Ivybrook Academy, also believes in:

“It also helps to pay attention to the process rather than the outcome.”

Instead of commenting on whether an answer is right or wrong, notice the thinking, effort, and persistence behind it.

7. Use Educational Technology

Best for: Kids who love technology.

To prevent a tech-loving kid from summer loss of learning, you can ask them to practice with interactive apps, online platforms, coding games, or virtual field trips. The best thing about all these tools is that they easily adjust to the kid’s current level and offer personalized practice.

You can also implement all those tech tools from an early age, when your kid starts using gadgets. Plus, all these tools can foster digital literacy, creativity, independent learning habits, and allow your child to learn anytime, anywhere, whether on vacation or in a car.

However, don’t forget to manage screen time carefully so that the technology supplements the outdoor play, reading, and other summer activities rather than replaces them. Also, make sure technology is used for learning, not just to fill the time.

To make sure your kid has a structured experience with tech-based learning, you can try looking for a special educational online platform that offers a scheduled program with short 15-30 minute sessions, so you can control how much your child spends there.

8. Turn Hobbies into Learning Opportunities

Best for: Kids who are motivated by what they’re passionate about.

According to the article published in the Reading and Writing journal in March 2020, writing is one of the subjects suffering the most during the summer holiday period. The authors also highlight that seeking activities that are creative and appealing to a child, such as journaling, storytelling, or blogging, is most effective in overcoming the struggle.

The same approach applies to any other subject. For example, cooking, specific board games, and LEGO challenges can all be used to learn something.

• Cooking teaches measurement skills, fractions, and the following multi-step instructions in a specific sequence.
• Building with LEGO teaches spatial reasoning and basic engineering thinking.
• Playing chess develops strategic planning and pattern recognition.

The key is noticing what your child loves to do and using this activity to teach them something new or reinforce knowledge they already have. Plus, including favorite activities in learning shows the child how book knowledge applies to real life.

9. Volunteer as a Family

Best for: Low-income students and kids from socially active families who value their social impact.

Volunteering may seem like an unusual strategy for stopping summer learning loss, partly since the learning feels invisible. However, when kids help at a food bank, animal shelter, community garden, or a local library, they practise authentic reading and math skills when reading safety instructions, measuring ingredients or quantities, writing notes, tracking numbers, etc. So, even though volunteering is not a formal or traditional form of learning, it can still help reinforce the academic skills built during the school year.

Additionally, volunteering can help kids develop a sense of community. Just like summer camp, it implies communication and cooperation, offering a chance to make new friends. But two things are different between the two activity types — volunteering is completely free of charge and offers a feeling of being a valuable member of society.

You can start from your local library — many run volunteer programmes for children and teens over the summer, often linked to their free summer programs. As for food banks, animal shelters, and community gardens, they usually welcome family teams for shorter, single-day shifts, which can involve your whole family, rather than being a solo activity for the child.

10. Read Every Day

Best for: Kids who love reading.

If your goal is to target summer reading loss specifically, reading every day is the best strategy. However, reading not only improves reading skills and reading comprehension, but also helps build vocabulary and develop critical thinking — skills paramount for steady progress in practically any knowledge field, from math to the arts. Once kids develop a strong reading habit, they can explore specific topics they like, at their own pace and without external motivation.

Even if your kid can’t read on their own, you can incorporate this activity into your daily routine. Dr. Emily Levy, Founder and Director of EBL Coaching at EBL Coaching shares how:

“For reading, they should either read independently or, if they are unable to read, have a parent or another adult read to them and ask them questions about the story, plot, and characters.”

For writing, kids can write in a journal about their daily activities or do everyday writing tasks, like writing out a grocery list or a list of activities they want to do on vacation.

Also remember that all reading counts. Graphic novels, digital texts, magazines, audiobooks, well-written game narratives, and even life-related things like simple manuals or recipes all add to the child’s reading volume.

For example, Kaitlynn Blyth, Founder & CEO of Happy Day Play, Inc., advises reading whatever your child is curious about in their surrounding:

“I tell families to start with and protect a few small habits.”

>Read together every day, talk through one real-world problem (like splitting a recipe during dinner time or reading the map at an amusement park), and let your child lead something they’re curious about.

Another option to encourage consistent reading is to get your kid into one of the summer reading programs, most of which offer rewards.

Conclusion

Preventing summer learning loss doesn’t have to mean turning the school break into a continuation of the school year. The right strategy depends entirely on your child — with a hands-on learner, you can try educational trips and science experiments, while with a social kid, summer camps and family volunteering can be good options.

For tech-savvy kids, you can offer educational apps and interactive platforms, while if your child is a passionate reader, encourage this practice and join them. And for kids who need more guided learning support, struggled during the school year, or want to stay ahead, working with a tutor can be an option.

Whatever strategy you choose, remember that consistency beats intensity. Just around 20 minutes a day the whole summer is enough to avoid losing the knowledge received during the school year and even learn something new.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Different Types of Summer Learning Loss?

Summer learning loss can be divided into three main types: math skill loss (forgetting math facts, multiplication tables, etc), reading skill loss (reduced reading speed, comprehension, and vocabulary), and motivational loss (losing the learning habits built during the school year).

According to NWEA April 2026 data, math and reading skills are the ones kids lose the most in the summer.

Can Summer Learning Loss Be Fully Recovered Once School Starts?

Yes, most students can recover learning skills they’ve lost during the summer within the first few months of the new school year. However, it all depends on how much knowledge the child has lost and how much the child is invested in regaining this knowledge. Essentially, the earlier families notice and address summer learning loss, the bigger chance of recovery the child has.

Does Summer Learning Loss Get Worse as Kids Get Older?

There is no clear data proving that summer learning loss gets worse as the kids get older. For example, NWEA April 2026 data show that summer slide usually happens in grades 3–8 on average, but point out there are other factors (like income and race) that influence learning loss in different students.

Do Summer Homework Packets Actually Help?

Summer homework packets can help with summer learning loss, but it all depends on whether a child actually completes the packets throughout the course of summer, whether the packet’s content matches the child’s current knowledge level, and whether the parent is involved to guide a kid if necessary.

The post Prevent Summer Learning Loss: Simple Strategies to Keep Kids Learning appeared first on EBL Coaching.

What Is Reading Comprehension?

Reading comprehension is the ability to read for understanding. Many families searching for reading tutoring in NYC may not realize that their child can have reading comprehension difficulties even when they read words accurately.

Strong reading comprehension skills enable children to identify key information, understand vocabulary, draw conclusions, determine the main idea of a passage, and answer questions about what they read. Reading comprehension involves a variety of skills working together, including:

• Decoding words accurately
• Reading with appropriate fluency
• Understanding vocabulary words
• Making inferences
• Grasping key details
• Synthesizing the main idea
• Applying information learned from text

A child with reading comprehension difficulties may struggle with one or several of these skills, which can make it hard for them to effectively grasp the material they are reading. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), many students struggle to read proficiently on grade level.

If your child struggles with reading comprehension, you might want to consider finding the right reading specialist in Manhattan to help build this skill. Learn more at What to Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC- EBL Coaching.

Signs of Reading Comprehension Challenges

There are several signs that may suggest your child struggles with reading comprehension:

1. Your Child Can Read Words but Struggles to Explain What They Read

One of the most common reasons parents seek a reading specialist in NYC is that their child can read words accurately but struggles to explain what they have read.

To test this skill, have your child read a passage out loud to you and then ask them the following questions:

• What was the passage about?
• Who were the main characters?
• Where did the story take place?
• What was the main idea?
• Why do you think a particular event occurred?

If your child struggles to answer these questions, it may indicate that they are exerting so much effort into decoding words that little mental energy is left to process the information they are reading.

2. Trouble Answering Questions About Reading Assignments

Students who struggle with reading comprehension often have challenges answering questions about reading assignments, including:

• Direct questions from the passage
• Inferential questions
• Cause-and-effect scenarios
• Questions about predictions
• Questions that involve drawing conclusions

You may notice that your child can read a passage accurately but struggles with written responses, creating summaries, or performing well on reading tests.

Families who contact EBL Coaching for reading comprehension tutoring in NYC often indicate that they noticed these signs before seeking professional tutoring.

3. Difficulty Following Multi-Step Directions

Reading comprehension skills can affect many aspects of life beyond school. Children who have reading comprehension difficulties may also have trouble following rules and understanding directions at home.

For example, you might find that your child:

• Forgets steps when doing chores around the house
• Misinterprets directions
• Needs directions told to them multiple times
• Completes assignments incorrectly

4. Poor Vocabulary

Vocabulary can play a large role in reading comprehension. If your child regularly comes across words they don’t know the meaning of, they may struggle to understand the material they are reading.

Signs of a weak vocabulary include:

• Regularly asking for the meaning of words
• Using words incorrectly
• Avoiding reading complex books
• Experiencing challenges with grade-appropriate reading material

5. Trouble Identifying the Main Idea

Many students who struggle with reading can identify concrete details from the passage but have trouble grasping the overall main idea.

Your child may recall small details but has trouble explaining:

• The message author is trying to relay
• The main theme
• The author’s purpose in writing the passage

Challenges with identifying the main idea often become increasingly noticeable as students move through upper elementary school, into middle school, and beyond.

6. Reading Avoidance

Many students avoid tasks that they find to be challenging. Students who struggle with reading comprehension may avoid reading. Your child may do the following:

• Complain about reading homework
• Select books below their grade level
• Become easily distracted when reading
• Avoid reading for pleasure

Reading avoidance could indicate that reading comprehension is a challenge for your child.

7. Trouble Making Inferences

Students who excel at reading are usually able to combine information from the passage they read with their own background knowledge to make inferences.

Students with reading comprehension challenges often struggle to:

• Draw conclusions from information they read
• Explain why events may have occurred
• Grasp implied meanings
• Predict future scenarios

These higher-level comprehension skills become increasingly important as students progress through school and can significantly impact other subject areas.

8. Weak Performance Across Multiple Subjects

Some parents may think that reading comprehension only affects language arts. However, it plays a role in nearly every subject at school.
Students with reading comprehension challenges may struggle with:

• Science
• Social studies
• Languages
• Math, including problem solving
• Elective classes

Since learning information often depends on grasping new concepts, reading comprehension weaknesses can affect a child’s overall performance at school. If your child continues to struggle with their reading comprehension skills, you may want to have them evaluated for a possible learning disability.

Students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning disabilities often experience reading comprehension challenges. Learn more at Signs Your Child May Be Neurodivergent: ADHD, Dyslexia, And Autism – EBL Coaching.

Children who are receiving reading intervention in NYC often face challenges across multiple academic subjects.

What Causes Reading Comprehension Problems?

Reading comprehension challenges can have many causes, including:

Decoding Challenges

Students with dyslexia or other language-based learning disabilities may exert a great deal of effort decoding words; as a result, their comprehension of the material suffers. Some children may not have a diagnosed learning disability but still struggle with sounding out words.

Students seeking dyslexia tutoring in NYC often face reading comprehension challenges because so much mental energy is spent on decoding words. The Orton Gillingham approach is highly effective in developing students’ decoding skills.

Language Processing Weaknesses

Some children struggle with language processing, including understanding and organizing language. These weaknesses can make it challenging for them to understand complex sentences and paragraphs.

Limited Vocabulary

Students with a limited vocabulary may have difficulty understanding passages that become increasingly complex with higher level vocabulary words.

Attention Difficulties

Children who have attention challenges, including those with ADHD, may struggle to stay focused when reading. As a result, they may miss key information and have trouble comprehending what they read.

Executive Functioning Challenges

Executive functioning skills include planning, working memory, task completion, organization, and other related skills. Weak executive functioning skills can make it challenging for students to retain and process information when reading. Executive functioning coaching can help students build these key skills which can, in turn, help develop their reading comprehension skills.

Effective reading tutoring in Manhattan should utilize research-based, multi-sensory strategies to build your child’s reading comprehension skills. Learn more at Supporting Students with Reading Comprehension Issues | EBL Coaching.

Many parents looking for executive functioning coaching in NYC find that improving these skills can also strengthen their child’s reading comprehension skills.

How Reading Comprehension Difficulties Affect Self-Esteem

Students who consistently struggle to comprehend what they read may start to question their abilities.

They may make comments like:

• “I’m terrible at reading.”
• “I’m not smart.”
• “I can’t understand what I’m reading about.”
• “My friends are better readers than me.”

With continued struggles, these beliefs can negatively affect your child’s self-confidence, motivation, and overall academic achievement. However, reading comprehension skills can improve dramatically with the right specialized tutoring.

How Specialized Reading Tutoring Can Help

Effective reading tutoring in NYC should utilize research-based, multi-sensory strategies that address each student’s specific reading challenges.

Based on your child’s needs, the tutoring may include:

• Strengthening reading fluency
• Teaching active reading strategies
• Working on summarizing information
• Teaching students to highlight the topic, main idea, and important details using multi-colored highlighters
• Strengthening inferencing skills
• Building a broader vocabulary
• Strengthening executive functioning skills

Weak executive functioning skills can make it challenging for students to retain and process information when reading. Learn more at What Are Executive Functioning Skills? A Simple Guide for Parents – EBL Coaching.

With individualized, evidence-based tutoring, students can make significant progress in both their reading comprehension skills and their self-esteem.

When Should You Seek Help for Your Child?

You may want to explore specialized reading tutoring for your child if you notice they:

• Consistently struggle to comprehend what they read
• Struggle to perform well on reading comprehension tests
• Avoid reading for pleasure
• Slip below grade-level expectations
• Show signs of poor self-esteem related to reading

Early intervention with the right specialized tutoring can help your child develop their reading skills and prevent small challenges from becoming greater academic weaknesses.

Students with dyslexia often struggle with decoding words and reading fluency. Learn more about effective reading support at International Dyslexia Association – …until everyone can read!.

Why Parents Seek Reading Comprehension Tutoring in NYC

Many parents look for reading comprehension tutoring in NYC after noticing that their child can decode words well but struggle to understand what they read, complete their homework, or perform well on reading comprehension exams. Working with a reading specialist in NYC can help your child develop their reading comprehension skills using a targeted instructional plan.

Why NYC Students Often Need Reading Comprehension Support

Parents in New York City often notice their children are struggling to keep up with their increasingly demanding schoolwork, especially as the level of required reading increases. As students progress through school, strong reading comprehension skills become critical for success in essentially every subject.

Students who attend NYC public schools, private schools, parochial schools, and specialized schools are often expected to read complex texts, analyze information, create written responses, and complete standardized assessments that integrate extensive reading comprehension. When a student has difficulty comprehending what they read, it can affect their performance in English language arts, science, social studies, math word problems, and even elective classes.

Parents throughout New York City often seek specialized reading tutoring when they notice their child is:

• Struggling with reading comprehension tests
• Avoiding reading
• Falling below grade-level expectations
• Having trouble completing homework related to reading
• Becoming increasingly frustrated with schoolwork

Early remediation and individualized instruction can help students strengthen their reading comprehension skills and develop stronger self-confidence.

Reading Comprehension Tutoring in NYC at EBL Coaching

At EBL Coaching, we specialize in providing one-on-one individualized reading tutoring to students who struggle with all aspects of reading (including reading comprehension) using evidence-based, multi-sensory techniques that are customized to each student’s needs. We help students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, specific learning disabilities, and general academic skills challenges.

For our tutoring in Manhattan, we begin by assessing each student’s strengths and weaknesses and then create an individualized instructional plan to develop the skill areas they need help with, including reading comprehension, fluency, decoding, vocabulary, and other academic skills.

Using evidence-based tutoring and individualized support, we have helped thousands of students develop the academic skills and self-confidence they need to become stronger, more effective readers.

Frequently Asked Questions about Reading Comprehension Tutoring in NYC

Can a child have strong decoding skills but weak reading comprehension?
Yes!  Some students can read words accurately but struggle to understand what they read. Many children exert a great deal of energy when reading words that they miss out on the overall gist of what they are reading.

Are reading comprehension problems a sign of dyslexia?
Reading comprehension problems can be a sign of dyslexia, but that’s not always the case. Students with dyslexia often struggle with decoding words and reading fluently. Comprehension difficulties can also be a result of language processing challenges, ADHD, poor executive functioning skills, or a weak vocabulary.

What age should parents become concerned about reading comprehension?
There is no specific age when you should become concerned about reading comprehension struggles, as every child is different. However, if you notice that your child is consistently struggling to understand what they read, you may want to explore specialized reading tutoring.

Can reading comprehension improve with tutoring?
Yes, absolutely! Evidence-based reading tutoring that is individualized to your child’s areas of weakness, including reading fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and other related skill areas, can help your child make significant gains in their reading comprehension abilities.

How can I tell if my child needs a reading tutor?
If you notice that your child consistently has difficulties answering reading comprehension questions, avoids reading, falls behind peers academically, or is becoming increasingly frustrated when reading, you may want to explore specialized reading support for them.

How Can I Find a Reading Comprehension Tutor in NYC?
When looking for a reading comprehension tutor in NYC, try to find someone who specializes in helping students specifically develop their reading comprehension skills – not someone who just specializes in decoding or reading fluency. Look for a tutor who uses research-based methods, conducts an initial assessment to gauge your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and develops an individualized tutoring plan prior to the start of sessions.

What Should I Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC?
When searching for a reading specialist in NYC, look for a tutor who specializes in evidence-based reading instruction and has extensive experience working with neurodiverse students, including those who have reading difficulties, dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and other learning disabilities. The right reading specialist should address your child’s reading skills using an individualized instructional plan. It is also important to choose a reading tutor who uses research-based, multi-sensory techniques and regularly monitors your child’s progress to ensure they are consistently improving.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students build their reading skills over the past twenty years using research-based, multi-sensory techniques. She is the author of the Strategies for 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. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post Reading Comprehension Difficulties: 8 Signs Your Child Needs Help appeared first on EBL Coaching.

While occasional writing challenges are normal, if your child consistently struggles with writing, they may benefit from specialized writing tutoring. Many families in New York City and New Jersey seek writing support when they notice that writing challenges are affecting their child’s academic performance and self-esteem.

What are ten signs that your child would benefit from writing tutoring?

1. Your Child Avoids Writing Tasks

One of the most common signs of a writing challenge is avoidance. You might find that your child:

• Procrastinates starting writing assignments
• Complains when asked to write
• Becomes easily frustrated when working on writing tasks
• Freezes and struggles to get started
• Prefers dictating their ideas instead of writing them

When writing feels challenging or overwhelming, many students avoid the task, become increasingly frustrated, and may see declining grades.

2. Writing Takes a Long Time to Complete

Some students may work at a slightly slower pace when completing writing tasks. However, when students take a significantly long time to write, they may benefit from specialized writing support to help them through the writing process.

You might find that your child:

• Spends an excessive amount of time on writing assignments
• Struggles to express their ideas on paper
• Needs frequent reminders to stay on task
• Has trouble finishing written work independently

The issue may not be that your child isn’t putting in the effort, but that they have real challenges with planning their ideas and expressing their thoughts when writing in an organized fashion.

Learn more about our writing tutoring services in NYC and New Jersey at How to Find the Best Tutor for Your Child in NYC – EBL Coaching.

3. Their Writing Doesn’t Match Their Verbal Abilities

Your child may be very expressive when speaking but writes the bare minimum when expressing their ideas on paper.

You may notice that your child:

• Can share elaborate ideas orally
• Can discuss complex topics
• Is an active participant in discussions
• Writes minimally when asked to express in writing the same concept they can speak prolifically about

This discrepancy between oral and written expression is a sign that your child could benefit from specialized writing tutoring.

4. Their Writing Is Disorganized

Effective writing requires students to organize their ideas in a logical manner. If your child struggles with written organization, they may:

• Bounce around from one idea to another
• Neglect to include key details
• Write essays and paragraphs that lack structure
• Struggle to create well-organized introductions and conclusions
• Have difficulty sequencing ideas and events

These difficulties may be linked to executive functioning challenges, which play a large role in planning and organizing writing. Many students who seek writing tutoring in New York City and New Jersey struggle not with coming up with unique ideas, but with organizing their ideas into clear, well-organized sentences, paragraphs, and essays.

5. They Struggle to Start Writing Assignments

Many students have strong ideas and know what they want to say but struggle to get started with their writing.

They may make statements like:

• “I don’t know how to start.”
• “I can’t remember what I was going to say.”
• “I don’t know what to write first.”
• “I can’t think of an interesting opening.”

Your child’s challenge may not be in coming up with ideas but brainstorming their ideas and organizing them effectively on paper.

6. Their Sentences Are Short or Repetitive

Students who have writing difficulties often create written pieces that are shorter than what might be expected for their grade.

You may find that their writing:

• Is made up of short, simple sentences
• Doesn’t have descriptive details
• Uses repetitive words
• Contains minimal sentence variety
• Includes incomplete ideas

Writing tutoring can help your child learn how to write longer, more sophisticated sentences, use complex vocabulary words, and include more descriptive details, amongst other writing skills.

7. Spelling, Grammar, or Punctuation Errors Interfere with Communication

Some students have occasional spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes in their writing. However, if these errors start to occur frequently and consistently, your child’s writing may be hard to understand, making additional writing support very beneficial.

Your child may struggle to:

• Use proper capitalization
• Spell accurately
• Apply correct punctuation rules
• Self-check their work
• Recognize errors and correct them

Specialized writing tutoring can help your child develop these critical writing skills.

8. Writing Difficulties Are Affecting School Performance

Writing plays a key role in essentially all subjects. As students move through school, the writing demands increase quickly.

Your child’s writing challenges may start to affect their:

• Ability to complete homework
• Performance on tests and quizzes
• Participation in class
• Grades at school
• Academic confidence

Giving your child writing support early can prevent them from struggling even more as they progress through school. Research indicates that early intervention can help prevent academic challenges from becoming even greater over time.

EBL Coaching works with students who attend public schools, private schools, and independent schools throughout New York City and New Jersey and need additional support with writing.

9. Your Child Has ADHD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, or Another Learning Challenge

Students with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, executive functioning challenges, or other learning disabilities often struggle with writing.

Your child might have difficulty with:

• Brainstorming their ideas before writing
• Organizing their thoughts effectively
• Structuring their paragraphs and essays
• Expanding their ideas then writing
• Staying focused during writing tasks
• Self-editing their work

Specialized writing tutoring programs in NYC and NJ can help students with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and executive functioning challenges build stronger writing and executive functioning skills

Learn how ADHD tutoring or dyslexia intervention can help students improve organization, focus, and written expression at Special Education Tutoring Near Me: How to Find the Right Tutor – EBL Coaching.

10. Writing Is Hurting Your Child’s Confidence

Another sign of a writing challenge is reduced confidence.

Your child may begin to make comments like:

• “I’m terrible at writing.”
• “I don’t like school.”
• “I can’t do this.”
• “I hate grammar.”

With time, these continued challenges can affect your child’s self-esteem and increase their frustration with writing tasks.  Effective writing tutoring can help your child build their writing skills, reduce frustration, and increase motivation.

How a Writing Tutor Can Help Your Child

Specialized writing tutoring should be truly individualized to your child’s specific needs. An effective writing tutor can help your child:

• Brainstorm their ideas before writing
• Organize their thoughts on paper effectively
• Develop stronger sentences, paragraphs, and essays
• Improve their spelling, grammar, and punctuation skills
• Teach them strategies for self-checking
• Build their confidence when writing

Even children who previously struggled immensely with writing can become strong, confident, and effective writers with the right support.
EBL Coaching specializes in in-person and virtual one-on-one writing tutoring in New York City and New Jersey. Contact us today to see how we can help your child develop stronger writing and executive functioning skills and thrive academically.  Many families looking for a writing tutor in NYC reach out to EBL Coaching after noticing that their child avoids writing assignments or struggles to express ideas effectively.

Learn more about EBL Coaching’s individualized writing tutoring services in NYC and New Jersey at How to Find the Best Tutor for Your Child in NYC – EBL Coaching.

Signs of Dysgraphia in Children

If your child consistently struggles with handwriting, spelling, written organization, or written expression, they may have dysgraphia. Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects writing. Students with dysgraphia benefit from individualized research-based writing instruction catered to their unique needs.

How Executive Functioning Skills Affect Writing

Writing integrates a variety of executive functioning skills, including planning, organization, working memory, task initiation, and self-checking. Students with executive functioning challenges often have strong ideas but struggle to organize and express their ideas effectively when writing.

Writing Tutoring in NYC and New Jersey

Writing involves many different skills, including coming up with ideas, organizing thoughts, developing well-constructed sentences and paragraphs, applying grammar and spelling rules, and self-editing work effectively. Many students need individualized tutoring to build these skills and become stronger writers.

Why Families Choose EBL Coaching

EBL Coaching specializes in providing one-on-one writing tutoring to students in New York City and New Jersey. We help students in grades prek-12 and individualize the instruction based on each student’s unique needs.

We work with students who struggle with:

• Brainstorming ideas
• Sentence structure
• Paragraph organization
• Essay writing
• Grammar and punctuation
• Executive functioning challenges
• ADHD
• Dyslexia
• Dysgraphia
• Learning disabilities
• Study skills and self-confidence

Our individualized, one-on-one tutoring in NYC and NJ helps students learn how to brainstorm their ideas, organize their thoughts, strengthen their overall writing skills, and build confidence in their abilities.

EBL Coaching offers both in-person writing tutoring in New York City and New Jersey and online writing tutoring throughout the United States. We used individualized instruction and evidence-based strategies to help students become more effective, motivated, and confident writers.

Closing Thoughts

Many students exhibit occasional writing challenges. However, if writing tasks lead to consistent struggles, frustration, low motivation, and reduced self-esteem, you may want to consider finding the right specialized writing tutor for your child.

The earlier writing difficulties are identified and addressed, the easier it is to strengthen key writing skills and help students excel at school.

Frequently Asked Questions About Writing Tutors and Writing Tutoring

How do I know if my child needs writing tutoring?
Your child may benefit from writing tutoring if they have difficulty completing writing tasks, avoid writing, become easily frustrated when writing, struggle to organize their thoughts, or create writing pieces that don’t reflect their verbal abilities. If these writing challenges are consistent and become worse with time, specialized writing tutoring may be very helpful for your child.

At what age should my child start to receive writing tutoring?
Your child should begin to receive writing tutoring as soon as you notice consistent writing struggles. Writing tutoring can help students as early as pre-kindergarten, as long as it’s individualized to their specific needs. Early intervention with the right writing tutoring can prevent small writing challenges from becoming more profound difficulties. Students in middle school, high school, and even college can also benefit from targeted writing instruction.

Read more about when to find a tutor for your child at Is My Child Too Young for Tutoring? | Early Learning Support | EBL Coaching.

Can writing tutoring help students with ADHD?
Yes, absolutely!  Many students with ADHD struggle with executive functioning skills, including planning, organizing, starting, and completing writing assignments. Writing tutoring can teach students tools for breaking down writing tasks into smaller, more manageable steps, organizing their ideas, and improving their ability to effectively complete the writing process.

Can writing tutoring help students with dyslexia?
Yes! Students with dyslexia often struggle not just with reading, but also with spelling and written expression. Specialized writing instruction, ideally with a tutor who specializes in working with neurodiverse students, including those with dyslexia, can help strengthen these important skills.

Read more about how dyslexia tutoring can help your child at Best Tutoring for Dyslexia: Orton Gillingham, Reading, and Writing Support for Children – EBL Coaching.

What is dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects a student’s ability to write. Students with dysgraphia often struggle with handwriting, spelling, grammar, and organizing their thoughts onto paper. A comprehensive psychological pr neuropsychological evaluation can help determine whether your child has dysgraphia or another learning disability.

How long does it take for my child to show progress from writing tutoring?
The time it takes for a child to show progress from writing tutoring varies based on a variety of factors, including age, skill level, and specific areas of challenge. With the right tutor and frequency, many students see progress within the first month of tutoring, but others may need more time to show significant growth.

Which skills are taught in writing tutoring sessions?
Writing tutoring should be individualized to your child’s specific challenges. An initial assessment can help gauge your child’s unique needs. However, writing tutoring often focuses on:

• Brainstorming ideas
• Sentence structure
• Paragraph writing
• Essay writing
• Organization and planning
• Grammar
• Punctuation
• Self-checking

Can writing tutoring improve my child’s confidence?
Yes! Writing struggles often affect a student’s self-confidence. Students may see their peers excelling at writing while they continue to struggle. However, with the right support, as students develop their writing skills and see growth, they often become much more confident in their abilities.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students build their writing 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. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post 10 Signs Your Child Needs Writing Tutoring appeared first on EBL Coaching.

If you are looking for the best reading tutor on the Upper East Side for your child, it is important to know what differentiates an effective reading tutor from a more generic tutor or homework helper.

Students who struggle with reading can benefit from individualized instruction from an experienced reading tutor. Learn more about reading tutoring in NYC at Best Reading Tutors in NYC for Struggling Readers – EBL Coaching.

EBL Coaching was founded by Dr. Emily Levy, an educational specialist who has helped thousands of students improve their reading skills over the past two decades.

Why Reading Skills Matter

Strong reading skills contribute to success in nearly all aspects of school. It plays a role in subjects including science, history, math, and even elective classes.

Reading involves multiple skills, including:

• Phonemic awareness
• Phonics
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• Reading comprehension
• Inferencing

If any of these skills are weak, your child may struggle to perform well at school.

Supporting Students from Upper East Side Schools

The Upper East Side has numerous academically rigorous schools. As reading expectations rise from year to year, many students benefit from one-on-one tutoring to develop their decoding, reading fluency, comprehension, spelling, and writing skills.

Students from schools throughout the Upper East Side, including public schools, independent schools, and parochial schools, may need reading tutoring to strengthen their confidence and improve their overall academic performance.

Signs Your Child May Need a Reading Tutor

Some parents may think that time or extra practice will be enough for their child’s literacy skills to improve. However, most students who struggle with reading benefit from specialized reading tutoring.

Some signs that indicate your child may benefit from a reading tutor include:

Trouble Decoding Words

Many students who have difficulty decoding words have weaknesses in foundational literacy skills, including phonics and phonemic awareness.

Slow Reading

When a child struggles with reading fluency, it can affect their ability to understand and retain information from text. Many students devote so much energy to reading that they struggle to understand the material.

Poor Reading Comprehension

Some students develop accurate word-reading skills but continue to experience challenges with comprehension, analysis, and retaining information from text.

Learn more about reading comprehension tutoring and how it can help students improve their understanding of what they read at Reading Comprehension Difficulties: 8 Signs Your Child Needs Help – EBL Coaching.

Avoidance of Reading

Students who avoid reading often complain that reading is challenging or become frustrated when reading and can benefit from specialized reading instruction.

Grades are Slipping

Reading challenges can affect a student’s performance in nearly every academic subject. A child who has difficulty reading may experience a drop in their school grades across the board.

What Makes a Great Reading Tutor?

Not all reading tutors are the same. The most effective reading specialists and literacy instructors share several important qualities, including:

Individualized Instruction

All children have their own unique profile. A strong reading specialist should create an individualized instructional plan for the tutoring using research-based, multi-sensory techniques instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach that may only work for some students.

Evidence-Based Methods

Research-based reading instruction is critical to helping students who struggle with reading make significant gains. Students with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, need evidence-based instruction even more, ideally through Orton Gillingham tutoring.

Initial Assessment

The most effective tutors should start with an initial assessment to gauge the child’s strengths and weaknesses and the types of research-based methods that would be best for them.

Expertise in Learning Challenges

Students with ADHD and learning disabilities, including dyslexia, typically require specialized instructional techniques for reading development.

Reading Challenges That May Require Specialized Instruction

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that affects reading, spelling, and writing. Students with dyslexia often benefit from multi-sensory literacy instruction and structured approaches such as Orton Gillingham.

Reading Comprehension Challenges

Some students can read accurately and with appropriate fluency but have difficulty understanding, analyzing, retaining, and recalling information that they read. Specialized reading comprehension tutoring can teach students strategies for improving their ability to process what they read and develop their ability to draw conclusions and make inferences.

ADHD and Reading

Students with ADHD often struggle to stay focused when reading, which can negatively impact their ability to comprehend and recall what they read. Specialized ADHD tutoring can help students develop these skills.

Specific Learning Disabilities

Students with diagnosed learning disabilities often require direct, multi-sensory instruction in decoding, reading fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension, spelling, and writing, depending on their specific needs.

Why Upper East Side Families Choose One-on-One Reading Tutoring

The Upper East Side of Manhattan had exceptional public, private, and parochial schools. Many of these schools are academically rigorous with reading demands that increase rapidly as students move through school.

One-on-one tutoring offers several benefits:

• Individualized instruction
• Improved academic skills
• Flexible lesson pacing
• Confidence development
• Research-based teaching methods
• Development of academic skill gaps

Since one-on-one tutoring is customized to each student’s specific needs, growth is often faster than in group settings.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Reading Tutor

When choosing a reading tutor for your child, there are several questions you should ask, including:

• Which methodologies do you use for teaching reading?
• Do you have expertise working with students who have dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning disabilities?
• Do you begin by assessing a student’s reading skills?
• Do you use a multi-sensory approach to teaching?
• How often do you provide tutoring?
• Do you communicate regularly with parents?

The answers to these questions can help you choose the best Upper East Side tutor for your child.

Why Early Intervention is Important

Reading challenges don’t usually resolve on their own without targeted support. As students move through school, the reading and overall academic demands increase significantly.

Early intervention can help:

• Prevent reading challenges from becoming greater
• Fill in skills gaps
• Improve self-confidence
• Build foundational skills
• Increase motivation
• Help achieve long-term academic success

Students who receive specialized tutoring early often experience stronger outcomes than those who wait until their challenges become more severe to receive intervention.

Reading Tutoring at EBL Coaching

EBL Coaching is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and specializes in providing one-on-one reading tutoring to students in grades PreK-12. We begin with an initial assessment to identify each student’s strengths and areas of need and then create an individualized instructional plan for the tutoring using research-based, multi-sensory teaching methods.

EBL Coaching specializes in reading intervention, literacy instruction, writing remediation, dyslexia support, Orton-Gillingham instruction, ADHD tutoring, and executive functioning coaching. Tutoring sessions are available in person or virtually, at your home or at our Upper East Side learning center. Our Upper East Side learning center is located at 17 East 89th Street, making it accessible for families seeking in-person reading support.

Our goal is not just to help students complete their homework assignments effectively. We specialize in helping students develop stronger reading skills, build their self-confidence, and learn the strategies they need to thrive in school.

Families throughout the Upper East Side, including Carnegie Hill, Yorkville, Lenox Hill, and surrounding neighborhoods use EBL Coaching for individualized one-on-one reading tutoring.

Frequently Asked Questions About Reading Tutoring on the Upper East Side

How do I know if my child needs a reading tutor?
If your child is struggling with decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, writing, or confidence in their reading abilities, they may benefit from specialized reading tutoring. Reduced motivation and increased frustration with reading can also be a common sign.

At what age should a child start to receive reading tutoring?
The right age to start reading tutoring is when you notice your child consistently struggling. If they are having difficulty learning the names of the letters and their corresponding sounds as early as pre-kindergarten, that might be the right time for them to start tutoring. Other students may need a tutor later when they start to experience reading challenges. In general, early intervention can help prevent future academic challenges.

Can a reading tutor help with dyslexia?
Yes, absolutely. The right tutor for a child with dyslexia is one who specializes in using research-based, multi-sensory methodologies for teaching reading. Orton Gillingham tutoring is ideal for students with dyslexia.

Learn more about Orton Gillingham tutoring for students with dyslexia and other reading challenges at Best Tutoring for Dyslexia: Orton Gillingham, Reading, and Writing Support for Children – EBL Coaching.

How often should my child meet with a reading tutor?
The frequency that a child should receive tutoring varies based on their needs, levels, and overall profile. Some students only need 1-2 sessions per week while others with more severe reading challenges benefit from more frequent weekly tutoring sessions.

How long does it take to see improvement?
The rate of progress from tutoring varies based on the needs and overall profile of each student. With the right methodologies, tutor, and frequency of instruction, however, many students show progress within the first month of tutoring.

Can reading tutoring improve reading comprehension?
Yes! With reading comprehension tutoring, students can learn strategies for identifying important details, grasping the main idea, making inferences, summarizing information, making predictions, and improving their overall understanding of what they read.

Is online reading tutoring effective?
Yes, absolutely. Many students can make significant progress through online reading tutoring. However, it’s important that the instruction is individualized, utilizes research-based techniques, and is provided by an experienced tutor.

What is Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Orton Gillingham is a systematic, multi-sensory approach to teaching reading. It was originally designed for students with dyslexia but all students who struggle with reading can benefit from this approach.

Does EBL Coaching offer reading tutoring on the Upper East Side?
Yes! EBL Coaching specializes in providing one-on-one research-based reading tutoring at its Upper East Side learning center, in students’ homes, and online. Tutoring sessions begin with an initial assessment and then an individualized tutoring plan is created to meet the unique needs of each student.

EBL Coaching’s Upper East Side learning center is located at 17 East 89th Street and provides one-on-one reading tutoring, writing remediation, math development, learning disability intervention, Orton Gillingham instruction, ADHD tutoring, and executive functioning coaching to students in grades PreK–12.

Learn more about our private tutoring Services in NYC at How to Find the Best Private Tutor in NYC for Your Child – EBL Coaching.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students develop their reading skills over the past twenty years. She is the author of the Strategies for 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. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post Best Upper East Side Reading Tutoring for Struggling Readers appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Summer reading programs for dyslexia are essential for preventing learning loss and helping students build stronger reading skills during the break from school. The key is choosing a reading program designed for students with dyslexia that uses research-based, multi-sensory methods for reading and writing development.

Why Summer is So Important for Students with Dyslexia

Students with dyslexia need consistent instruction throughout the year to maintain and develop their reading skills. Without this continuous learning, progress they made during the school year can quickly decline.

Over the summer, students with dyslexia often face:

• Diminished decoding and spelling skills
• Slower pace of reading
• Reduced self-esteem
• Increased frustration
• Reading avoidance

An effective summer reading program can prevent these challenges and help your child jump-start the school year on a positive note.

Explore the best summer reading programs for dyslexia in NYC and find the right fit for your child at https://eblcoaching.com/best-summer-tutoring-programs-in-nyc-for-kids-with-learning-disabilities/.

Who Should Participate in Summer Reading Programs for Dyslexia?

Students who should participate in a summer reading program include:

• Struggling readers
• Students with diagnosed dyslexia
• Students who are falling behind in school

What Works for Dyslexia: Evidence-Based Reading Instruction

Students with dyslexia typically need more than traditional tutoring or homework help. Not all summer reading programs for dyslexia use evidence-based methods. Students with dyslexia need the following:

1.Orton Gillingham Instruction

An ideal summer reading program for your child should include structured literacy instruction, particularly using the Orton Gillingham approach.

This approach is:

• Explicit – students are directly taught letter names, sounds, and rules
• Sequential and cumulative – concepts build upon one another in a step-by-step manner
• Multi-sensory – the visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic modalities are integrated into teaching
• Research-based – research indicates that children with dyslexia learn best with a multi-sensory approach

Structured literacy programs, including Orton Gillingham summer tutoring, are among the most effective summer reading programs for dyslexia. Finding a tutoring program that uses this type of systematic, hands-on, research-based approach can help your child excel academically.

2. Multi-sensory Instruction

Reading methodologies that engage multiple senses simultaneously are far more effective than passive learning, which may include only using workbooks or providing homework help.

Examples of multi-sensory instruction include:

• Tracing letters in colored sand or shaving cream
• Saying letter formations aloud when writing letters
• Using tools like magnetic tiles to create words
• Using audio-visual flash cards with key pictures

This type of instruction helps students learn and retain new concepts for the long run.

3. One-on-One Tutoring or Small Group Instruction

Students with dyslexia typically need highly individualized instruction to make the most progress. One-on-one tutoring tends to be most impactful.

Effective reading programs for dyslexia should:

• Provide an initial assessment to gauge the student’s strengths and weaknesses
• Address specific skill gaps, such as decoding, reading fluency, or reading comprehension
• Adjust the pacing of lessons based on student performance
• Provide direct feedback

Group programs often lack the ability to truly individualize the instruction to the needs of each student.

4. Consistency and Intensity

When a child has dyslexia, they typically need intensive reading remediation to develop core skills. Once-per-week sessions are usually not enough.

Effective summer reading programs often include multiple sessions per week with practice in between sessions to provide optimal instruction for students with dyslexia. Summer is an ideal time to do more frequent tutoring and accelerate a student’s progress.

5. Specialized Instructors

Some tutors may specialize in math, science, or other subjects, but not all of them specialize in helping students with dyslexia.

When finding the right summer reading tutor for your child, look for instructors who:

• Specialize in Orton Gillingham tutoring
• Provide initial assessments to gauge students’ needs
• Understand how to target reading gaps
• Can adjust the pace of instruction based on how your child progresses

Specialized instructors can make a significant difference in your child’s performance.

What Doesn’t Work for Dyslexia 

Many reading programs exist, but not all of them are designed to meet the needs of students with dyslexia.

When looking for a dyslexia tutoring program for your child, be wary of:

• General reading programs that aren’t research-based
• One-size-fits-all approaches to tutoring
• Large classroom-style programs
• Apps or independent programs that lack direct instruction
• Inconsistent and infrequent tutoring schedules

These reading programs may keep children engaged, but they are not ideal for students with dyslexia who have specialized learning needs.

What to Look for in a Summer Reading Program

When choosing a summer reading program for your child, ask the following questions:

• Does the tutoring program integrate Orton Gillingham instruction?
• Will my child receive an initial assessment to gauge their needs?
• Is one-on-one tutoring offered?
• How often will sessions take place?
• Which specific reading skills will be addressed?

Seeking answers to these questions will help you identify the right summer reading program for your child.

Learn what to look for in a reading specialist for dyslexia in NYC before choosing a program at https://eblcoaching.com/what-to-look-for-in-a-reading-specialist-in-nyc/.

Best Summer Reading Programs for Dyslexia

The best summer reading programs for dyslexia include key components, such as:

• Orton Gillingham instruction
• Initial assessments to gauge areas of need
• One-on-one tutoring
• In-home or online options
• Intensive scheduling availability

Summer Reading Programs for Dyslexia in NYC

Families searching for summer reading programs for dyslexia in New York City may be exploring a wide variety of options, but not all programs provide the structured, individualized tutoring that students with dyslexia need.

In an academically rigorous environment like New York City, many students with dyslexia benefit from consistent, one-on-one tutoring during the summer to avoid regression and build important reading skills before the new school year begins.

Throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Westchester, and New Jersey, many parents are seeking:

• Orton Gillingham tutoring
• One-on-one, individualized instruction
• Intensive summer tutoring programs
• Experienced tutors who understand dyslexia

While group programs and general enrichment camps are available throughout NYC, they often do not provide the level of support and personalization that students with dyslexia need for meaningful progress in reading.

How EBL Coaching Helps Students with Dyslexia During the Summer

At EBL Coaching, our summer reading programs are designed for students with dyslexia and learning challenges.

In these tutoring sessions, students receive:

• Initial assessments to gauge their strengths and weaknesses
• Individualized, one-on-one tutoring tailored to their needs
• Evidence-based, multi-sensory teaching methods
• Targeted support in reading, spelling, writing, math, and executive functioning skills
• In-home and virtual tutoring options
• Flexible scheduling

The goal over the summer is not just to maintain previously learned skills but to make meaningful progress and start the new school year strong. Contact us today to see how we can help your child thrive with our individualized summer tutoring programs.

Closing Thoughts

Finding the right summer reading program for your child with dyslexia can make a significant difference in their academic performance.

With systematic, research-based, one-on-one tutoring, your child can:

• Strengthen their decoding, reading fluency, and comprehension skills
• Develop stronger spelling and writing skills
• Build self-confidence
• Reduce frustration and increase motivation

Choosing the right summer reading program for dyslexia can make a lasting difference in your child’s academic success.

FAQs About Summer Reading Programs for Dyslexia 

How long should a summer reading program last?
Summer reading programs should be customized to your child’s needs. Your child should first receive an initial assessment. Then, an individualized summer reading program should be created to address their specific needs.

Can my child with dyslexia make a lot of reading progress over the summer?
Yes, absolutely! With one-on-one Orton Gillingham tutoring and a multi-sensory approach, your child can make significant reading progress over the summer:

Can online tutoring be effective for dyslexia?
Yes, online tutoring can be effective for students with dyslexia, as long as research-based, multi-sensory techniques are used and instruction is consistent throughout the summer.

Learn how online tutoring for dyslexia can support your child’s reading at https://eblcoaching.com/can-virtual-tutoring-help-my-child/.

When should my child with dyslexia begin receiving reading remediation?
Your child should receive reading remediation as soon as you notice struggles. Early intervention can make an immense difference in your child’s performance and can help prevent future challenges down the road.

Learn more about dyslexia and evidence-based reading instruction from the International Dyslexia Association at International Dyslexia Association – …until everyone can read!

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students with dyslexia build their reading skills over the past twenty years. She is the author of the Strategies for 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. She has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Advocate Parenting Magazine, Epoch Times, and Macaroni Kids.

The post Summer Reading Programs for Dyslexia: What Actually Works? appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Summer is an ideal time to begin Orton Gillingham summer tutoring in New York City and New Jersey, when students can focus on building core reading skills without the pressure of the school year. Students can receive intensive summer reading tutoring and consistent structured literacy instruction, helping them make significant progress during the summer.

Families throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, as well as in New Jersey communities, often use the summer months to focus on structured reading intervention, including Orton Gillingham tutoring, to help their child build important skills and prevent learning loss.

What Is Orton Gillingham Tutoring?

The Orton Gillingham approach is a research-based, multi-sensory methodology designed to help students develop stronger reading and spelling skills. It was originally created for students with dyslexia, but all students who struggle with reading and writing can benefit from this approach.

Orton Gillingham is a highly effective reading tutoring method because it:

• Follows a systematic scope and sequence
• Integrates multi-sensory tools, such as colored sand, magnetic tiles, and shaving cream
• Teaches students how to decode and spell words in a direct, sequential way
• Moves from individual letters and sounds to words containing blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, silent e patterns, and multi-syllabic patterns
• Using engaging, hands-on techniques
• Is individualized to the levels of each student

Orton Gillingham tutoring is particularly effective for students with language-based learning disabilities like dyslexia, but this approach can help any child who needs reading support.

Learn more about this approach in our guide to What Is Orton-Gillingham Tutoring? Multi-Sensory, Structured Help at What Is Orton-Gillingham Tutoring? Multi-Sensory, Structured Help | EBL Coaching.

Why Summer Is the Best Time for Reading Intervention for Struggling Readers

Summer is an ideal time for reading intervention and dyslexia tutoring, especially through an Orton Gillingham summer program, for several key reasons:

1. Fewer Academic Constraints

During the school year, students tend to have a lot on their plate – sports, dance, clubs, homework, tests, quizzes, and so much more. This can make it hard to find time for consistent intensive reading remediation.

During the summer, however, students often find that they have:

• Less homework
• Reduced stress
• Fewer scheduling constraints
• More time and energy for learning

This time of year allows students to fully engage in Orton Gillingham tutoring sessions with fewer distractions and time constraints.

2. Opportunity for Intensive, Consistent Reading Remediation

Students who have a learning disability or struggle with reading need consistency and repetition when learning new concepts, both of which can be hard to achieve during the school year.

During the summer, students may be available for:

• More frequent weekly tutoring sessions
• Longer, more targeted lessons
• More time spent on practice and repetition
• Activities that reinforce lessons in between tutoring sessions

Frequent, intensive summer reading tutoring programs can accelerate progress far more quickly than during the school year, especially for students receiving Orton Gillingham instruction.

3. Preventing the Summer Slide

Many students experience summer learning loss in reading, often referred to as the “summer slide,” which can significantly impact struggling readers. For students with learning challenges, this loss can be even greater.

Orton Gillingham summer tutoring can help students:

• Prevent the summer slide
• Maintain skills learned during the school year
• Strengthen foundational reading skills
• Fill in learning gaps
• Prevent academic regression
• Build self-confidence and motivation

Instead of watching your child experience the dreaded summer slide and fall behind, help them move ahead and start the new school year with greater confidence with summer Orton Gillingham tutoring.

4. Build Self-Confidence

Many students watch their peers read much more advanced books than they can and feel poorly about their abilities. This can be discouraging for students who struggle with reading and can take a toll on their self-esteem.

A structured Orton Gillingham summer tutoring program provides an empowering environment where students can build their reading skills and confidence. Some advantages of summer Orton Gillingham instruction include:

• Less peer comparison
• Reduced anxiety
• Individualized, one-on-one support
• Opportunity to build skills and motivation

As your child’s reading skills improve, their self-confidence will likely improve as well, helping them feel better about their skills and abilities. This is especially important for students in academically competitive areas like New York City, where reading challenges can affect their performance across various subjects.

5. Customized Tutoring at Your Child’s Pace

One of the greatest advantages of Orton Gillingham tutoring is that it is truly individualized to the needs of each student.

During summer Orton Gillingham tutoring sessions, tutors can:

• Identify specific skills challenges through an initial assessment
• Create an individualized Orton Gillingham tutoring plan
• Move at your child’s pace
• Adjust the pace of lessons based on your child’s progress
• Focus on the specific skills your child needs help with

This customized approach to learning leads to more efficient instruction and greater progress.

Read more about who benefits from Orton Gillingham tutoring in NYC at Who Benefits from Orton Gillingham Tutoring? – EBL Coaching.

What Does an Orton Gillingham Summer Tutoring Program Include?

High-quality Orton Gillingham tutoring in New York City and New Jersey should always be individualized to meet each student’s specific reading and spelling needs. However, most Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons include:

• An initial assessment to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses
• Systematic, sequential lessons in decoding and spelling
• Multi-sensory instruction, including integrating visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic tools
• Modified pace of instruction based on how your child responds

Many parents choose intensive summer Orton Gillingham tutoring for their child to take advantage of the summer and maximize progress.

How Much Progress Can Students Make with Summer Reading Tutoring?

Every child has unique needs and starts at different levels, so their rate of progress can vary. However, consistent summer reading tutoring in NYC and NJ using the Orton Gillingham can lead to:

• Understanding sound-letter relationships
• Improved decoding and reading fluency skills
• Stronger spelling skills
• Reduced fatigue from reading
• Increased confidence and motivation

For some students, summer is the time when reading “clicks” and significant improvement is seen.

How to Choose the Right Orton Gillingham Tutor

Not all reading tutors in New York City or New Jersey offer the same level of expertise. It’s important that you find the right Orton Gillingham tutor for your child. Look for a tutor who has:

• Training in the Orton Gillingham approach
• Experience working with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities
• Expertise in creating individualized Orton Gillingham tutoring plans
• The ability to provide one-on-one instruction
• Flexible summer scheduling options

If you’re searching locally, explore our guide on what to look for in a reading specialist in NYC at What to Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC- EBL Coaching.

Summer Reading Tutoring in NYC and NJ

For students in New York City and New Jersey, summer is an ideal time to receive targeted reading support. With fewer academic demands and more flexible schedules, your child can benefit from consistent, individualized instruction that is often challenging to incorporate during the school year.

Summer reading tutoring programs in NYC and NJ are designed to provide intensive, individualized tutoring to students who struggle with reading, including those with dyslexia and other language-based learning challenges. Many families seek Orton Gillingham summer tutoring for their child because of its structured, research-based, multi-sensory approach, which helps students build core skills in decoding, spelling, and reading fluency.

In areas including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and nearby New Jersey communities, parents often look for programs that offer:

• One-on-one tutoring tailored to their child’s needs
• Flexible summer scheduling options
• Experienced tutors trained in structured literacy approaches
• Specialized instruction for dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning challenges
• In-person and virtual tutoring options

Because summer often allows for more frequent sessions, students can make significant progress in a relatively short time. Whether your child needs to catch up on their reading skills, build stronger reading foundations, or prevent academic regression, a summer reading tutoring program can help them have a much more successful school year.

For many students in NYC and NJ, reading intervention during the summer is one of the most effective ways to help your child build confidence and long-term academic skills.

A Trusted Option: EBL Coaching

If you’re looking for Orton Gillingham summer tutoring in New York City or New Jersey, EBL Coaching offers a highly individualized, research-based approach to reading intervention.

At EBL Coaching, we specialize in:

• One-on-one Orton Gillingham tutoring
• Initial assessments prior to the start of tutoring
• Individualized tutoring plans based on your child’s unique needs
• Research-based, multi-sensory approach
• Dyslexia tutoring in NYC and NJ
• ADHD coaching in Manhattan and NJ
• Reading remediation in NYC and NJ
• Orton Gillingham tutoring in Manhattan and NJ
• In-person and virtual Orton Gillingham sessions

Our emphasis on individualized one-on-one instruction and multi-sensory teaching helps students who struggle with reading, especially during the summer when we can provide more intensive reading remediation. Contact us to see how we can hep your child improve their reading skills through our Orton Gillingham summer tutoring programs.

Closing Thoughts

Summer is a time for rest and relaxation, but it is also a time when students often experience academic skills regression. For many students, especially those with learning disabilities, it is an ideal time for more intensive reading tutoring.

With Orton Gillingham summer tutoring or a structured dyslexia summer program, your child can:

• Improve their decoding, spelling, reading fluency, and reading comprehension skills
• Fill in learning gaps
• Develop stronger reading foundations
• Strengthen their self-confidence

Instead of worrying about the summer slide, use this season to help your child enhance their skills and start the new school year strong.

FAQs about Summer Orton Gillingham tutoring 

How often should my child receive Orton Gillingham tutoring in NYC or NJ during the summer?
The frequency of your child’s Orton Gillingham summer tutoring should vary based on their individual needs and availability. Some students may only need 1-2 sessions per week but other students, especially those with learning disabilities, may benefit from more frequent sessions over the summer.

Is summer long enough to see improvement from Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Yes, absolutely! Summer is an ideal time for more intensive Orton Gillingham tutoring. With consistent sessions, many children show significant improvement during the summer.

Is online Orton Gillingham tutoring effective for summer reading intervention?
Yes! Orton Gillingham tutoring can be provided efficiently online. Students can still receive interactive, multi-sensory support through online tutoring if they are working with the right tutor who provides consistent support to them.

Learn more about the benefits of virtual tutoring for students with reading challenges at Can Virtual Tutoring Help My Child?.

Is Orton Gillingham tutoring only for students with dyslexia?
No, absolutely not. While Orton Gillingham was originally designed for students with dyslexia, it can help any student who is struggling with reading or spelling. It is a highly effective, research-based approach to teaching reading and spelling.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of students with specialized learning needs build their reading skills with Orton Gillingham tutoring 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.

The post Orton Gillingham Summer Tutoring: Why Summer Is the Best Time for Reading Intervention appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Mother’s Day is a festive day filled with French toast, pancakes, spring attire, and special time spent with mom. Yet it can also be a great time for learning! Kids with ADHD can enjoy short, engaging activities that integrate learning and will make their mom happy. The key is keeping the activities hands-on, structured, low pressure, and fun!  Try some of the ideas detailed below, ideally with help from someone who isn’t mom.

“Why I Love Mom” Sheet

Kids with ADHD can strengthen their writing skills with a “Why I Love Mom” fill-in-the blank sheet that moms will certainly love! For this activity, create a sheet that says “All About My Mom” at the top, and include writing prompts with spaces for your child to fill in, like the ones below:

“My mom is so ____”.

“My mom’s favorite color is _____”.

“My mom’s favorite food is _____”.

“My mom cooks the best _____”.

“My mom is really good at ____”.

“My mom always says ____”.

“My mom would win a gold medal in ____”.

“My mom and I like to _____”.

“My mom really loves _____”.

“I love my mom because_____”.

If your child struggles with writing, have them dictate their answers to you and you write them down. Using this approach will still build language and communication skills!

Mother’s Day Scavenger Hunt

A little movement is great for kids with ADHD, and everyone in the family will have fun with this Mother’s Day scavenger hunt. Have your child write 6-8 clues on notecards and put them around your home (you can help them write the clues if needed). The final clue should end with a special surprise, like a homemade brunch! The clues might look something like:

1. If you’re in a breakfast mood, go here to find some food!
2. For your second clue, put these on before your shoe.
3. If you want your teeth to be clean, go to this room to brush, especially if you ate a jellybean!
4. Next is the place where you lay your head. Go look under your bed!
5. Another clue must be told. Look where we keep our yogurt and milk cold.
6. Then turn around and you will see a special treat made by me!

Mom will love these silly clues and the whole family will have fun with this scavenger hunt.

Make a meal!

Making a special meal for mom is a great way to reinforce reading, writing, and math skills. Have your child come up with ideas for a special meal they want to make. They might decide to make pancakes, eggs, and blueberry muffins. Once they have decided on the items, they should look online or in cookbooks to find the recipes for the foods they want to make. Next, they should write down a list of ingredients they need to buy from the grocery store.

When it’s time to start cooking, they should work on making the menu items, one at a time, and set out the ingredients they need to make each item. They should follow each recipe step-by-step (a great way to work on sequencing), measuring out each ingredient and following the recipe instructions until all items are made. They should then set the table with forks, knives, cups, and all the items they made for their special meal. Mom is sure to love it!

Decorate a Dessert

Another fun cooking-related activity that kids with ADHD can do for Mother’s Day is to set up a “decorate a dessert” station. Have your child decide which dessert they want to decorate. They might choose cupcakes, cookies, brownies, or another dessert they like. They should also decide which toppings to include and make a list of ingredients they need to buy from the supermarket for this activity.  They can get creative with the toppings and include ones like sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, crushed Oreos, marshmallows, gummy bears, shredded coconut – you name it! Fresh fruit, like bananas or raspberries, can work too, along with drizzles, like chocolate or caramel syrup.

When your child is ready to set up the station, they should put each of the toppings in small bowls next to the desserts and have fun decorating them with mom!

Plan the Perfect Day for Mom – Budget Game 

A great way for kids with ADHD to build math skills on Mother’s Day is with a “plan the perfect day for mom” budget game.

To play this game, give your child a budget for the day, like $30. Have them make a list of everything they want to do for mom and come up with an approximate price for each item, which they should include on their list. For example, their list might look like:

Breakfast in bed: $10

Special cake: $8

Movie rental: $3

Flowers: $7

After they create their list with corresponding prices, have them write the total at the bottom. Then ask your child whether their total is above or below the budget and, if so, by how much.

Mother’s Day is a special time to spend with mom, and it’s also a great day to have fun while learning. Try these activities at home and this Mother’s Day will be one mom never forgets!

EBL Coaching specializes in one-on-one in person and virtual tutoring for students in grades pre-K-12 with specialized learning needs. They use research-based, multi-sensory techniques, including the Orton Gillingham method, to develop students’ reading, writing, math, note taking, test taking, and executive functioning skills. Each student is evaluated and then receives an individualized learning plan to address their specific academic needs. Learn more at http://www.eblcoaching.com/. Dr. Emily Levy, Founder & Director, is happy to hear from anyone who is in need for their child. You may reach her thru her website, and mention you heard of her thru MotherhoodLater.

The post Mother’s Day Activities for Kids with ADHD appeared first on EBL Coaching.

This guide will explain what the Orton Gillingham approach is, who benefits from this method, and how to find the best Orton Gillingham tutor in NJ.

What is Orton Gillingham?

Orton Gillingham is a research-based, multi-sensory approach that helps students develop stronger reading and spelling skills. While it was originally designed for students with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities, any student struggling with reading can benefit from this approach.

Unlike traditional reading tutoring, Orton Gillingham is

• Multi-sensory – it integrates the visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic modalities
• Structured and systematic – Orton Gillingham lessons are taught in a step-by-step order, and previously taught concepts are integrated into new lessons
• Diagnostic and prescriptive – lessons are individualized based on the needs of each student
• Explicit – Orton Gillingham sounds and rules are directly taught to students

The Orton Gillingham method is considered to be one of the most effective approaches for students with reading challenges, including dyslexia.

Who benefits from Orton Gillingham tutoring in NJ?

Orton Gillingham tutoring can help any student who struggles with reading, but it is an optimal approach for students who:

• Have a dyslexia diagnosis
• Struggle to decode, or sound out, words
• Have challenges spelling words accurately
• Struggle to read fluently
• Feel frustrated when reading or avoid reading

Parents in New Jersey often start looking for Orton Gillingham tutoring when they notice their child is struggling with reading, is feeling frustrated, or is losing self-confidence.

Read more about who benefits from Orton Gillingham tutoring at Who Benefits from Orton Gillingham Tutoring?

Why Orton Gillingham works

Orton Gillingham works because it is structured, systematic, and teaches struggling learners in a way that works for them, using an easy-to-follow, step-by-step approach. Rather than looking at the beginning sound and “guessing” at a word or otherwise memorizing words, with Orton Gillingham tutoring, students learn:

• The names of each letter and its corresponding sound
• The connection between sounds and letters
• Specific word patterns
• Spelling rules
• Tools for decoding words they haven’t seen before

Orton Gillingham tutoring sessions are hands-on and engaging, helping students not only develop their reading and spelling skills, but retain what they learn. Ultimately, this approach leads to improved decoding, spelling, reading fluency, and reading comprehension skills.

What to look for in an Orton Gillingham tutor in NJ

When seeking an Orton Gillingham tutor in NJ, look for someone with the following:

1. Experience with learning disabilities and reading challenges 
A strong Orton Gillingham tutor has expertise in working with students who have learning disabilities, including dyslexia, as well as students with general reading challenges, and can adapt their tutoring based on how the student responds.

2. Creates a structured plan
When providing Orton Gillingham tutoring, a structured plan should be in place for the tutoring sessions. Students should receive an initial evaluation to determine their strengths and weaknesses and the specific aspects of reading they struggle with. Then a structured tutoring plan should be put in place, beginning with the student’s current level and progressing forward accordingly.

3. Provides individualized Instruction
Orton Gillingham lessons should always be tailored to the specific needs of each student. Some students may struggle to read and spell basic consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words, while others may have difficulty with more complex words containing consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, or multi-syllabic words. An Orton Gillingham tutoring plan should always be in place for students and modified based on how the student responds.

4. Offers consistent tutoring sessions
It’s important that students who receive Orton Gillingham tutoring have consistent tutoring sessions on a regular basis. Orton Gillingham lessons build upon one another, and most students need consistent repetition in order to internalize new sounds and concepts. Reinforcement at home in between sessions is helpful as well.

5. Provides progress Updates
Parents should receive updates on how their child is progressing from the Orton Gillingham tutoring lessons. Some students show progress quickly, while others need more time and repetition to significantly improve their reading skills.

Orton Gillingham versus traditional reading tutoring

Traditional reading tutoring may involve individual unconnected lessons that vary from week to week or might focus simply on helping students complete their reading homework.

Orton Gillingham tutoring, on the other hand, focuses on core skills building, starting with foundational reading skills and then progressing upwards from there. The lessons build upon one another in a systematic way, helping students gain mastery of new sounds and concepts and feel more confident with their reading skills.

For students with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities, this type of dyslexia reading tutoring is highly effective.

In-person versus virtual tutoring 

When seeking an Orton Gillingham tutor for your child, you may be looking at both in-home and virtual tutoring options. Both modalities can work for Orton Gillingham tutoring, based on your child’s needs and preferences.

While in-person tutoring offers face-to-face interactions and easily integrated multi-sensory tools, such as colored sand, magnetic tiles, and shaving cream, virtual tutoring has its advantages as well. Online tutoring generally offers more flexibility with scheduling and allows you to access specialized tutors who may not be available in your local geographic area.

How long does it take to see results from Orton Gillingham tutoring?

The rate at which students show progress from Orton Gillingham varies based on their unique levels and profile. Some students show progress very quickly, while others take longer to process and internalize new Orton Gillingham sounds and concepts.

In general, families might notice the following from Orton Gillingham tutoring:

• Increased reading confidence within the first month
• Improved decoding and spelling skills within the first 2-3 months
• Significant growth in reading and spelling with 6-12 months

These are just general estimates – some students may take less time to show progress, and others may take more time. The goal with this systematic, multi-sensory approach to tutoring is to create gains that will last for the long run.

Why NJ Parents choose Orton Gillingham tutoring 

Many parents are looking for the right support to help their child who is struggling with reading. They often choose Orton Gillingham tutoring in New Jersey because their child:

• Is not responding well to traditional classroom reading instruction
• Has dyslexia or another learning disability
• Is struggling to keep up with the pace of reading instruction in a large class and needs more individualized support
• Is showing challenges with foundational reading and spelling skills

OG tutoring provides students with individualized, highly effective instruction that can help them build their reading skills and feel confident and successful in school.

Concluding Thoughts

If your child is struggling with reading, don’t wait! The reading demands will only increase as students progress through school. Orton Gillingham tutoring in New Jersey can provide the individualized support your child needs to thrive academically.

If you are looking for an Orton Gillingham tutor in New Jersey or NYC, we can help! EBL Coaching specializes in providing one-on-one Orton Gillingham tutoring to students in their home, at our learning center, or virtually. Contact us now to see how we can help your child with our individualized Orton Gillingham tutoring programs.

Our New Jersey learning center is located at 50 East Palisade Avenue, Suite 201, Englewood, NJ 07631 and our NYC learning center is located at 17 East 89th Street, Suite 1D, New York, NY 10128.

We provide in-home Orton Gillingham tutoring throughout NYC and its surrounding areas, and we also provide in-home Orton Gillingham tutoring in Bergen County, dyslexia tutoring in Essex County, specialized reading tutoring in Hudson County, and Orton Gillingham tutoring in all surrounding areas in New Jersey.

Frequently Asked Questions about Orton Gillingham tutoring 

Is Orton Gillingham tutoring only for students with dyslexia?
No, absolutely not! While Orton Gillingham was originally designed for students with dyslexia, any student who is struggling with reading can benefit from this approach. It is systematic, multi-sensory, and highly effective at helping students build their reading and spelling skills.

When should my child start Orton Gillingham tutoring?
Your child should start Orton Gillingham tutoring as soon as you notice them struggling with reading. This could happen very early; some young children struggle to learn the names of the letters and their corresponding sounds, along with how to properly write each letter. Orton Gillingham tutoring can help students build these early foundational skills. This method can also help students who may be older and struggling with reading or spelling more complex words.

How often should my child receive Orton Gillingham tutoring?
The frequency that students receive Orton Gillingham tutoring varies based on their needs and levels. Some students need only a few sessions per week, while others need daily instruction. Each child should be evaluated to assess their specific needs before Orton Gillingham tutoring begins, and an individualized tutoring plan should be created.

Read more about Orton Gillingham tutoring in New Jersey at Orton Gillingham Tutoring in NJ for Students with Dyslexia

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, holds her Doctorate Degree in Education and her Master’s Degree in Special Education. She has helped thousands of students with dyslexia and reading challenges through Orton Gillingham tutoring for over twenty years. She is also the author of the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook series, used by students and schools nationwide.

The post Orton Gillingham Tutoring in NJ: What Parents Should Know appeared first on EBL Coaching.

Which academic delays can occur in kindergarten?

Academic delays in young children can show up in various forms. There are early signs that can help determine whether your child may benefit from extra support. Some common areas of challenge include:

• Recognizing the names of the letters and their corresponding sounds
• Writing letters
• Writing numbers
• Counting numbers
• Following multi-step directions
• Focusing during lessons

Each child progresses at a different pace, but if you notice your child struggling with any of these skills, take action. The academic demands of school will only continue to increase, and targeted support can make an immense difference.

Early signs your child may need kindergarten tutoring

You might be unsure about whether your child is following their own developmental track or is falling behind. While some children may grasp foundational academic skills with time, others might benefit from a tutor to help them build these skills.  Here are some signs that your child may benefit from tutoring:

• Difficulty learning letter names and sounds
• Trouble with rhyming
• Challenges with identifying beginning and ending sounds in words
• Avoiding reading and writing tasks
• Struggling with holding a pencil, cutting, and other fine motor skills
• Difficulty learning how to count and recognize numbers
• Trouble staying on task for long stretches of time

If your child is struggling with any of these tasks, tutoring can help them build these foundational skills and prevent future challenges.

Why kindergarten tutoring helps

Kindergarten is a time when many early academic skills are taught. Foundational reading, writing, and math skills are introduced, and students need to grasp these basic skills in order to learn more complex material. If your child is having trouble learning these skills, they may benefit from kindergarten tutoring in NYC.

Early tutoring can help them:

• Build foundational reading, writing, and math skills
• Fill in any learning gaps they may have
• Prevent these gaps from turning into larger challenges
• Build their self-confidence
• Help them enjoy learning
• Reduce frustration
• Set them up for future academic success

If your child is struggling in school or has a diagnosed learning disability, tutoring can make an immense difference in their academic trajectory and help them feel confident in school.

What does effective kindergarten tutoring in NYC look like?

Many tutors have their own niche specialties. Some tutors are high level math specialists; others might be pros at teaching paragraph and essay writing; and some specialize in working with young learners, including kindergarten students. When students are in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, the tutoring sessions should be fun and engaging, helping them enjoy the process while learning key skills. The ideal kindergarten tutoring approach should be:

1. Multi-Sensory

Young children tend to learn best when the visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic modalities are integrated into teaching. Students should be able to see, hear, and touch new concepts being introduced during tutoring sessions. Multi-sensory tutoring lessons might include:

• Tracing letters in sand or shaving cream
• Creating words using magnetic tiles
• Tracing numbers on sandpaper
• Using manipulatives for math
• Integrating learning games to reinforce content covered

2. Structured and systematic

Most young children benefit from clear, step-by-step instructions that follow a systematic plan. This structured approach to teaching can help children effectively develop all core skills, including reading, writing, and math.

A sample structured reading tutoring lesson might include:

1. Teaching individual consonants and short vowels along with their corresponding sounds, including how to identify and write these letters.
2. Blending sounds together to form basic words, working in groups of four consonants and one short vowel, learning to read words such as at, in, fun, pat, & rug.
3. Moving on to reading and spelling words containing blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, and multi-syllabic word patterns.
4. Integrating oral sentences and story reading that reinforce concepts taught once the student is ready.

3. Individualized tutoring

Every child has unique learning needs, and tutoring sessions should be individualized to these needs. An effective tutoring program will:

• Start with an initial evaluation to assess your child’s current skill levels
• Create an individualized tutoring plan
• Tweak the lessons based on how your child responds

4. Engaging, fun, and positive

Kindergarten students should have fun during tutoring sessions and enjoy the learning process, helping them feel successful and motivated to learn. Tutoring sessions should be:

• Fun and engaging
• Positive and uplifting
• Self-esteem building
• Hands-on

One-on-one tutoring vs. group programs for kindergarten instruction

For pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students who have learning delays, one-on-one tutoring in NYC is generally the most effective option, allowing the instruction to truly be tailored to their needs. Students with dyslexia and other reading challenges may benefit from specialized Orton Gillingham tutoring.

Benefits of one-on-one tutoring:

• Tutoring sessions are individualized to your child’s specific needs
• Pacing is flexible based on how your child responds
• New lessons are introduced when your child is ready
• Previously taught concepts are reinforced as needed, based on your child’s grasp of the material
• Stronger connection with the tutor

Challenges with group programs:

• Less individualized instruction
• A specific curriculum is often followed that may not be best for your child
• Pace may not match your child’s needs
• Limited ability to tweak instruction based on your child’s response to lessons

At this young age, individualized instruction is particularly important, as this is a time when the foundations of learning are still being established. Without these foundations, students will likely continue to struggle in school and may develop learning gaps. Note that if your child has a diagnosed learning disability or ADHD, one-on-one tutoring is even more important.

Learn more about signs your child may be neurodivergent at Signs Your Child May Be Neurodivergent: ADHD, Dyslexia, And Autism

Which subjects can kindergarten tutoring in NYC help with?

While every child is different and should be assessed before tutoring sessions begin, kindergarten tutoring generally focuses on foundational skills building. These skills might include:

Pre-Reading & Reading 

• Letter recognition
• Sound recognition
• Phonemic awareness, including rhyming and identifying sounds in words
• Blending sounds to form basic words

Writing

• Writing letters properly, using top to bottom formation
• Fine motor skills
• Writing their name
• Blending sounds together to write basic words

Math

• Counting skills
• Number recognition
• Simple addition concepts
• Simple subtraction concepts
• Recognizing Patterns
• Sorting objects

Executive Functioning

• Staying focused on tasks
• Following directions
• Initiating tasks

How often should kindergarten tutoring occur?

The frequency at which a kindergarten student should receive tutoring varies based on their needs. Some students need one or two sessions per week, while others may need much more, depending on the severity of their needs. Summer tutoring is also a great way to focus on core skills building before the new school year begins. The key is receiving regular, consistent instruction.

Read more about summer tutoring at One-on-One Summer Tutoring Near Me: What to Look For

Supporting your child at home

When your child receives tutoring, it’s helpful to reinforce the concepts covered during tutoring sessions at home. Remember to keep the reinforcement work fun and engaging. Learning should be enjoyable for your child at this stage. While you should coordinate with your child’s tutor to reinforce what they are working on, some ideas for helping your child at home might include:

• Reading together every day and engaging your child in the book with questions about the characters, setting, and plot
• Practicing letter formations by having your child trace letters in salt or sand at the beach
• Playing learning games
• Encouraging drawing and writing to build fine motor skills

Remember to keep these activities positive, engaging, and encouraging.

Concluding thoughts

If your kindergarten child is showing signs of academic delays, one-on-one tutoring can make a lasting difference. With tutoring, your child will not only strengthen their academic skills but will likely become more confident and enjoy the process of learning.

Are you looking for kindergarten tutoring in NYC or NJ? We can help! EBL Coaching specializes in one-on-one tutoring for young children with academic delays using multi-sensory, research-based methods. In addition to kindergarten tutoring, we have expertise in ADHD coaching in NYC, dyslexia tutoring in NYC, learning disability instruction in NYC, and Orton Gillingham tutoring in NYC. Contact us today to see how we can help your child with individualized tutoring!

Our NYC learning center is located at 17 East 89th Street, Suite 1D, New York, NY 10128 and our New Jersey learning center is located at 50 East Palisade Avenue, Suite 201, Englewood, NJ 07631.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kindergarten Tutoring 

Is kindergarten too early for tutoring?
Absolutely not! Kindergarten is a time when academic foundations are still being established. If your child is having difficulty learning basis skills, tutoring can help them immensely, especially if the sessions are fun and engaging.

What type of tutor should I look for?
When looking for a tutor for your child, try to find someone with expertise in early childhood education. Also look for someone who will use a structured, multi-sensory approach to teaching, including tools such as colored sand, magnetic tiles, and shaving cream to help engage your child in the learning process.

Learn more about what to look for in a reading tutor in NYC at What to Look for in a Reading Specialist in NYC

Can kindergarten tutoring help if my child doesn’t have a diagnosis?
Yes! Many children benefit from tutoring even when they don’t have an official diagnosis. If you notice your child struggling, don’t wait! If they miss out on learning foundational academic skills, they will likely continue to struggle as they move through school without effective remediation.

How long does it take to see progress from tutoring?
Every child improves at a different rate. Some students progress quickly, while others take much longer. However, with the right tutor, frequency, and methodologies, many students show progress within the first month of tutoring.

Dr. Emily Levy, the founder and director of EBL Coaching, has helped thousands of early childhood students improve their academic skills over the past twenty years. She is the author of the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham workbook series, the Flags and Stars multi-sensory math student workbook program, and the Strategies for Study Success study skills workbook series. She regularly writes educational articles for publications and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert.

The post Kindergarten Tutoring for Children with Academic Delays: What Parents Need to Know appeared first on EBL Coaching.