Many elementary readers struggle with phonemic awareness, decoding unfamiliar words, maintaining focus during longer texts, and understanding what they've read. Some students also have difficulty with comprehension questions, making inferences, or connecting stories to their own experiences. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction allows tutors to pinpoint whether a student needs help with foundational skills like phonics or higher-level comprehension strategies.

Tutors work with students on active reading strategies like predicting what happens next, asking questions while reading, visualizing scenes, and summarizing key points. They also help students learn to identify main ideas, understand character motivations, and make connections between what they read and real life. With personalized feedback and practice, students build confidence and develop stronger comprehension habits that stick.

During an initial session, a tutor will assess your student's current reading level, identify specific areas where they're struggling, and learn about their interests and learning style. This helps create a personalized plan tailored to your child's needs—whether that's building phonics skills, improving fluency, or strengthening comprehension. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who can explain their approach and answer any questions you have.

Most students benefit from 1-2 sessions per week, though the ideal frequency depends on your child's specific needs and goals. A tutor can recommend a schedule during your first meeting and adjust it as your student makes progress. Regular, consistent practice between sessions helps reinforce new skills, so tutors often suggest activities to work on at home.

Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have expertise in elementary reading instruction and understand how to teach foundational skills like phonics, fluency, and comprehension. You can share your student's specific challenges—whether it's decoding, focus, or understanding—and get matched with someone experienced in that area. Tutors work with students across San Jose's diverse school districts and can tailor their approach to your child's needs.

Good tutors provide regular feedback on what your student is working on and celebrate small wins—like mastering a new phonics pattern or finishing a book independently. You'll likely notice improvements in reading fluency, confidence, willingness to read, and comprehension over time. Many tutors also suggest informal ways to track progress at home, like timing fluency reads or keeping a list of books completed.

In a classroom of 22+ students, teachers have limited time to address each child's individual reading level and pace. Personalized 1-on-1 tutoring allows a tutor to focus entirely on your student's strengths and gaps, adjust strategies in real-time, and provide immediate feedback. This targeted approach helps students who are behind catch up faster, or those ready to move ahead progress without waiting for the rest of the class.