During an initial session, a tutor will assess your child's current reading level, identify specific areas of strength and challenge, and learn about their interests and learning style. This might include reading passages aloud, discussing comprehension, and understanding what strategies your child already uses when encountering difficult words or concepts. From there, the tutor creates a personalized plan to build confidence and skills in reading.

Tutors teach evidence-based comprehension strategies like previewing text, asking questions while reading, visualizing scenes, and summarizing key details—skills that help students understand and retain what they read. With personalized instruction, tutors can model these strategies using texts at your child's level and gradually release responsibility so students apply them independently. Regular practice with immediate feedback accelerates comprehension growth far more effectively than classroom instruction alone.

Yes—fluency (reading smoothly and with appropriate expression) is built through repeated, supported practice with engaging texts at the right level. Tutors select books that match your child's interests and reading level, provide modeling and feedback on pace and expression, and create a low-pressure environment where struggling readers feel safe to practice. Many students gain confidence and speed within weeks of consistent personalized instruction.

Varsity Tutors connects students with expert tutors who have strong backgrounds in reading instruction, education, or related fields. Tutors understand elementary reading development, phonics, comprehension strategies, and how to adapt instruction for different learning styles. When you connect with a tutor, you'll learn about their specific experience teaching reading and can ensure they're the right fit for your child's needs.

Reading development varies widely—some first graders read fluently while others are still learning letter sounds, and the same applies across all elementary grades. Tutors assess where your child actually is in reading development rather than assuming grade-level placement, then use appropriate texts, strategies, and pacing to build skills. This personalized approach prevents frustration and keeps students engaged whether they're working below, at, or above grade level.

Absolutely—as elementary students progress, tutors help them move beyond basic comprehension to analyze characters, identify themes, understand author's purpose, and make connections between texts. Through guided discussions and strategic questioning, tutors teach students to think critically about what they read and support their ideas with evidence from the text. These foundational analytical skills prepare students for more complex reading in middle and high school.

Many students show noticeable improvements in confidence and skills within 4-6 weeks of consistent tutoring, though the timeline depends on the specific challenge and frequency of sessions. A student working on phonics might progress faster than one building fluency with longer texts. Regular sessions (typically 1-2 per week) combined with practice at home accelerate progress, and tutors will track growth and adjust strategies to keep momentum going.