Parents’ Guide to Online Reading Tutors

The importance of developing strong reading skills as a child cannot be overstated. In fact, a child’s future academic and professional success will depend largely on their ability to read. This is why if you see your child struggling with reading, it’s important to get them help as quickly as possible to ensure they don’t fall behind.

Kids who need additional reading instruction outside of the classroom can benefit greatly from working with online reading tutors. But if your family is new to the world of online tutoring, you may have a lot of questions. Here’s everything you need to know about online reading tutoring:

Does Your Child Need An Online Reading Tutor?

The first thing parents need to know is how to determine when their child is in need of an online reading tutor. It’s possible that your child’s teacher may suggest hiring a reading tutor for your child. But if not, it’s important to know how to spot the signs that your child could benefit from a reading tutor on your own.

It may be best to hire an online reading tutor if:

Your child is not reading at grade level.
Your child is not confident in their ability to read.
You witness your child having trouble reading aloud.
Your child does not understand what they are reading.
Your child is avoiding reading.
Your child recognizes and reads a word on one page, but fails to recognize and read the same word on another page.
Your child is struggling to remember the sounds that each letter makes.

These are some of the many signs that your child could benefit from working with a reading tutor outside of the classroom.

What Qualities Should You Look For In An Online Reading Tutor?

All online reading tutors are not created equal. If you are searching for an online reading tutor for your child, it’s crucial that you take the time to find one with these qualities:

Collaboration: The ideal reading tutor should interact with your child and give them an opportunity to read aloud, sound out words, and answer questions regarding the text.
Motivation: Look for a tutor who knows how to keep kids motivated. Do they teach reading in a way that is fun for your child? Do they let your child read stories that they find interesting? Do they make it a point to recognize your child’s hard work? Answering these questions will help you find a tutor that will keep your child engaged.
Availability: It can be hard to schedule appointments with an online tutor who has a packed schedule. If you want your child to succeed, choose a tutor with plenty of availability and flexibility.
Feedback: Make sure you find a tutor who isn’t afraid to provide your child with feedback regarding their performance. Without this feedback, your child won’t be able to learn from their mistakes.
Affordability: The cost of an online tutor can vary greatly. Be sure to ask online tutors how much they charge per hour before deciding who to hire.

These are some of the many factors you should keep in mind when searching for the right online reading tutor for your child.

How Many Hours of Tutoring Per Week Will Your Child Need?

The number of hours of tutoring that your child will need per week will vary on a case-by-case basis. Tutoring may help some children discover a genuine love for reading. If this is the case for your child, there’s no need to limit how much time they spend with their tutor or practicing reading on their own.

However, if your child does not enjoy reading, it’s important to limit the amount of time they spend with their tutor and reading on their own. Practicing reading for too long can exhaust a reluctant reader, which can make it harder to keep them engaged and motivated.

Start slowly with reluctant readers and add a little more time each week as they become more comfortable and confident in their reading abilities.

You should continue to monitor your child’s progress as time goes by. If your child’s reading skills have drastically improved, you may be able to cut back on tutoring.

But even when it’s time to phase out tutoring, make sure you still encourage your child to read on their own for at least 15 to 20 minutes per day. This way, they can continue to improve their skills without a tutor’s help.

What Are the Benefits of Online Reading Tutoring?

If you are interested in hiring a tutor for your child, it’s important to consider all of your options. You can either hire a private tutor to meet with your child in person or hire an online reading tutor. There are a number of benefits to choosing an online reading tutor, including:

Convenience: You won’t need to drive your child anywhere or invite someone into your home if you choose to hire an online tutor rather than an in-person tutor. Instead, your child can communicate and work with their tutor using the computer.
More engaging: Most children have grown up using computers, smartphones, and other devices, so they tend to thrive in virtual environments. As a result, they may be more successful if they work with an online tutor.
Additional help: If your child has a question or needs additional help, they can always email their online tutor in between sessions.
Wider selection of tutors: You can hire an online tutor who is located anywhere in the country, which means there is a wider selection of tutors available to your child.

Now that you understand the benefits of online tutoring, it’s time to learn how to find the perfect online reading tutor for your child.

Where Can You Find Online Reading Tutors?

The world of online tutoring has rapidly expanded over the last several years. Some of the best online tutoring platforms include:

Readability: Don’t be afraid to think outside the box by trying a reading app rather than an online reading tutor. The Readability app is designed to work with your child just like a private reading tutor The only difference is your child can use the app—and work on their reading skills—anytime, anywhere.
Wyzant: This platform connects students with qualified tutor that are available to meet online or in-person. Simply answer a few questions about your child’s unique tutoring needs to get started.
Tutor.com: This platform offers on-demand help for K-12 students. Instead of scheduling tutoring sessions, your child can request help from a tutor whenever they feel like they need additional help with reading. It only takes a few minutes to connect to a tutor who can help your child with whatever challenge they are facing.
Tutor Eye: Kids who receive online reading tutoring through Tutor Eye can record their sessions so they can play them back later if needed. This service also allows tutors and children to work together on an interactive whiteboard, which is a great tool to use when working on decoding or phonics.

Start your search for a reading tutor today so you can ensure your child gets the help they need as quickly as possible.

What is the Best Online Reading Tutoring Option For Children?

Readability is an innovative smart learning and comprehension app that gives children the opportunity to improve their decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills so they can become better readers. Plus, parents can keep a close eye on their child’s progress by checking the app’s dashboard, which tracks each user’s performance.

Download the Readability app on your smartphone or tablet and start your free 7-day trial today.

Ameeta Jain

My latest project is truly where my happy place is, helping children. I’m a mom to two amazing souls who are my inspiration to be better, do better and strive for more. As a technology entrepreneur, I’ve had the privilege to contribute to the advancement of humanity through tech.

My passion has always been to ensure the end user of our products enjoys huge benefits. We are taking the world of education by storm with industry first reading and comprehension learning technology that levels the playing field for all kids. With over 20 years of tech experience and an army of child development professionals, reading specialists, and experts in education, I created Readability.