Who Qualifies for 2 Free Lessons with the Online Reading Tutor

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This offer is for people who are looking for a reading tutor and are willing to consider online lessons. Most folks want to find out how my sessions work, and to see if their child can work happily with me, before making a decision.

I offer prospective parents two free lessons to try it out before hiring me.
(Unfortunately, using the free lessons is of no help to a child if the parent has no plans to get a tutor, because there will be no follow-up, and the short time spent won’t add to the child’s skills. It’s not a good use of your time or your child’s.

In the first lesson I evaluate your child, though it is completely unlike testing at school. It’s non-threatening, and kids rather like it.

In the second lesson, I begin work on the issues I discovered in the previous lesson.

For more details, see my FAQ. You also might like to see what other parents have said about the work I’ve done (and am still doing!) with their child.

If you are interested in tutoring, please let me know about your child, and what your concerns are. I hope I can be of help.

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13 Ways to Raise a Reluctant Reader

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To make sure that your child will never want to read, enjoy books, or love to learn, do follow all these tips! (I can’t claim credit—I’ve seen this several places on the internet and wasn’t able to find out where it originated. If you know, let me know, and I’ll be sure to attribute it.)

These make me laugh out loud. ;)

  1.  Never read where your children can see you.
  2.  Put a TV or computer in every room. Don’t neglect the bedrooms and kitchen.
  3.  Correct your child every time she mispronounces a word.
  4.  Schedule activities every day after school so your child will never  be bored.
  5.  Once your child can read independently, throw out the picture books. They’re for babies.
  6.  Don’t play board games together. Too dull.
  7.  Give little rewards for reading. Stickers and plastic toys are nice. Money is even better.
  8.  Don’t expect your children to enjoy reading.  Kids’ books are for teaching  vocabulary, proper study habits, and  good morals.
  9.  Buy only 40-watt bulbs for your lamps.
  10. Under no circumstances read your child the same book over and over.  She heard it once, she should remember it.
  11. Never allow your child to listen to  books on tape; that’s cheating.
  12. Make sure your kids only read books that  are “challenging.” Easy books are a  complete waste of time. That  goes double for comic books and Mad  magazine.
  13. Absolutely, positively no reading in bed.

Can Kids Actually Learn to Read or Improve Their Reading ONLINE?

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smiling boy age 9 reads on laptop near garden

You bet they can!

Most of my students enjoy lessons on the computer much more than in-person tutoring. They don’t have to spend time in the car going to and fro, they are in the comfort of their own home, and in general we enjoy the work together.

Another reason it works is because I don’t teach reading the way most schools do! That has already failed your child. Over the years, I’ve created special ways to explain the small details about reading that confuse your child. Every child has different bits that he simply missed in the past. My job is to give them a coping skill to handle each of these.

We use online books. Music, including (clean) rap. Mnemonics. Silly sentences as reminders of the sounds of vowels. We read 1-on-1 and I show them a way to think it through at the very second trouble begins. Tutoring goes very quickly for both of us most of the time!

This stuff can’t be cloned. It can’t be done with a group who learn at different speeds and in different ways. It’s me and your child doing what works for him, tackling the small things, then eventually the larger issues.

Most kids who struggle have already failed or done poorly using the same old methods. They’ve had enough. They’re sick of it. Often they’ve shut down completely, and are sullen, unhappy, and refuse to read anything. I do all I can to change those feelings, both about themselves and about reading.

Why my work matters so much to me

I care because it’s a terrible situation for the child and the family. It breaks parents’ hearts, and it crushes the souls of children. I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to. I have worked wonders, and hope to work many more. At the very least, I want to help YOU find ways to make a difference for your precious child.

Maybe it would help you decide if you read some letters from actual parents whose kids worked with me.

Parents of Struggling Readers: Don’t Give Up!

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Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s former prime minister once said, “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.”

And this is especially true with struggling readers. But hang in there—we can get them through it!

Remember that rereading a book, a poem, or even a note or list is the best way to build automaticity, or reading without thinking about it. Reading something again helps kids get the words and concepts into long term memory. This then leads to better fluency, or reading smoothly and quickly.

Automaticity is key to good reading, and it is achievable by kids with reading problems. They may require more frequent rereading of books they try and like (or don’t like, in many cases!), and they may need more time to gain the automatic recall of the words involved, but they can get there.

The important thing is to keep reading front and center. Read menus with your child. Read recipes. Read cereal boxes. Read bits from the newspaper. Read  the lyrics to favorite songs. (You can find the lyrics to almost anything these days by typing lyrics + “song title.”) Write them notes about things that are important to them—an upcoming birthday party, or something special that they are looking forward to.

Most important of all, of course: read books. Remember that just because your child can’t read something at their grade level, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t understand it if read by you or a friend or sibling. With kids who are behind, it’s so important to keep building their vocabulary and undertanding of ideas in other areas so that once we do get them reading, they won’t have so much new material to learn that they give up.

If possible, once your child has mastered a book, however short, however easy, find ways for him to read it to others: grandparents, a friend of yours, a younger child across the street. Reading something he knows well again and again will build confidence, and yes, build automaticity. 

It can be done, moms and dads. I know how hard it is to continue to hope, to try to help, and to constantly run into closed doors and see your child put up walls against reading.

Try to get help for your child. Reading problems don’t solve themselves, as you’ve already learned. Too often the child won’t cooperate with help from a parent. For some, assistance may come from the school, but you’ve probably relied on the school already and haven’t gotten an answer. For others, homeschooling may seem doable, and it may help. For some children, though, professional help is needed.

For my students, our 1-on-1 intensive time is the thing that finally turns them around. That is why I teach online. That is the the service I provide. That is why I would like to work with your child.

Sadly, I know that many, many families can’t afford tutoring. It breaks my heart to think of so very many kids out there hurting, and the pain their parents are feeling as well. I can only encourage you, if it is humanly possible, to save money and find a quality tutor.

I’m willing to take students on a part-time basis if you can only afford a lesson once in a while. We use the time slots that come up when kids are sick. It isn’t the best thing to do, and it won’t be the solution, but it could help. Let me know if you are in this situation. I don’t provide the free lessons, but I will give you the 25% off for the first month. I wish I could do more. Please mention in your note that you are only interested in part-time lessons.

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Tips for Struggling Readers from the Online Reading Tutor

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laughing young girl reading with feet up and head down

  • Did you know that the amount of talk and discussion that goes on in a home is directly related to a child’s vocabulary and reading ability? And to discuss books you read with the child (often!) can DOUBLE the chances for success. COOL!
  • Give your child time to think about a story, and then ask him or her about it again a few days later. This exercises their “long term memory” (or long term recall) and helps them learn and retain knowledge in any subject as they come across it.
  • Make connections. When you’ve read about something in a story and later see something that reminds you of it, mention it to your child and make the connection between them. This shows your child how to make connections too, and gets those neural pathways forged and reinforced in the brain. Result? A kid who can find connections all around him, which helps build knowledge and understanding.

 

A Child With Reading Problems? Try The Online Tutor

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angry little girl is hostile over reading troubles

It’s a new school year, and everyone is looking forward to it!

But not you and your troubled reader. You are both miserable because you know she is walking into her new classroom unprepared. She couldn’t read well enough to do the work last year, much less the harder work coming up now. Or worse yet, maybe she can’t read at all.

It’s a nightmare, isn’t it?

I have an unusual approach to teaching reading; it’s a very different style than schools usually use. I work with many alternative techniques to find the missing keys to a child’s reading issues. Very often a fresh start with me is all a child needs to get back on the road to success.

If you and your child are serious about finding help, I have a valuable offer for you. Have you considered online tutoring with a professional reading teacher? I’ve created an inexpensive way for you to try it out and see what you think.

My offer to you

I’ll give your child two free lessons so you watch the way I work, and see how your child responds to me. This also gives e the chance to find out whether I can help or not. If not, I’ll tell you so up front.

If you decide to give it a try, I offer a full month of lessons at 25% off the usual price, no matter how many lessons you schedule. You’re not committed at any time, and can stop whenever you wish.

What’s in it for you?

  • You’ll feel good because you’re actively looking for answers to a very big problem that your child lives with every day.
  • We may find a new style of learning and reading that makes sense to your child, that isn’t confusing and upsetting.
  • It’s very likely your child’s reading will improve with what we discover.

And just think—no hassles with driving to lessons and waiting around for it to end, or bad weather causing you to miss lessons. You can even be at work when your child works with me!

To learn more details about lessons, see my FAQ.

Here’s to your child’s future success in reading and in life!

Prices and

When I’m At My Best As An Online Reading Teacher

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I was recently asked who I am as a teacher when I’m at my best. I started to talk, but then the person hushed me, and said, “No. You have to wait an hour before you can answer.”

Being a teacher, that caught my attention, because I know what the person meant. She wanted me to really, seriously think about it, then let it go for a while to let my brain work without me. I often ask kids to do this!

Then I should return to it again to fine-tune it and catch anything I didn’t have quite right.

Here is what I came up with.

When I’m at my best as a reading teacher on Skype: (my lessons are online—not in person!)

  • I am fully and completely immersed in the child’s lesson experience.
  • Every word the child says, every letter or sound or passage that she reads carries hidden messages for me about the precise things she does and doesn’t understand.
  • I don’t let a single thing other than that child and her experiences into my thoughts.
  • I respond to any cues at all that show me she is not clear on something, no matter how unrelated they may at first seem.
  • Sometimes the best response is to remain silent, and that one is the hardest of all.
  • I focus on her feelings, mood, skills, natural talents and needs, and respond intuitively with a sure and complete knowledge of my area of expertise.
  • I am open, aware, and monitoring closely in case there is something newly apparent that I’d not considered before, that I should perhaps try using with other children too.
  • We are learning equally.

If I stick to this, and if the child’s parent understands the need for the student to be away from the family, the TV, the dog, and any other distractions, we can be sure that she is receiving the best possible experience for her valuable learning time, and for the parent’s fee, if one is being paid.

And that night? That night I will sleep very well.
 

Engage Your Child in Reading | A Tip for Turning Kids On

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little baby giraffe standing next to his motherWant to have some fun reading? Even if your child doesn’t really seem to enjoy it, this just might turn the trick. (Maybe even if he hates it!)

Visit the San Diego Zoo site! Why?

Because it’s filled to the gills with awesome cool FUN FACTS about every animal under the sun! For example, did you know that giraffe babies are born and immediately fall 6 feet to the ground and land on their heads?

Nope, I didn’t either. But they do! (That’s as high as a tall grown man!) Do you know why that’s a good thing?

Did you know their tongues are BLUE??

Scroll down a bit on the zoo page to see lots more cool fun stuff (facts) about giraffes. Or search for other great mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and more!

If your child doesn’t get interested in hearing you read the facts to him, ask him for his favorite animal. Type it into the search box and find it. Hopefully there will be some awesome interesting details about your child’s best ever creature.

Or maybe—here’s an idea! After looking at the Fun Facts for a few animals, let him invent his very own animal. Anything in the world he can imagine! He can make up lots of fun facts about that one, I’m sure. Write down the things he says, exactly as he says them.

Then (if he wants to) let him illustrate it. Put a sentence on each page, or a few sentences if he only wants to draw one or two. Either way, SAVE it. You and he will come back to read these things you write together often in the future, for painless reading practice.

Most kids want to read their own work again and again. And truthfully? It’s a terrific way to get them reading! Anything that works? I’ll take it. ;)

This will make a perfect book for reading at bedtime, in the car, or any other time he wants to see his very own reading materials and you have a few minutes to spare.

If you do visit and he likes it? Please let us know! Keep in touch. :) We love stories about kids who enjoy reading experiences.

And you might win a free bag of books! Comment if you want to enter. :D

15 Signs of Reading Problems | Does Your Child Need Help ?

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7 year old blonde boy frowns

Is my child a struggling reader?

This list describes some of the issues that many struggling readers have. Do any of them sound like your child? If so, there are answers.

(If your child is just beginning to read, these are normal! I’m talking here about a child you already suspect may be in trouble.)

15 Signs of a Struggling Reader

The child:

  • has learned to read a little, but isn’t improving
  • can’t remember the shape of the letters
  • can’t remember what sounds the letters make
  • can’t retell a story after reading it, even though she read it and it sounded fine. She didn’t understand it.
  • can’t answer questions about what he read
  • skips little words, and adds in words that aren’t on the page
  • begins to guess instead of trying to decode or sound out words
  • doesn’t know how to sound out words
  • stumbles, stops, loses her place, or starts over again and again
  • is beyond first grade but doesn’t understand combinations of letters that make different sounds  (ch, ea, th, ph, ie,  and many more )
  • mixes up letters that are similar, such as b, d, p, and q, and/or words such as ‘was’ and ‘saw’
  • can’t remember sight words (words that are used constantly, but are spelled irregularly)
  • seems to have no idea what reading is for
  • hates reading in any form and won’t have anything to do with it

These signs usually indicate that your child is having reading difficulties. Some are easy to fix, once they are identified. Others will take more time. But all can be helped.

What can I do?

If you decide that your child really does need extra reading help, above and beyond what your school is doing, it’s time to get it. Delays never help.

Try our 3 free reading lessons (back to school special) and see if your child needs extra assistance. If your child is fine, and you are worrying for no reason, I’ll be so very happy to tell you to relax!

If not, I’ll give you tips and strategies to correct the reading problems at home when the three free lessons are finished, or help you find out how to look for help online.

It can’t hurt, and it probably will help. Don’t worry. NO commitment involved.

I hope to hear from you. :)