Award-Winning Phonics Tutors
Award-Winning Phonics Tutors
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
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Award-Winning Phonics Tutors
I am an Illinois certified Teacher in grades K-9. I attended Northwestern University and received a Master's of Science in Education. I have ample classroom experience and expertise in elementary Math...
Education & Certificates
Northwestern University
Master of Science in Education
Columbia University in the City of New York
Bachelor in Arts, History
SAT Scores
I am currently a student at Rice University studying both History and Neuroscience. Being the oldest of five kids, working with younger students has always been a part of my life. I can tutor a wide v...
Education & Certificates
Rice University
Bachelor in Arts, History
SAT Scores
I am an incoming freshman at Northwestern University, and I will be studying economics and international studies. I have lots of experience in mentoring students individually and teaching in the class...
Education & Certificates
Northwestern University
Bachelor of Economics, Economics
ACT Scores
I am a Yale University Berkeley College graduate of the Yale Class of 2012 with an Intensive B.S. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Eager for tutoring opportunities, I welcome any of ...
Education & Certificates
Yale University
Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
SAT Scores
I'm now a few years removed from academia, I still consider myself an intellect at heart. Stints at New York University's Stern School of Business and Northwestern University have given me extensive s...
Education & Certificates
Northwestern University
Bachelor in Arts
ACT Scores
I am an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago majoring in Classics and Theatre. However, my college uses the core curriculum and as a result, I've had a well-rounded, eclectic education c...
Education & Certificates
University of Chicago
Bachelor in Arts, Classics, Theatre
SAT Scores
I'm a second-year student at Rice University majoring in Biochemistry and Cell Biology as well as in English. My unusual double major is a result of my inability to choose a favorite subject--I love l...
Education & Certificates
Rice University
Bachelors, Biochemistry and Cell Biology, English
SAT Scores
I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in violin performance at the Juilliard School. I have tutored privately and through Chegg Tutoring, Varsity Tutors, PrepExpert, and iLearn World throughout hi...
Education & Certificates
Yale University
Bachelor in Arts
ACT Scores
I am able to determine what obstacles are preventing a student from grasping a concept, and create different means of overcoming those obstacles. Creating a partnership with the student and understand...
Education & Certificates
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Masters, Business Administration and Management
Princeton University
Bachelors
I am a Special Education English teacher in Philadelphia with a passion for education. I love working with students of all ages to find their learning style and to meet their personal goals. I also lo...
Education & Certificates
University of Pennsylvania
Masters, Urban Education
Fordham University
Bachelor in Arts, Sociology
Top 20 English Subjects
Meet Our Expert Tutors
Connect with highly-rated educators ready to help you succeed.
Liz
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +41 Subjects
I am a graduate of Washington University in St Louis, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Humanities and Anthropology. Since graduation, I have worked as a tutor, teacher, and director of tutors at a charter public middle school in Boston. During this time I also received my Masters in Mild to Moderate Disabilities from Simmons College. I have worked extensively with students with a range of abilities, including students with specific learning disabilities, emotional impairments, dyslexia, and ADHD. My teaching experience has given me a deep understanding of the knowledge and habits essential to academic success and has given me the opportunity to hone a variety of strategies that ensure students at each level can achieve their academic goals. While I tutor a broad range of subjects, my favorite ones are Reading, Elementary/Middle School Math, History, and Test Prep. In my experience, tutoring is the most rewarding when a student has that "aha!" moment and achieves a new level of understanding and confidence in his/her abilities. I am a firm believer in the transformative power of education, and I see my role to be that of a facilitator and coach who is there to help the student reach his/her goals through individualized support and rigorous practice. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, practicing my Spanish, and discovering new music. I am also an avid traveler and just got back from a 3 month trip to South America. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you!
Michelle
Calculus Tutor • +34 Subjects
I am a recent graduate of Columbia University's American Studies MA program. I received my undergraduate degree at NYU in Journalism and Africana Studies. I have over 2 years experience helping students in NYC. I love reading, writing, and social and cultural analysis.
Naomi
Calculus Tutor • +45 Subjects
I am finishing up my first year at Princeton University, still undecided but leaning towards studying Sociology. I have experience working with pre-K students through adults in a variety of topics ranging from environmental education to conversational English practice. I spent a year in Indonesia working at a disability rights NGO and helping my adult coworkers as well as elementary school- and college-aged students develop English language skills. I am very passionate about educational equity, and want to assist all students in accessing strong educational resources. I am able to tutor a wide range of topics, from standardized test prep to English to elementary/middle school Math and more. I also play violin and can help students with music theory, composition and general violin skills as well.
Christopher
Calculus Tutor • +27 Subjects
I am a graduate student pursuing a Masters in Public Health at Columbia University's Mailman School. I completed a B.A. at Yale University in the History of Science & Medicine in May of 2011, and I am eager to work with Varsity Tutors in order to help other students achieve their academic goals. Hobbies: singing, art, books, photography, writing, reading, music
Sarah
Middle School Math Tutor • +22 Subjects
I am happy to call Houston home now! I graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Art History and Child Development and completed my master's degree in Communications at the American University of Paris. Hobbies: reading, music, writing, art, books, running, travel
Samuel
Middle School Math Tutor • +30 Subjects
I am a current Master's Student studying Philosophy with a wide range of academic interests. I graduated with General Honors from the University of Chicago in 2018 with degrees in Statistics and East Asian Languages and Civilizations. I enjoy helping students achieve their full potential and primarily tutor standardized tests and college prep. Outside of tutoring I spend my time reading and playing board games.
Colin
Arithmetic Tutor • +28 Subjects
I am very good at determining a student's individual needs and molding sessions based on a students strengths and needs. I am a certified special educator. I have multiple years of classroom teaching experience, primarily grades K-5. I am comfortable tutoring multiple subjects and grade levels including elementary school, middle school, college essays, english, special education, and gifted students. I have experience creating and implementing lessons based on a learners individual learning styles (visual, auditory, or hands on).
Jennifer
Calculus Tutor • +19 Subjects
I am committed to providing my students with the best learning experience achievable. I strive to cater to their needs and challenge them to achieve their academic goals.
Diane
Calculus Tutor • +20 Subjects
I am an avid reader and theater-goer (at least, before the pandemic), am physically active and a risk-taker. In the past I was a marathon runner and a long distance biker. I have run both the New York and the Chicago marathons; did the AIDS Bike Ride in Alaska and have participated in the Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRI) several times. I also paint and have attended summer art programs and have sold some of my paintings at Art Fairs.
Bina
Calculus Tutor • +27 Subjects
I am currently a law student and am on the road to appreciating a new kind of study: that of various legal doctrines, statutory interpretation and methods of argumentation.
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Most children benefit from phonics instruction between ages 4-6, though the right time varies by individual. Some children show early interest in letters and sounds as young as 3, while others are ready a bit later. The key is that your child should have some foundational oral language skills and be interested in written words.
A tutor can assess your child's readiness and current phonetic understanding to determine the best starting point, whether that's basic letter recognition or more advanced phonetic patterns.
Personalized 1-on-1 phonics tutoring identifies specific gaps—whether it's sound recognition, blending, or decoding multisyllabic words—that may not be addressed in a classroom setting. A tutor can slow down, repeat concepts, and use targeted practice to build confidence and fluency at your child's pace.
Tutors also employ diagnostic assessment to understand if challenges stem from phonological awareness, phonics application, or both, then tailor instruction accordingly. This individualized approach often produces faster progress than classroom instruction alone.
Yes. Tutors understand major phonics curricula and can coordinate with your child's classroom approach—whether the school uses systematic phonics, balanced literacy, or other frameworks. This alignment ensures tutoring reinforces what's being taught at school without conflicting methods.
Many tutors also ask parents and teachers about specific skills being worked on in class, so they can supplement and strengthen learning in those exact areas.
Phonics teaches children to decode words by understanding sound-symbol relationships (blending sounds like /c/ /a/ /t/ into "cat"), while sight words are words recognized instantly without sounding them out (like "the" or "said"). Both are important for reading development.
A well-rounded phonics tutor teaches systematic sound relationships while also building automaticity with high-frequency sight words. Research supports explicit phonics instruction as foundational, especially for struggling readers, even as sight word vocabulary grows.
Many students show noticeable progress within 4-8 weeks of consistent tutoring, though timeline depends on your child's starting point and frequency of sessions. A child just beginning phonics may move faster through initial concepts, while a struggling reader catching up may show progress through improved decoding confidence and reading fluency over a longer period.
Regular practice between sessions accelerates growth, and tutors typically recommend 1-2 sessions weekly for meaningful progress. Setting realistic milestones with a tutor helps you track improvement beyond just reading level gains.
The best phonics tutors combine strong knowledge of phonetic principles with patience and adaptability. Look for someone who can explain why certain sounds blend together, diagnose specific phonetic weaknesses, and adjust pacing based on your child's learning style—not just follow a script.
Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors experienced in phonics instruction who understand child development and use evidence-based methods. Many have backgrounds in reading intervention or have worked extensively with early readers, bringing depth beyond generic tutoring.
Absolutely. Phonics tutoring can be very effective for English language learners because it teaches the sound system explicitly. ESL students sometimes benefit even more from structured phonics instruction, as they're learning both the letter-sound relationships and pronunciation patterns simultaneously.
A tutor experienced with multilingual learners can address differences between your child's first language sound system and English, helping them navigate tricky pronunciations like "th" or vowel distinctions that may not exist in their native language.
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