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Award-Winning Reading Intervention Tutors

Candice

Certified Tutor

4+ years

Candice

Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing
Candice's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
PSAT Writing Skills
SSAT- Elementary Level

I am an English instructor dedicated to enriching the lives of my students. I hold a BA in English Language and Literature from The University of Chicago and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. Over the years, I have merged my love of language and literature with my long-standing commitm...

Education

The New School

Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing

University of Chicago

Bachelor in Arts, English

McKenna

Certified Tutor

5+ years

McKenna

Bachelor in Arts, English
McKenna's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
ACT Writing
ACT English

I am a recent graduate of Tulane University. I received a B.A. in English (with a concentration in creative writing) as well as a B.A. in political science. I have extensive experience working as a tutor for a wide range of ages. I currently tutor international students ages 4-16 in English. For two...

Education

Tulane University of Louisiana

Bachelor in Arts, English

Rick

Certified Tutor

5+ years

Rick

Bachelor of Science, Health Sciences, General
Rick's other Tutor Subjects
ACT English
ACT Science
ACT Writing
Algebra

I am a UCF graduate Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA! I graduated with a degree in Health Sciences Pre-Clinical. I am currently in the middle of applying to medical school. I am here to help and have previous tutor experience! I was a Supplemental Instruction leader at UCF, where I instructed students...

Education

University of Central Florida

Bachelor of Science, Health Sciences, General

Test Scores
ACT
33
Yasmeen

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Yasmeen

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government
Yasmeen's other Tutor Subjects
AP U.S. Government & Politics
College Application Essays
College Level American History
College Political Science

I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where I studied history and political science. I have been tutoring for 7 years and love to help students do well. I have a particular love for government, American history, and trivia, but I have experience tutoring in a variety of subjects! SAT and...

Education

University of Pennsylvania

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government

Test Scores
SAT
1480
Gerardo

Certified Tutor

14+ years

Gerardo

Bachelors, Accounting
Gerardo's other Tutor Subjects
Conversational Spanish
Languages
Spanish
Spanish 1

I got graduated from Catholic University of Peru in the city of Lima, Peru. I received my bachelor degree in Accounting last year. After my graduation, I moved to the US looking forward to study a Master related to Financial Accounting and Reporting. Moreover, I came from a family that highly values...

Education

Pontifical Catholic University of Peru

Bachelors, Accounting

Cleon

Certified Tutor

4+ years

Cleon

Master of Arts, Mathematics
Cleon's other Tutor Subjects
Algebra
College Algebra
College Math
Geometry

I am here to serve others. If I can help you and I have the ability to do that, then I will do my best to serve you. Be patient and work hard so that together we can succeed. I have close to 50 yrs. of High School Math experience in the classroom. You may be surprised at the tricks I have up my slee...

Education

University of Northern Colorado

Master of Arts, Mathematics

Walla Walla University

Bachelor in Arts, Mathematics

Lisa

Certified Tutor

Lisa

Bachelor in Arts, English
Lisa's other Tutor Subjects
Elementary School English
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Writing
English

When I was working toward my bachelor's degree in counseling, all I knew was that I wanted to help people. Thoughts of teaching had not entered my mind. However, several years later I had an opportunity to teach and quickly fell in love with the creativity of helping someone grasp a new concept and ...

Education

Bob Jones University

Bachelor in Arts, English

Pamina

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Pamina

Bachelors, Communications
Pamina's other Tutor Subjects
College English
Creative Writing
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Writing

My name is Pamina and I hold a TESOL Certificate from Columbia University and a TESOL Master's Degree from Columbia University, Teachers College. I have taught ESL to adults at Columbia University as well as over the past 5+ years at Berlitz US, Varsity Tutors, InAmerica EDU, an education consulting...

Education

Pace University-New York

Bachelors, Communications

Tahmeed

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Tahmeed

Current Undergrad, Computer Science + Philosophy
Tahmeed's other Tutor Subjects
ACT Writing
Algebra
Algebra 2
AP Computer Science A

I am a recent graduate of Emory University, where I studied Mathematics and Philosophy. I have over three years of experience tutoring middle-school to high-school students in math, science, and test prep. I think every student learns differently, and the most important job of a tutor is to tailor h...

Education

Emory University

Current Undergrad, Computer Science + Philosophy

Test Scores
SAT
1570
Milan

Certified Tutor

Milan

Bachelors, Computer Science, English (double major)
Milan's other Tutor Subjects
Algebra
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
AP Computer Science

A Symbolic Systems and Theater double-major at Stanford University in Northern California, Milan is very excited to be a part of the Varsity Tutors team. His main academic interests are English, philosophy, math, and computer science, but Milan enjoys many other subjects (psychology, physics, and ec...

Education

Stanford University

Bachelors, Computer Science, English (double major)

Test Scores
SAT
1540

Meet Our Expert Tutors

Connect with highly-rated educators ready to help you succeed.

Nicole

AP Biology Tutor • +15 Subjects

I am a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. I received my Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa. I also completed a minor in Public Health during my undergraduate career. Upon my graduation from UCLA in June 2013, I received both Latin Honors (cum laude) and a nomination to the Phi Beta Kappa (P.B.K.) National Society. I have recently been accepted to medical school and plan to attend in August 2014. I have experience teaching in middle school and high school settings abroad in both the Philippines and Honduras. I have also tutored family and friends in the sciences throughout my college career. I am intelligent, articulate, patient, and motivating, which I believe allows me to be a successful tutor. I have extensive experience working with children and am determined to make sure my students not only excel in their classes, but also learn the material well and develop an aptitude for academia. I believe education is the gateway to success and feel committed to help prepare my students for their future. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, traveling, running, and hiking with my dog.

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Christie

ACT English Tutor • +11 Subjects

I have had much experiences in tutoring students of various ages, genders, and nationalities. I have been working as a Psychology tutor at my university for over 1 year. I have also worked as an elementary school tutor in reading with the America Reads Challenge. Both of these experiences have taught me the skills that are essential in facilitating a helpful and efficient tutoring session. I hope to pass on unique skills and techniques that will help each student succeed in their target subjectI am available Monday through Friday, on mornings and evenings.

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Matthew

Algebra Tutor • +24 Subjects

I am a recent graduate of Harvard College. I've been working with middle school and high school age children for the past several years and feel very comfortable communicating with students that age. I was a history major in college, but I'd be happy to help out with middle school and early high school math, as well as any help needed with writing or humanities-related courses. Also available for standardized test prep help!

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Ahmed

Adult ESL/ELL Tutor • +23 Subjects

Since I began tutoring 8 years at the beginning of high school, I had not realized that a job that I had initially taken to help pay for the luxuries that my parents could not afford would become one of the brightest and meaningful opportunities I would ever be a part of. At Kumon, I worked with hundreds of students who were challenged with mastering the subjects they were expected to learn and challenged with material they were yet to know; it was both difficult and satisfying to see students struggling with a subject develop over time. Most of the jobs I have worked since then have allowed me to watch kids from elementary to high school grow over the course of years, and I have done my best to make sure they develop a capacity and enjoyment of learning. Even as a graduate of chemistry, I continue to tutor because it is one of, if not the most, impactful way to positively affect the younger generation, and I am glad to be a part of their growth,

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Rohan

AP U.S. Government & Politics Tutor • +29 Subjects

Hey! My name is Rohan, and I'm very excited to be a Varsity Tutor. I've been tutoring since I was fourteen years old, and being an older brother, I've also had countless experience tutoring my younger sister. I bring a positive and exciting attitude to my teaching style, and my main goal is always to ensure my client is learned and satisfied.

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Jason

ACT Math Tutor • +43 Subjects

I am a graduate of Wesleyan University with a Bachelor's degree in chemistry. While in college I worked as a tutor and teaching assistant for first year chemistry, holding weekly sessions where I went over homework and tests. After college I worked for two years at an after-school enrichment program where I again tutored and taught classes in chemistry, math, as well as SAT and ACT prep courses. I have always enjoyed teaching in one form or another, whether it be for academic subjects, music lessons, drawing or martial arts.

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Nicholas

ACT English Tutor • +55 Subjects

I am passionate about education and seeing people grow into fully mature and knowledgeable individuals. Learning is a privilege and the tools and resources we have available to us in the United States are such a gift. We can accomplish so much good through using knowledge to serve others and that is what I am passionate about.

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Claire

AP French Tutor • +21 Subjects

I'm a recent graduate from Brown University where I studied Linguistics and French. I teach French at all levels, including AP and SAT subject test prep. I started learning French when I was 5 and it's been an important part of my life so I hope to help others appreciate the language as much as I do! I studied abroad in Senegal, West Africa where I spoke nothing but French for a semester. In college I was a French TA for several semesters.When I was studying for the SAT in high school, I loved taking standardized tests! I knew that made me crazy, but it helped me figure out how to turn this boring test into something a bit more exciting for students when I started teaching the SAT to low-income, first-generation-to-college high school students. I spent two semesters running classes, and my proudest moment was when when of my students received his acceptance to Brown, my alma mater.I even loved standardized tests so much that I spent a summer working for two standardized test companies, The American Institute for Research, which creates state tests, and Educational Testing Service, Inc. (the company behind writing the SAT, APs, and GREs), where I wrote test questions for the TOEFL Junior (a test of English for foreign elementary and middle school students).My other teaching experiences include full-time one-on-one tutoring at a company called Lindamood-Bell, where I coached students ranging from ages 5-21 in reading and reading comprehension. I worked with star students and students with severe learning disabilities. I love working with students of all ages and abilities because every student is interesting in his or her own way, and I believe that it is only by getting to know a student's unique qualities and interests that I can be the most effective teacher.Outside of teaching, I am trying to learn as much about cheese as I possibly can, and hope to one day become a Certified Cheese Professional and open up my own cheese store.

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Lena

Algebra Tutor • +17 Subjects

Keeping this short and sweet, I am a former Optical Engineer turned professional musical theater dancer. I have two degrees, BS in Optical Sciences and Engineering and BFA in Dance, from the University of Arizona. I have a particular aptitude for high level math and physics, and find it rewarding to see students enjoy these subjects, even if they didn't at first! I work best with students who want to get to the root of understanding their subjects regardless of their learning style. I find that students respond to absorbing knowledge best when finding their own motivation, which I encourage through hands on problem solving and relating difficult concepts to practical life applications. A previous student in AP Calculus AB raised his grade from D to B and got a 5 on the AP test after tutoring with me. Happy to be encouraging STEAM education!!

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Victor

Elementary Reading and Phonics Class Tutor • +13 Subjects

I am 25, living in Brooklyn. I am a University of California Santa Barbara graduate with a B.A. in History, and a Minor in Art and Architecture. I have coached, tutored, and taught in classrooms, after school programs, and summer clinics, with children ranging in age from Pre-K through Middle School. I am looking forward to helping you achieve your academic goals.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Reading intervention is targeted, personalized instruction designed to help students who struggle with foundational reading skills like phonics, fluency, decoding, and comprehension. Students may benefit from reading intervention if they're reading below grade level, have difficulty sounding out words, struggle to understand what they read, or have been identified with dyslexia or other reading-based learning differences.

Research on 1-on-1 instruction shows that personalized tutoring can significantly accelerate reading progress by allowing tutors to diagnose specific skill gaps and address them directly, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Effective reading intervention tutors begin by assessing a student's current reading level across multiple areas: phonemic awareness, decoding skills, sight word recognition, fluency, and comprehension. They may use informal assessments, oral reading samples, and conversations with the student to pinpoint exactly where the breakdown is happening.

Once a tutor understands whether a student struggles with sounding out words, reading too slowly, comprehending text, or a combination of these, they can design personalized instruction that targets those specific gaps rather than reteaching skills the student has already mastered.

Tutors work to complement classroom instruction by understanding the reading curriculum, standards, and expectations your student's school uses. They can reinforce what's being taught in class while also filling in foundational gaps that may be holding your student back.

For example, if a school is introducing chapter books but your student still struggles with decoding, a tutor can work on decoding strategies while simultaneously building confidence with age-appropriate texts. This two-pronged approach helps students keep pace with grade-level content while solidifying the skills they need.

Reading intervention tutors use research-based strategies tailored to each student's needs. These may include:

  • Phonics and decoding: Systematic instruction in letter-sound relationships and blending sounds into words
  • Fluency work: Repeated reading of texts at appropriate levels to build speed and expression
  • Comprehension: Pre-reading strategies, questioning techniques, and graphic organizers to help students understand and retain what they read
  • Vocabulary building: Direct instruction and practice with words students encounter in texts

Tutors adjust these strategies based on how the student responds, ensuring instruction stays effective and engaging.

Reading progress depends on the severity of the student's struggles and how frequently they receive instruction. Students often show improvement in fluency and confidence within a few weeks of consistent tutoring, while foundational skill development (like phonics mastery) may take several months.

The key is consistency—students who work with a tutor 2-3 times per week typically see faster gains than those meeting less frequently. With personalized intervention and regular practice, many students can narrow the gap between their reading level and grade-level expectations significantly over a school year.

Excellent reading intervention tutors combine strong foundational knowledge of reading science with the ability to make learning engaging and pressure-free. They should understand the sequential nature of reading skills, recognize the signs of learning differences like dyslexia, and know how to diagnose where a student's reading breaks down.

Beyond expertise, the best tutors are patient, flexible, and skilled at building student confidence. They celebrate small wins, adjust pace and approach based on student response, and can explain reading concepts in ways that make sense to each individual learner.

With effective reading intervention, students typically experience improvements in decoding accuracy, reading fluency, comprehension, and confidence. Many students report that reading feels less frustrating and more enjoyable when they finally understand the patterns and skills that unlock texts.

Beyond scores and levels, personalized instruction helps students develop independence as readers. When they understand how to approach unfamiliar words and comprehend text, they're equipped to tackle reading challenges on their own—a skill that supports success across all subjects.

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