Award-Winning Certified Reading Intervention Tutors
serving New Orleans, LA
Certified Reading Intervention
Tutors in New Orleans
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.
Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
UniversitiesSchools & Universities
DeliveredHours Delivered
ProficiencyGrowth in Proficiency
Who needs tutoring?
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.

Two years of teaching elementary students who struggled with literacy gave McKenna firsthand experience identifying where decoding, fluency, or comprehension breaks down. She builds targeted exercises around phonemic awareness and sight-word recognition for younger readers, while older students get scaffolded strategies for tackling longer texts. Her certified reading intervention approach is patient and structured, meeting each learner's specific gaps.

Hello! I'm a reading intervention specialist with over 15 years of experience helping struggling readers build stronger skills and confidence. I use an Orton-Gillinghaminspired, structured literacy that is explicit, systematic, multisensory, and tailored to each learner. Sessions may include phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, spelling, fluency, comprehension, and writing based on individual needs. My goal is to strengthen the foundational literacy skills that make reading easier.
I earned my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Cardiff University, and have a Masters in Counseling from Monash University. Trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach to literacy, I am passionate and experienced in using a multi-sensory approach to tutoring students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties. Having worked in an educational setting for over 11 years in Hong Kong, I am experienced in working with students from kindergarten all the way through to primary school.
I received my degree in Elementary Education from York College of Pennsylvania. I then attended McDaniel College where I received a masters degree in reading and became a Reading Specialist. My love for teaching reading continued and I furthered my education at Mount Saint Mary's University for training in Reading Recovery. I started my career teaching kindergarten and currently am a reading specialist in my school district, where I work one on one and in small groups with struggling readers. My passion is for tutoring early learners to help them gain the skills they need to grow as readers and writers. In my tutoring sessions I love to get to know my learners interests and personalities. I incorporate manipulatives, sight word games, leveled texts, and writing into sessions to make sessions more engaging. I love to build confidence in my learners by focusing on their strengths in order to get the most amount of growth out of my learners. My hobbies include exercise, spending time with my family, and going to the beach.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Certified Reading Intervention is a specialized, evidence-based approach to helping students who struggle with reading skills. It focuses on targeted instruction in phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary using structured, scientific methods. For students in New Orleans who fall behind in reading, this intervention can make a significant difference in building foundational skills and confidence.
Signs that a student may benefit from reading intervention include difficulty decoding words, slow reading speed, trouble understanding what they read, avoiding reading, or falling behind grade-level expectations. With an average student-teacher ratio of 24.8:1 in New Orleans schools, many students don't get the individualized attention needed to address reading gaps. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction can identify specific challenges and target them directly.
A tutor will assess your student's current reading level and identify specific areas of struggle—whether that's phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, or comprehension strategies. From there, they'll create a personalized plan using evidence-based techniques like systematic phonics instruction, repeated reading practice, and guided comprehension activities. Sessions are structured but flexible, adjusting based on your student's progress and learning pace.
Expert tutors who specialize in reading intervention typically hold certifications in reading science, Orton-Gillingham, Wilson Reading System, or similar evidence-based methodologies. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have deep expertise in literacy instruction and understand how students learn to read. When you reach out, you can discuss specific certifications and experience that matter most for your student's needs.
Many students show measurable progress within 4-6 weeks of consistent, targeted instruction, though the timeline varies based on the severity of the reading gap and how frequently your student receives tutoring. Research on reading intervention shows that intensive, personalized instruction produces faster gains than classroom instruction alone. Regular sessions combined with practice at home typically accelerate results.
Yes—comprehension is a core component of Certified Reading Intervention. Tutors teach explicit strategies like asking questions while reading, making predictions, summarizing, and connecting text to prior knowledge. Many students who struggle with comprehension actually have underlying fluency or decoding issues; once those are addressed through intervention, comprehension often improves naturally.
The first session is typically an assessment and goal-setting meeting. The tutor will evaluate your student's reading level, identify specific strengths and challenges, and discuss your goals. This helps create a personalized plan tailored to your student's needs. You'll also have a chance to ask questions about the tutoring approach and what to expect moving forward.
Your tutor will recommend specific practice activities and reading materials matched to your student's level. Consistent practice between sessions—even 15-20 minutes daily—significantly boosts progress. Your tutor can also suggest ways to build reading into daily routines, choose engaging books, and provide positive encouragement without pressure, all of which reinforce the skills learned in tutoring.
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