Award-Winning Orton Gillingham Tutors
serving Kansas City, MO
Orton Gillingham
Tutors in Kansas City
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.
I have been an elementary and middle school teacher for the past 14 years, and enjoy working with all ages of students. My focus over the last few years has been to delve deeply into the science behind learning to read. As a result, I have become a Certified Orton Gillingham Instructor through the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE). The Orton Gillingham (OG) approach consists of multi-sensory instruction that is direct, explicit, and systematic. Lessons are based on the individual needs of the student. It has been proven over time to be a very effective way to teach students with reading difficulties, including dyslexia, to read. I look forward to help you or your child experience the joy of learning to read.
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.
Hi there! I'm Derek and I'm passionate about helping students like you achieve their goals through engaging, customized learning experiences. Whether you're looking to deepen your understanding of a subject, improve your grades, or master a particular skill, I'm here to guide you every step of the way. With a PhD in Curriculum Design and Educational Technologies and 17 years of experience in education, I bring a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise to every session. But what sets me apart is my commitment to understanding your unique learning style. I don't believe in one-size-fits-all approachesevery student is different, and I tailor my lessons to meet your individual needs, pace, and interests. I take pride in creating a comfortable, supportive environment where questions are encouraged, and learning is both challenging and fun. I strive to build a rapport with my students, so they not only understand the material but also develop the confidence to apply it in real-world situations. Together, we'll work toward your academic or professional goals, and I'll be there to celebrate every success along the way. If you're ready to take the next step in your learning journey, I'd love to connect with you. Let's create a plan that works for you!
I am a graduate of Bachelor in Elementary Education with a major in Special Education. Currently, I am pursuing my graduate degree in Special Education. I am a licensed teacher, and I have 9 years of teaching experience, both in-person and virtually. I am most interested in helping students with learning difficulties achieve their highest potential. I am fun, creative, and passionate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Orton Gillingham approach is a structured, multisensory method for teaching reading that emphasizes phonics and the alphabetic principle. It's particularly effective for students with dyslexia or reading difficulties because it breaks down language into its smallest components and teaches how letters and sounds connect. The method uses direct instruction, repetition, and multi-sensory engagement (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) to help students build strong foundational reading skills.
Students with dyslexia, reading delays, or those who haven't responded well to traditional classroom reading instruction typically see the greatest gains with Orton Gillingham. However, any student who needs explicit, systematic phonics instruction—including struggling readers, English language learners, and students with processing difficulties—can benefit. For students in Kansas City's 204 schools, personalized Orton Gillingham instruction can provide the targeted support that classroom settings with an average 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio may not always offer.
Classroom reading programs often use mixed approaches and move at a pace designed for the average student, which can leave struggling readers behind. Orton Gillingham tutoring provides one-on-one, highly structured instruction tailored to your child's specific needs and pace. A tutor can diagnose exactly where reading breaks down—whether it's phoneme awareness, decoding, or fluency—and address those gaps directly, rather than moving forward with incomplete foundational skills.
The first session typically involves assessment and goal-setting rather than formal instruction. A tutor will evaluate your student's current reading level, identify specific areas of difficulty, and understand their learning style and strengths. This information helps create a personalized instructional plan that targets the exact skills your student needs to develop, ensuring every session builds on a solid foundation.
Many students show noticeable improvement in phonemic awareness and decoding within 4-6 weeks of consistent, structured instruction. However, the timeline depends on the severity of the reading difficulty, the student's starting point, and how frequently tutoring occurs. With regular sessions and practice, students typically develop stronger decoding skills, increased reading confidence, and improved comprehension over a few months of instruction.
Orton Gillingham is a complementary approach that strengthens the phonics and decoding foundation, which most school curricula include but may not emphasize as heavily or systematically. Rather than conflicting with classroom instruction, personalized Orton Gillingham tutoring fills gaps and reinforces what students are learning in school through explicit, multisensory methods. Tutors can coordinate with classroom teachers to ensure instruction supports your student's overall reading development.
Expert tutors in Orton Gillingham should have specialized training in the method, often through certification programs, and experience working with students who have reading difficulties or dyslexia. They should understand the science of reading, be able to diagnose specific reading challenges, and know how to adjust instruction based on student response. Varsity Tutors connects you with qualified tutors who have the expertise to deliver structured, evidence-based reading instruction.
Consistent practice between tutoring sessions is essential for building automaticity and transferring skills to independent reading. Tutors typically assign targeted practice activities—such as sound drills, decodable reading, or multisensory letter practice—that reinforce what was taught in sessions. Regular practice helps students internalize the phonetic patterns and decoding strategies they're learning, leading to faster progress and more confident readers.
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