Award-Winning Orton Gillingham Tutors
serving Las Vegas, NV
Orton Gillingham
Tutors in Las Vegas
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
Orton Gillingham is a structured, multisensory approach to reading instruction that emphasizes phonics and the alphabetic principle. It's designed to help students understand how letters and sounds work together, making it particularly effective for students with dyslexia or those who struggle with traditional reading methods. The approach uses systematic, sequential lessons that engage multiple senses—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic—to reinforce letter-sound relationships and build strong foundational reading skills.
Orton Gillingham is especially helpful for students with dyslexia, reading delays, or those who haven't responded well to conventional classroom instruction. It's also beneficial for students who are strong in other areas but struggle specifically with decoding and phonics. For students in Las Vegas, where the average classroom has a 22:1 student-teacher ratio, personalized Orton Gillingham instruction provides the focused, systematic practice that struggling readers need to build confidence and competence.
During an initial session, a tutor will assess your student's current reading level, identify specific challenges with phonics and decoding, and explain how the Orton Gillingham method works. This diagnostic conversation helps the tutor create a personalized lesson plan tailored to your student's needs and learning pace. You'll also get a clear picture of where your student is starting and what realistic progress looks like over time.
Orton Gillingham tutoring provides one-on-one, highly structured instruction that moves at your student's pace—something difficult to achieve in a classroom setting. Tutors can focus intensively on your student's specific phonics gaps, repeat concepts as needed, and adjust lessons based on real-time feedback. This personalized approach means your student gets immediate correction, targeted practice, and the kind of repetition that builds automaticity in reading skills.
Most students begin showing measurable progress within 4-8 weeks of consistent tutoring, though the timeline depends on the severity of reading challenges and frequency of sessions. Students often notice improved confidence and decoding accuracy before they see dramatic changes in overall reading level. With regular practice and tutoring, students typically build stronger phonics foundations and reading fluency over a few months of sustained instruction.
Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have specialized training in Orton Gillingham methodology and experience working with struggling readers. When you get matched with a tutor, you can discuss their specific credentials, experience with students like yours, and approach to personalized instruction. This ensures your student works with someone who understands both the method and how to adapt it to your child's unique learning style.
Yes, Orton Gillingham is a phonics-based approach that complements Nevada's reading standards, which emphasize foundational phonemic awareness and decoding skills. A tutor can integrate your student's school curriculum into personalized lessons, reinforcing what they're learning in class while filling specific gaps. This alignment helps students apply Orton Gillingham skills directly to their classroom reading assignments and assessments.
Tutors typically assign focused homework that reinforces the specific phonics concepts covered in lessons—things like phoneme blending, sight word practice, or decodable reading passages. Consistency between sessions is key to building automaticity in reading skills. Your tutor will provide clear, manageable assignments designed to take 15-30 minutes and will adjust difficulty based on your student's progress.
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