Award-Winning Orton Gillingham Tutors
serving Tulsa, OK
Award-Winning
Orton Gillingham
Tutors in Tulsa
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
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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.
I am an interdisciplinary educator with an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. My background is primarily in integrated arts learning and museum education and I specialize in visual arts, history and art history, and object-based learning. In all subjects, I take a creative, inquiry-based and learner-centered approach, designing opportunities for each unique individual to meet their learning goals.
I'm not tutoring or buried in my textbooks, you will either find me rock climbing at the Triangle Rock Club, playing Ultimate Frisbee, working on my car, or enjoying the great outdoors (beaches, mountains, forests--you name it, I love it). On rainy weekends I enjoy tinkering with computers and old electronics, playing Pokemon, or picking at my guitar.
I am a recent graduate from a masters program in biostatistics at Columbia University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences, with a focus in neurobiology at Northwestern University. In August, I will be starting a doctoral program in biostatistics at NYU. I was a teaching assistant at Columbia University in my department and also have tutored graduate students and undergraduates privately as well. My primary areas of tutoring are math and statistics coursework in addition to math sections on standardized tests such as the GRE and GMAT. I am very passionate about helping students feel more confident and excited about math. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing piano, and spending time with friends and family.
I am a graduate of Wesleyan University, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with High Honors. With eight years of experience working in education, I've tutored students in math, science, history, and English, as well as helped students prepare for standardized tests. I've guided adults towards passing the US Citizenship Exam and taught English in India, where I lived for six months. Whenever I work with a student I personalize the lessons to fit their particular learning style, since I know every student is unique and having the right fit can make all the difference in making learning fun and effective. My strengths are tutoring the social sciences and humanities, as well as making math and standardized tests approachable to students that normally don't like those subjects. In my spare time I like traveling, spending time in the outdoors (climbing & backpacking), meditation, and playing soccer. Next fall I will be beginning my PhD in Education at Harvard University.
I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals!
I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campus); social sciences; and literature/writing.
I am a rising sophomore at Harvard College and am about to declare as a Mechanical Engineering concentrator, working towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with my peers and those around me and have done so in both formal and informal settings. I've been a tutor for both Math and Spanish programs in high school and enjoyed the strides I made with students. I am willing to tutor any subject I have a background in, but am strong in mathematics, the sciences, Spanish, history, writing, and ACT prep. I enjoy teaching mathematics most due to the joy I can see in children once they master a topic and can answer even pointed questions meant to stump them, and maybe even put their knowledge to real world use. As a tutor, I like to give a strong foundation to orient my student, and then gradually grant them more freedom and independence until they can feel themselves grasp the concept, pointing out pitfalls or common errors along the way; teachers who used these methods on me always left the most lasting impressions. Outside of my studies, I really enjoy listening to music, both old favorites and new interests, reading classics, and gaming/playing basketball with my friends.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Orton Gillingham method is a structured, multisensory approach to reading instruction that teaches phonics systematically and explicitly. It's particularly effective for students with dyslexia or reading difficulties because it engages multiple senses (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) simultaneously, helping the brain form stronger neural pathways for decoding words. The method breaks reading into manageable, sequential steps rather than expecting students to absorb reading naturally, which is why it works well for learners who haven't responded to traditional classroom instruction.
While Tulsa's 125 schools serve over 51,000 students with an average student-teacher ratio of 20.8:1, personalized 1-on-1 Orton Gillingham tutoring allows tutors to focus entirely on your child's specific reading challenges and pace. In a classroom setting, teachers must move at a pace that works for the majority, but with personalized instruction, tutors can spend as much time as needed on foundational phonetic concepts, adjust the sequence based on your child's learning style, and provide immediate feedback on every attempt. This targeted approach typically leads to faster progress because instruction is customized to address your child's exact gaps rather than following a one-size-fits-all curriculum.
Orton Gillingham can benefit students from early elementary through high school, though it's most commonly started in grades 1-3 when reading foundations are being built. Early intervention is ideal—if a student in grades K-2 is struggling with letter sounds, blending, or decoding, starting Orton Gillingham tutoring can prevent reading gaps from widening. However, older students who are still struggling with decoding or fluency can absolutely benefit from this method; it's never too late to build strong phonetic foundations that improve comprehension and reading confidence.
Orton Gillingham is specifically designed to help students who struggle with phonetic decoding, including difficulty recognizing letter-sound relationships, blending sounds into words, and reading irregular or multisyllabic words. It also supports students with dyslexia, reversals (like confusing 'b' and 'd'), slow reading fluency, and weak spelling skills. Many students who reach middle or high school without these foundational skills intact find that Orton Gillingham tutoring fills critical gaps that have held back their reading comprehension and academic confidence across all subjects.
Most students begin showing noticeable improvements in phonetic awareness and decoding accuracy within 4-8 weeks of consistent 1-on-1 tutoring, especially when sessions occur 2-3 times per week. More significant gains in reading fluency and confidence typically emerge over 3-6 months as foundational skills solidify. The timeline depends on how far behind the student is, the intensity of tutoring, and how consistently they practice between sessions—but because Orton Gillingham is so systematic, progress is usually measurable and motivating for both students and parents.
Yes, Orton Gillingham tutoring complements classroom learning without conflicting with it. The method focuses on building the foundational phonetic skills that many struggling readers are missing, which actually helps them access their grade-level curriculum more effectively. Tutors can coordinate with classroom teachers to understand what your child is working on in school and ensure that personalized instruction reinforces those concepts while also filling in earlier gaps. This integrated approach means students often see improvements not just in tutoring sessions but also in their classroom reading performance.
Look for tutors who have formal training in the Orton Gillingham method—ideally certification from an accredited Orton Gillingham organization or extensive professional development in structured literacy. Tutors should understand the science of reading, be able to diagnose specific decoding issues, and have experience working with students who have dyslexia or reading disabilities. When you connect with Varsity Tutors, we match you with tutors who have demonstrated expertise in Orton Gillingham instruction and a track record of helping students build real reading skills.
The first session typically includes an assessment to understand your child's current reading level, specific decoding challenges, and learning style. The tutor will ask about your child's reading history, any previous interventions, and what specific skills are most urgent to address. From there, tutors create a personalized plan that starts with foundational phonetic concepts and builds systematically, ensuring your child has a clear understanding of each step before moving forward. This diagnostic approach means that personalized instruction is tailored from day one rather than following a generic sequence.
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