Award-Winning Orton Gillingham Tutors
serving Virginia Beach, VA
Orton Gillingham
Tutors in Virginia Beach
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 method is a structured, multisensory approach to reading instruction that teaches students to decode words by understanding the relationship between letters and sounds. It's particularly effective for students with dyslexia or other reading difficulties because it breaks reading into explicit, sequential steps and engages multiple senses—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic—to strengthen neural pathways for reading. For students in Virginia Beach who struggle with phonics or fluency, this approach provides the systematic foundation that classroom instruction may not always have time to reinforce.
In a classroom setting with Virginia Beach's average student-teacher ratio of 14.3:1, teachers must pace instruction for the whole group, which can leave struggling readers behind. Personalized Orton Gillingham tutoring allows tutors to work at your child's exact pace, spending as much time as needed on each skill before moving forward, and adjusting techniques based on how your student learns best. This individualized approach means no gaps are left unfilled, and progress is measurable and consistent.
While Orton Gillingham can benefit readers at any age, it's most effective when started as early as possible—ideally in elementary school when reading foundations are being built. However, older students and adults also benefit significantly from this method, especially if they've struggled with reading for years. If your child shows signs of reading difficulty—slow decoding, trouble sounding out words, or avoidance of reading—an assessment with a tutor can determine if Orton Gillingham is the right fit, regardless of grade level.
Orton Gillingham specifically targets phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, and spelling—the foundational skills that struggling readers often lack. It's highly effective for students with dyslexia, those who reverse letters or numbers, students who struggle to blend sounds into words, and readers who have gaps in their phonetic knowledge. It also helps students who read slowly or with poor comprehension because they're spending too much mental energy decoding rather than understanding meaning.
In the first session, a tutor will assess your student's current reading level, identify specific areas of difficulty, and understand their learning style and strengths. This diagnostic phase is crucial for creating a personalized Orton Gillingham plan tailored to your child's needs. You'll also learn what to expect from the tutoring process, how often sessions should occur for best results, and how to reinforce skills at home between sessions.
Most students begin to show measurable progress within 4-6 weeks of consistent, personalized Orton Gillingham instruction, though the timeline varies based on the severity of the reading difficulty and frequency of tutoring. Significant improvements in decoding, fluency, and confidence typically emerge within 2-3 months of regular sessions. Consistency is key—students who meet with tutors 2-3 times per week typically see faster progress than those with less frequent sessions.
Effective Orton Gillingham tutors should have specialized training in the method itself, often through certification programs, plus expertise in reading science and how to diagnose reading difficulties. They should understand dyslexia and related learning differences, and be skilled at adapting instruction to individual student needs. When you connect with a tutor through Varsity Tutors for students in Virginia Beach, you can discuss their specific training and experience to ensure they're the right fit for your child.
Your tutor will provide specific practice activities and materials to use between sessions—these might include flashcards, sound drills, or decodable reading passages designed for your child's current level. Consistency with home practice is one of the strongest predictors of reading improvement, so dedicating 15-20 minutes most days to reinforcement makes a real difference. Your tutor will also give you strategies for encouraging reading without pressure and help you understand what your child is learning so you can celebrate progress together.
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