Some children need help with reading beyond what the school can provide. Parents also might not feel that they are able to provide the type of help their child needs to guide them on their reading journey. Children with decoding struggles or those who have difficulties with comprehension might need more specialized guidance.

One-on-one reading instruction could help struggling readers receive the attention and individualized approach that they need to excel and become proficient readers. Tutoring sessions might be offered through a private tutor or through reading tutoring programs, but how much is reading tutoring programs when compared to private tutors?

The Cost of Private Tutoring

Many parents are familiar with tutoring services, and a private tutor provides one-on-one instruction that can best help struggling readers. Parents might be able to find private tutors through tutoring companies, schools, and local organizations or programs.

While some organizations could provide free tutoring services for eligible children, many parents will need to pay for tutoring services out of pocket. Unfortunately, the cost of private tutoring can vary. Many tutors charge by the hour and some could stipulate that parents commit to a set number of sessions.

Parents can research the costs of tutors in their areas. However, some families might find that hiring a private tutor for their child is not feasible for their budget. Are there other tutoring options?

The Cost of Reading Tutoring Programs

Reading tutoring programs could be offered via an app. These programs are designed to be accessible and easy to navigate. While the app is usually free to download, access to the program might require a subscription. A Readability subscription is priced at $19.99 per month.

The difference between a private tutor and a reading tutoring program is substantial when costs are compared. A tutor could charge an hourly fee and require a set number of sessions. However, parents who sign their child up for a reading tutoring program have unlimited access to the program each month at a set price.

How Does a Reading Tutoring Program Tutor the Child?

Reading tutoring programs like Readability offer one-on-one personalized instruction. With Readability, the tutor is AI. This built-in AI tutor is programmed with voice recognition software which allows it to learn every child’s unique voice.

The Readability program requires children to read books from their online library aloud. As the child reads the book, the tutor is listening for any concerns or struggles. If the AI tutor hears that the child has mispronounced a word or seems to have trouble while reading, the tutor offers guidance.

As the child reads, the tutor also is capturing the child’s fluency. Reading fluency is measured in words read per minute (less any mistakes). The tutor measures a child’s progress and reading ability with each lesson.

In addition, when the child finishes a book, the tutor asks questions about the story to gauge comprehension. If a child answers a question incorrectly, the tutor teaches them how to find the answer by re-reading. The tutor shows the child the section from the book with clues about the answer; the tutor reads the section aloud. The child then receives another opportunity to answer the question.

Children can use Readability anytime and from anywhere; this means that they have access to a 24/7 reading tutor.

Reading Tutoring Programs Improve and Expand a Child’s Vocabulary Knowledge, Too

Vocabulary word recognition and knowledge can help children read better and improve their comprehension. Readability includes a list of vocabulary words for every book. In addition, children can tap any word in a story to hear the definition or hear it used in a sentence.

Readability provides a comprehensive vocabulary list that includes all the words that the child has learned and discovered for every book they have read in the program. Children always have access to their vocabulary list and they can review the definitions as often as they wish to improve their mastery.

Reading Tutoring Programs Can Be Used With More than One Child

If multiple children in a family have reading struggles, parents might need to pay for multiple reading tutors and many reading tutoring sessions. This can greatly increase the cost.

Reading tutoring programs like Readability are designed differently. One Readability account can be accessed and shared by up to three children. Each child can have their own separate learning experience, too.

Siblings won’t share the same reading library. They will have their own Readability library that is based on their individualized reading level and ability. However, some siblings could progress to the same reading level and enjoy the same books.

The cost of a monthly Readability subscription is the same price for one child as it is for three. In fact, parents who need the program for three children actually pay less per child; the $19.99 monthly subscription amounts to less than $7 per month per child.

Reading Tutoring Programs Provide Parents with Verifiable Reading Progress Data

Understanding a child’s reading progress with a private tutor might be difficult. Parents might need to contact their child’s teacher to better understand the impact of tutoring related to their child’s classroom reading proficiency.

With a reading tutoring program, a child’s reading data is available for parents to review at any time. Readability provides parents with a private portal that includes their child’s reading level, reading fluency, and their comprehension. In addition, Readability also tracks how long the child has used the program.

Parents can visit this portal to understand if their child is progressing with the program. They can understand how fluently their child is reading and if their child is using the program regularly.

Reading programs make it easy for parents to follow their child’s reading journey and their path towards proficiency.

Reading Tutoring Programs are Compatible with Accelerated Reader

When a child is working with a private tutor, the work that they do could focus only on the lesson. Readability is designed to complement the school reading experience and the books in Readability are among the titles that are offered via Accelerated Reader.

Accelerated Reader (AR) is used by schools across the country. The program includes reading comprehension quizzes for children’s books, young adult books and even more advanced titles. Children are awarded points when they score a certain percentage on their AR quiz; these points could correlate to prizes or rewards in a child’s classroom.

When children read books in Readability, they can take the AR quiz at school to earn points. In this way, Readability helps connect the at-home and classroom reading experiences and rewards children for using the reading program at home.

How Do Parents Know that a Reading Tutoring Program is a Good Value?

Parents might be hesitant to use a reading tutoring program at home. After all, how do parents know that the program is a good fit for their child?

While parents always have access to their child’s reading data to understand their child’s progress, the unknowns related to paying for a tech-based tutoring program might be a barrier to actually starting the program. Parents can explore Readability for free with their child by signing up for a seven-day trial period.

During this time, children will have access to all the features of Readability and they can meet the AI tutor. The free trial period is designed to help parents better understand Readability and how it can help their child. Sign up today to start the trial period and begin exploring the reading tutoring program at home.