Children struggling to read or those who read below grade-level benchmarks might need more help than parents know how to provide. Reading aloud with children, asking questions as they read and helping them sound out words can aid a child during their reading journey.

Even children who receive additional assistance at school or within their classroom might need more enrichment beyond school hours to help them catch up to peers. Private tutoring could be an option. Parents might wonder: “how do I find tutoring near me for reading help?” Here are some helpful resources to help find reading tutors locally.

When Tutoring Might be the Best Option

Some children simply need more time and more intensive guidance beyond a parent or caregiver’s abilities. While teaching children to read might be easy when the child catches on quickly to sounds and other literacy skills, not all parents know how to best help children who exhibit great difficulties in a specific subject.

Reading could be easy for parents, and they might not know how to explain processes in a way that can best be understood by a struggling reader. Some tutors have backgrounds in education or even special education. This specialized background allows them to decipher lessons and concepts to help children catch on and move forward in their reading journey.

Tutoring also could be the best option for a child if a parent (or caregiver) just doesn’t have the time to provide additional help for children. Work hours might be long. Some parents work multiple jobs, too.

Other parents might simply wish to not act as an instructor to their child. Some parents don’t want to take on that role…or maybe they just don’t know how to take on that role.

Tutors can be a fresh face for children. And they may be able to provide fun or interesting techniques to better engage the child.

How Do I Find Tutoring Near Me?

Parents likely don’t want to drive an hour out of their way to take children to tutoring sessions for reading instruction. Ideally, parents want a tutor near the home or the child’s school.

Many tutors will meet in public places like a library to conduct tutoring sessions. This is a safe option for the child and the tutor. Parents could request a tutoring location like a nearby library.

However, some tutors work out of tutoring locations. Others conduct tutoring sessions at local YMCAs. Some schools also could offer after-school assistance for students.

There are a number of ways to find local tutors. Parents can:

• Research tutoring companies to find the best tutor for their child. The tutor and parent can discuss where to hold lessons.
• Look for tutoring companies that offer virtual tutoring sessions.
• Inquire about tutoring programs by contacting the school or dropping an email to the child’s teacher.
• Contact local YMCA or Boys and Girls Clubs of America locations (Boys and Girls Clubs offers Power Hour). Some organizations might require that families have memberships in order to access programs.

The Price of Tutoring

One barrier to private tutors could be their cost. The price of tutoring sessions can vary, and parents will need to know how much they can reasonably afford each month for their child’s tutoring. However, parents also might need to understand how much help their child needs.

Tutoring companies might have different packages or rates. Parents might contact companies to receive quotes for sessions. Depending on the tutoring company, there also could be other options available—like group classes.

Some programs might offer free tutoring. A child’s school might have more information related to free tutoring programs.

Virtual or In-Person Tutoring

Some companies or tutors might offer parents the option of virtual tutoring sessions. This may require a specific conferencing app.

Virtual tutoring could be a more convenient option for parents who have incredibly busy schedules. Children can access tutoring from home, and a time can be arranged that works for both the tutor and the family. Good Housekeeping rounded up the best online tutoring websites for parents who want this remote option.

In-person tutoring might be a better option for children who need one-on-one guidance. Not all children can learn best via virtual methodologies. In-person tutoring sessions also can allow more interactive instruction.

Parents should choose the tutoring option that works best for their child, their schedule and their comfort level, too.

Reading Apps and Programs

Private tutoring might not be a financially affordable option for all families. Tutoring prices can vary, and the cost of tutoring can be expensive. Some children need multiple tutoring sessions each week. Even weekly tutoring sessions could add up to a few hundred dollars over the course of a month.

Parents who don’t have the budget for private tutoring or who might not have the time in their schedule to fit in sessions for their child could utilize reading programs online or reading apps. Some reading apps—like Readability—include virtual tutoring experiences…at a price that works for nearly every budget.

Readability offers an AI tutor that guides lessons via the program; the tutor is programmed with voice recognition software, which allows it to understand the unique voice of each child. When using Readability, children read stories aloud. This is how the AI tutor can identify when a child needs help.

If a child stumbles on a word or seems to struggle with a lesson, the AI tutor will provide help and direction. In addition, the tutor will ask questions at the end of each story to measure the child’s comprehension of the story.

Children only advance to a more difficult level in the program when they have demonstrated proficiency in both reading fluency and comprehension. But how does a parent know what level a child should begin lessons?

Parents can set their child’s reading level when beginning the program using the child’s reading level at school. Or if parents don’t know the child’s reading level, Readability can determine the most appropriate starting point for the child.

Do Parents Need to Help with Lessons via Reading Programs?

Parents who opt to use a reading program or reading app to help tutor their child might wonder if they have to be present during lessons. When the child is first using the program, it might be beneficial for parents to be nearby to help the child begin the program. Parents also might want to sit-in during the first lesson or two to better understand how the program works.

However, Readability is very easy for children to use without assistance. Once children learn how to navigate lessons, they can independently use the program. Readability is also designed to be engaging and interactive, and children might discover that every story offers a unique reading experience.

Readability encourages children to be curious about the story…and explore it. For example, children can click on a word to learn the definition and build their vocabulary.

Parents can always follow their child’s progress on the program via a portal called the Parent Dashboard. This hub offers a glimpse of the child’s reading level, their fluency (measured in words per minute) and parents also can see how long the child reads during Readability lessons.

Parents can share this reading data with the child’s teacher, too! The Parent Dashboard allows parents to create reading reports to help facilitate communication between the school and parents.

When researching reading programs and tutoring opportunities, parents will want to gather as much information as possible. For tutoring, parents need to know the pricing structure and the background of who will be helping their child.

With reading programs, parents also need to understand the cost of subscriptions and how the program will be billed. Not every tutor will be a perfect match for every child, and not every program might resonate with children.

Parents should inquire about free trial periods for reading programs. These trials can help parents better understand how the program works and if it holds their child’s interest. Some programs might not meet the educational needs of the child, too.

Readability offers a free seven-day trial period that lets children explore stories, work with the AI tutor and become familiar with the program format. Interested in virtual tutoring with Readability? Sign up today to explore the power of Readability’s AI reading tutor!