What Does a Reading Specialist Do During a Tutoring Session?

If you’re a parent of a struggling reader, you may wonder what a reading specialist does and how they can help your child. Reading specialists play a vital role in helping children close the reading gap, build confidence, and develop a lifelong love for learning!

Here’s an inside look at what happens during a typical tutoring session with one of our online reading specialists.

What Does a Reading Specialist Do?

Every tutoring session is tailored to meet the specific needs and goals of the child. As your child progresses, the concepts covered in their sessions will evolve.

But every lesson incorporates multisensory techniques and is rooted in the Orton-Gillingham approach, a highly effective method for teaching reading.

To give you a better idea of what to expect, here is a sample tutoring lesson structure our reading specialists follow for our students:

Part 1: Drills, Review, and Explicit Instruction

The session begins with drills and reviews to reinforce foundational skills.

This part of the lesson might include:

• Letter Sound Drills: Practicing letter-sound correspondence to build automaticity.

• Sight Words: Reviewing high-frequency words that help improve reading fluency.

• Blending Sound Drills: Strengthening the ability to combine sounds to form words.

• Explicit Instruction: Introducing a new skill or concept with clear, step-by-step guidance.

Part 2: Reading Words

Once the new skill is introduced, the student practices applying it by reading words and sentences.

This step helps them:

• Reinforce their understanding of the new concept.

• Gain confidence in decoding words.

• Improve their ability to read sentences fluently.

Part 3: Writing

Writing activities are designed to deepen the child’s understanding of the concepts they’ve learned.

The process is sequential and builds on prior knowledge:

• Listening to Spoken Sounds: The child listens to sounds and writes the corresponding letters.

• Writing Words: They write words that follow the sound or pattern learned during the session.

• Writing Sentences: Finally, they construct sentences using the words and patterns they’ve practiced.

Part 4: Guided Reading

In this portion of the lesson, the focus is on applying phonics patterns to decode words in passages.

Guided reading materials are tailored to:

• Align with the child’s specific reading level.

• Match the child’s unique interests to keep them engaged.

• Encourage fluency and comprehension as they read.

Part 5: Review Games and Additional Activities

To wrap up the session, the reading specialist incorporates engaging activities that reinforce skills and make learning fun!

These might include:

• Phonological Awareness Games: Strengthening the child’s ability to recognize and manipulate sounds.

• Sight Word Practice: Repetition of high-frequency words through fun, interactive games.

• Fluency Practice: Building speed and accuracy in reading.

• Grammar Instruction: Developing a stronger understanding of sentence structure and language use.

The Value of a Reading Specialist

A reading specialist provides personalized support that adapts to your child’s evolving needs. By using evidence-based methods like the Orton-Gillingham approach and multisensory techniques, we can help children overcome reading challenges and achieve success in school and throughout life.

If your child is struggling to read or you’re concerned they aren’t reaching their potential, our team of online Reading Specialists is here to help! Check out our case studies to see how we've helped other children become stronger readers.

SEE THE CASE STUDIES