My Approach

I have been tutoring privately since 2011. I have been trained in Structured Literacy (OG) and Structured Word Inquiry. They both are of tremendous value when teaching a student to spell and read. I use a combination of the two when working on these skills with my students. This ensures that my students are well-grounded in the phonology of the English language while also learning about its structure and morphology.

However, spelling and reading are very complex skills that intersect and interact with other elements of language literacy. I have found that they cannot be effectively taught in isolation. 

I therefore take a comprehensive approach to my students’ literacy learning. As we learn about spelling and begin to apply this understanding to decoding, I also weave in grammar and sentence writing which lead to many discussions of syntax and semantics. I also move beyond decoding, to work on fluency and reading comprehension. 

There is research to support this comprehensive approach, particularly in the work of Dr. Maryanne Wolf (please see my resources page).

I use a combination of child-led inquiry and direct instruction in my lessons. I believe strongly in child-centred learning, and I tailor my lessons to the learning needs of each individual student. Each lesson is based on the work done in the prior lesson. This allows me to build on new discoveries or pivot in new directions depending on where the student’s learning is taking us.

My goal is not just to help my students learn to decode, but to develop a love of reading.  I have a huge collection of picture books, graphic novels and novels for kids of all ages. I use this as a resource to find texts based on each student’s interests and reading level. We read and discuss books at every lesson.