Teaching should be an exchange, not a one-sided lecture. Though there's a time and a place for lengthy explanations, there must also be the chance for a student to ask questions, to explore material deeper, and to show the teacher how well material is being understood.

I would first review the assignments a student is being given in class to better learn what their teacher, and the curriculum, are looking for. After that, I would work with them to find not only what areas need improvement, but in what areas there is already strength and confidence, so that I can better keep the student motivated.

The best way to help a student develop as a learner is to provide them with a wide range of tools and strategies for approaching material covered, so that they may discover what works best for them.

To keep a student motivated, I would ensure that the sole focus of a session is not on material that they are struggling with. By including material with which they are already confident, it becomes much easier to avoid frustration and build a greater general understanding of the material.

I would try to identify the specific reason for difficulty, and work towards finding related concepts that show the concept in question from different viewpoints.

A large part of reading comprehension is recognizing patterns in text, and so I would encourage practice with similar passages to help build up that base of experience in seeing these patterns at work.

The best way I have found to begin working with a student is by asking a few leading questions, prompting them to step up in the discussion and explain to me in their own words what it is about the material that frustrates them.

Motivation can be one of the biggest obstacles with problem subjects. One of the most reliable ways I've learned to overcome this and inspire excitement is highlighting the ways in which the subject at hand relates to and overlaps with one that they are naturally more passionate about.

After working with the student on a few examples, arriving at answers together, I would have them attempt a few examples on their own, and have them explain to me how they arrived at the answer that they chose.

Confidence comes easiest from concrete results, and so one of the best ways to build that confidence is to put the concepts that are causing the most trouble on hold for the moment, instead highlighting the concepts that they feel come easily to them, because these will quite often outweigh the problematic areas of a subject.

Evaluating a student's needs comes down to two factors. I would very much want to see some examples of the student's classwork and assignments to get a stronger understanding of what is expected of them in the classroom. Beyond that, though, I also want to hear the student's frustrations and concerns in their own words, so that I know what is weighing on their mind.

I adapt my tutoring to a student's needs based largely on the method of learning that suits them best. Additionally, I figure out where their motivations lie, so that I better understand how to get the most effort out of them in a session.

I would use anything from a student's classroom texts, to the widespread resources available online, and even prompts and questions of my own design.