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Award-Winning 1st Grade Literature Tutors
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Kate
I'm available to tutor biology, chemistry, physics, math from Algebra up through AP Calculus, SAT test prep, and French. I've been tutoring students in science and math for 7 years. I also spent 8 months working and studying in France, and have tutored high school and adult students in French. When ...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Masters, Environmental Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Bachelors
Certified Tutor
I am a licensed physician from Florida who is currently changing careers. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 and have extensive tutoring and editing experience. While a student, I became a certified writing tutor through the Critical Writing Department. Since I completed my writ...
Nova Southeastern University
PHD, Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Bachelors, History
University of Pennsylvania
undergraduate
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Jai
I'm a recent Stanford graduate (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), and have been working at a major Management Consulting firm for a few years now. I personally scored a 2360 (out of 2400) on the SAT and 35 on the ACT and was successful in gaining admission to several top universities. I'...
Stanford University
Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Certified Tutor
6+ years
Jeffrey
I am enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering PhD program at Rice University which will begin Fall 2020, and I am hoping to return to academia as a professor after earning my PhD. In the meantime, I am looking to share my passion for gaining knowledge, specifically in STEM, by educating the up and com...
University of Notre Dame
Bachelor of Science
Rice University
Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering
Certified Tutor
Erika
I am available to tutor middle and high school math, history and test prep. I have tutored math and history in the past and I previously taught a test prep course at a school in Hanoi, Vietnam. I have a lot of experience teaching all the need-to-know tricks to doing great on the SATS/ACTS! When I am...
Harvard University
Master of Public Policy, Public Policy
Certified Tutor
6+ years
Rhea
I am a current student at the University of Chicago. I am working towards a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, and I am on the pre-medical track. I am extremely passionate about tutoring, and I have several years of experience tutoring students in my high school's learning center in various...
University of Chicago
Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
Certified Tutor
Charles
I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best descr...
Yale University
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
Certified Tutor
13+ years
MaryAnn
I am a published author who has enjoyed “coaching” our daughter, as she navigated through high school, college and graduate school. I mentor college juniors who are seeking careers in financial services, and I serve as a peer resource to professionals who are transitioning from private industry to t...
University of Pittsburgh
Bachelor of Science, English, Psychology
Certified Tutor
Tony
I am a recent graduate of Yale University and incoming first year medical student at Columbia University. Originally from the DC area, I have always had a passion for science and medicine and pursued a degree in Biology while at Yale. During the 2008-2009 academic year, I tutored science, math, Engl...
Yale University
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Certified Tutor
Matthew
I'm a highly creative person who works best with visual thinkers. Very recently graduated from Stanford University, I majored in Human Biology with a concentration in Bioinformatics and Stem Cell Science. Technical though my background may be, I am currently gigging as a singer/songwriter/composer i...
Stanford University
Bachelors in Human Biology (concentration in Bioinformatics and Stem Cell Science)
Top 20 English Subjects
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Samuel
AP Calculus AB Tutor • +29 Subjects
I am a freshman at Caltech majoring in Applied and Computational Mathematics. My favorite subject to tutor is math because I find it very rewarding to simplify complex topics to aid in understanding. I have lots of tutoring experience. In high school, I ran and taught an SAT prep class and was vice president of my school's NHS chapter where I ran our tutoring program, and I, myself, tutored. I also was a teaching assistant in the summer of 2020 for a class in discrete mathematics through a program called PACT (Program in Algorithmic and Combinatorial Thinking). I love learning and hope to make the process enjoyable for you!
Zachary
Trigonometry Tutor • +35 Subjects
I am passionate about teaching and tutoring and I thoroughly enjoy helping students gain an understanding and a drive for their studies. I have a long history of working with students of all grade levels and abilities (elementary school through college), and I have a good understanding of strategies to excel in both general academics and standardized tests.
Sami
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +19 Subjects
I am a Duke University graduate in Economics and Computer Science. I am currently pursuing an MBA degree at the Yale School of Management. I have worked in the financial field, both at a management consulting firm and a fortune 500 company. My hobbies include playing and coaching soccer. Hobbies: reading, writing, art, books, music
Tiffany
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +56 Subjects
I am available to tutor a broad range of subjects, I am passionate about test preparation, Accountancy, and Algebra.
Quinn
Calculus Tutor • +17 Subjects
I am willing to address any issue with an open mind and I try to develop strategies that play to a student's strengths. I would like to think I am very approachable and personable, and I have had very positive experiences with many students in the past using this philosophy. Outside of academics, I love playing basketball and watching sports, as well as chilling with friends, listening to music, and keeping up with politics and current affairs.
Pinelopi
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +25 Subjects
I am a Duke University graduate with a Bachelors degree in Psychology. I have experience tutoring all levels of Spanish language, all sections of the SAT, as well as algebra, pre algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus! I love kids & I have a very flexible schedule and a lot of patience! Let me help you :)
Annie
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +28 Subjects
I am currently a second year medical student. I was a Physiological Sciences major at UCLA (class of 2015), and pursued research during my gap year between undergrad and medical school.
Samantha
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +38 Subjects
I'm a first-year medical student and recent graduate from Duke University, where I studied Global Health Determinants, Behaviors, and Interventions. From running a piano program at a nonprofit children's theatre to private tutoring in math, science, and standardized test prep, I enjoy helping my students become confident and self-sufficient learners! Hobbies: photography, travel, reading, music, writing, running, art, books, traveling
Earnest
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +26 Subjects
I am comfortable with either setting. I'm confident that I can help you (or your student) achieve to the best of their ability, so please don't hesitate to get in touch!
Sharon
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +29 Subjects
I am a graduate of the University of Chicago, and I will be starting a graduate program at Columbia in August. I am about to complete a year of service with City Year, an education non-profit that places young adults into under-served schools. As a City Year member, I worked full-time in the classroom with middle-school students who were in approximately the 10th percentile for math (meaning they score lower than 90% of students). One-fourth of those students were able to grow around 15 percentile points by the end of the year! Hobbies: reading, cooking, gardening, music, art, nature, books, writing
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Frequently Asked Questions
Phonics struggles are one of the most common challenges in 1st grade, and personalized tutoring addresses this directly through systematic, multi-sensory instruction. A tutor works at your child's pace to build foundational skills like letter-sound correspondence, blending, and sight word recognition—the building blocks needed to access grade-level literature. Rather than moving through a one-size-fits-all curriculum, tutors can identify exactly where decoding breaks down (whether it's initial consonants, vowel sounds, or blending) and target those specific gaps with targeted practice and immediate feedback.
Reading comprehension at the 1st grade level requires students to track simple plot points, identify characters, and connect what happens in a story to their own experiences. Tutors use evidence-based strategies like repeated read-alouds, asking purposeful questions before, during, and after reading, and creating visual supports (like story maps or character drawings) to help stories stick in memory. Personalized instruction also allows tutors to select texts matched to your child's interests and reading level, which naturally boosts engagement and retention compared to whole-class instruction.
Reading fluency in 1st grade means reading with appropriate speed, accuracy, and expression—recognizing words automatically so the brain has resources left for understanding meaning. When students struggle with fluency, they often read word-by-word in a monotone voice, which makes comprehension harder and reading feel exhausting. Tutors build fluency through repeated readings of engaging texts, modeling expressive reading, and providing immediate feedback on pacing and phrasing, which helps students move from labored decoding to smooth, confident reading that frees up mental energy for actually enjoying stories.
This is a very common pattern—students can identify sight words on flashcards but freeze when those same words appear in connected text. Tutors bridge this gap by practicing sight words in meaningful contexts (embedded in sentences and short stories) rather than in isolation, and by using spaced repetition to move words into long-term memory. A tutor might have your child read the same decodable book multiple times over several weeks, gradually removing supports, which builds automatic recognition and confidence that transfers to new texts.
In 1st grade, reading and writing are deeply connected—students who can recognize letter sounds and sight words are better equipped to write them, and vice versa. Tutors integrate letter formation practice with reading instruction, helping students trace and write letters in the context of words they're learning to read. This multisensory approach (seeing, saying, and writing letters) strengthens neural pathways and helps students internalize letter shapes and sounds faster than isolated handwriting practice alone.
Frustration and avoidance often stem from books being too difficult or uninteresting, or from past negative reading experiences. Tutors carefully select texts at the right level—challenging enough to build skills but accessible enough for success—and create a pressure-free, encouraging environment where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities. Consistent small wins (finishing a page, reading a new word, retelling a story) rebuild confidence quickly, and as students experience success, their willingness to take reading risks and engage with literature naturally increases.
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words—like recognizing that "cat" and "can" start with the same sound, or that "mat" rhymes with "bat." This skill is foundational for phonics success because students can't connect sounds to letters if they can't hear the sounds in the first place. Tutors use playful activities like rhyming games, sound-matching exercises, and oral blending to develop phonemic awareness, which accelerates reading progress and prevents decoding struggles down the line.
Tutors track progress through concrete, observable measures: increased accuracy on phonetically decodable words, fluency improvements (reading speed and expression), ability to answer comprehension questions about new texts, and growing independence with sight words. Many tutors share progress notes or reading samples so parents can see improvement firsthand. Real progress in 1st grade looks like your child tackling slightly harder books each week, sounding out new words with less frustration, and showing genuine interest in reading stories—all signs that foundational skills are solidifying.
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