With Baltimore's 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio across 359 schools, many students don't get the individualized attention needed to overcome reading challenges. Certified Reading Intervention provides personalized 1-on-1 instruction tailored to your child's specific needs—whether that's decoding struggles, fluency issues, or comprehension difficulties. This focused approach helps students catch up and build the reading skills that unlock success across all other subjects.

Certified Reading Intervention can be effective for students from early elementary through middle school, though it's most commonly used for students in grades K-5 who are significantly below grade-level reading expectations. That said, older students who struggle with foundational reading skills can also benefit from this structured approach. A tutor can assess your student's current level and determine if this intervention is the right fit.

Certified Reading Intervention addresses foundational reading skills including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, and reading comprehension. It's particularly effective for students with dyslexia, slow processing speed, weak phonetic foundations, or difficulty blending sounds into words. Tutors also work on building vocabulary and helping students understand what they read, not just decode words on a page.

The first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment to evaluate your student's current reading level, identify specific skill gaps, and understand their learning style. Tutors will ask about reading history, previous struggles, and what approaches have or haven't worked. From there, they'll outline a personalized plan and begin introducing intervention strategies that target the most critical areas—setting clear expectations for progress.

Many students show noticeable improvements in fluency and confidence within 4-8 weeks of consistent, targeted instruction. More significant gains in comprehension and grade-level reading ability often emerge over 3-6 months, depending on the severity of the initial gap and how frequently tutoring occurs. Regular sessions combined with practice at home accelerate results—consistency matters more than intensity.

Look for tutors who hold formal certification in reading intervention programs like Orton-Gillingham, Wilson Reading System, or Structured Literacy approaches, or who have specialized training in reading science and intervention methods. They should have experience diagnosing reading difficulties and a track record working with students at similar levels. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have the credentials and experience needed to deliver effective, evidence-based instruction.

Yes—effective reading intervention requires consistent practice between tutoring sessions. Tutors will recommend specific activities, decodable books, and exercises tailored to your student's goals, and they'll explain how to support practice at home without creating frustration. Many tutors also provide progress updates and adjust recommendations based on what's working, so you can reinforce the same strategies your student is learning in tutoring.