Read on below for questions you might ask a potential teacher as your search continues. Remember, if a company doesn’t follow through after promising something, don’t trust them—you deserve only good results…
What questions should I ask my child’s reading tutor?
1) Ask the candidate to please provide references. Have any learners used their services previously? Is tutoring offered regularly throughout the year (e.g., 1hr/week)? If yes, please tell me more about their experience. If no, do you offer group classes? Can I speak with students currently enrolled to review my child’s progress?
2) Do you recommend specific textbooks or other materials related to learning English? Are you familiar with my child’s native language background? If neither apply, which languages do you target and how are lessons structured?
3) Is there a schedule of upcoming events or workshops offered? (E.g.: “How to read faster” workshop.)
4) Do sessions cover multiple subjects beyond grammar or vocabulary development? Which areas does your curriculum focus on specifically?
5) Does your teaching style change depending on whether you’re working one-on-one vs. with small groups?
6) What kinds of feedback and materials do you send back to parents regarding progress? (What are common benchmarks?)
7) Who else teaches alongside you? Where did they go to school? Can clients enroll directly with another instructor without meeting you first? What kind of preparation do they receive before taking lessons? Will you be reviewing lesson plans or doing assessments together prior to each session? Why would I prefer another teacher over yours?”
8) Can teachers come prepared with notes of vocabulary words or concepts to discuss during class? (If yes, which ones?)
9) Do you offer special discounts, especially for children whose families attend certain church organizations or volunteer for community outreach projects? Any rewards or incentives for attending regular meetings/attendance?
10) How long have you been teaching? (This gives you insight into quality control.) Did you train formally or self-teach?
11) How often do you meet with parents to evaluate student performance or answer individualized questions? Why do you think it helps students’ growth?
12) How involved were you in choosing books for your program? If you selected books, was it solely based on what works best for kids (i.e., book recommendations), or was it influenced by your own preferences?”
13) Can we contact former students via email so we can hear firsthand accounts of success stories? Is parent involvement encouraged and supported?
14) Would you ever teach abroad? If so, does the location play a role in choosing locations? How? What would that entail?
15) Tell us anything our readers can do to help their children become fluent speakers.
16) How long typically does it take for a learner to reach fluency? For how old is too young to begin formal schooling? If your tutoring business is seasonal, please specify.
Now that you know what questions to ask, please feel free to reach out to our reading tutors specialized to help train your child to become a master reader.