Reading and Writing Tutoring for K12 and Beyond
Communication is fundamental to success in life. Learning to read, write, and converse with confidence and clarity is a foundation that every child needs. Whether your son or daughter is struggling or miles ahead, I am delighted to share my love of reading and writing with them while helping them improve their skills.
I don’t just teach students how to write, but how to think. My students read engaging books to learn new vocabulary, expand their knowledge of the world, and enjoy literature. We also do writing exercises, play word games, and practice writing skills in varied ways to improve comprehension, grammar, and language fluency
The value of individual tutoring
Working 1-on-1 with students gives them the individual attention that will help them progress in their reading, writing, and communication skills and knowledge. The benefits of working with me include:
- Ongoing assessment of strengths and challenges
- Targeted exercises to address weaknesses
- Rigorous work, but with a strong dose of fun and encouragement
- Help with school homework, as needed
- Motivation, accountability, and study skills
- My infectious enthusiasm for learning and language!
Supplemental work to gain mastery
In a large classroom, teachers can’t give every student attention. Engaging with a tutor provides a deeper level of learning. In tutoring sessions, we:
- Read appropriate, fun, and high-quality literature aloud, correcting pronunciation and pausing to understand words and concepts
- Review new vocabulary and write sentences to cement understanding of the words
- Write essays and stories, learning to self-edit
- Take quizzes and play word games together
- Talk about grammar, word origins, and practice
My Approach
I come from both a professional writing and creative background, having spent many years as an independent filmmaker, teaching screenwriting, and writing about and for educational institutions.
I believe that people will do more of what they enjoy, so I work to help my love of language rub off on students. I also listen intently, giving each student the attention they deserve and the help that they need to move forward in their learning.
In sessions, we alternate reading aloud and enjoy discovering new stories and characters together. I give reading and writing homework assignments that we check together and correct. We do verbal and written exercises and games to get into the nitty-gritty of vocabulary and grammar, and to use a little silliness and challenge to open up creative thinking.
Writing comes from thinking, so all of my work with students develops stronger critical and analytical thinking skills, along with activating creativity and flexible problem-solving capabilities. These skills transfer to other domains of learning and eventually, to college and professional success.
What about AI? Who needs to know how to read and write?
Scary, this new world. Although AI is getting better at writing, if your child is not an exceptional thinker, reader, and writer, they won’t be able to perform the jobs that require overseeing AI operations. The future of work means using the distinctly human skills of discernment, judgment, ethics, communication, and critical thinking. These are all abilities that language learning helps develop.
But can’t AI teach my kid to read and write? Yikes! AI-assisted learning is all the rage from companies trying to sell systems to our schools. And though it can help personalize assessments and assignments when a teacher can’t give each student attention, it is not a replacement for the relationship between a human teacher and a student.
As a writer, I’ve worked with many companies that are using AI in content creation, and I am here to tell you that regurgitation is not communication. Not only does AI not have original ideas, but it often makes mistakes. We humans need to continue developing our skills to communicate with each other, no matter what the bots do. That is what I work on with students: making the connections, person-to-person.
Limited Spots Available
The personal touch of a tutor is a big part of what I offer, and my schedule fills up fairly quickly. If you are interested in having your child work with me, but your schedule doesn’t fit the available spots, please get on my mailing list by clicking the button at the top of the page.
About Me
As a professional writer and communications PhD, I approach writing creatively and with a sense of fun. I work to bring joy to the hard work we do to get words onto the page. Connecting with students helps them uncover their talents, but I also give them an honest assessment of where they can improve.
Here’s more of who I am:
- Media & Communications PhD with a published academic book
- Former award-winning filmmaker and college screenwriting professor
- Professional writer for over 10 years for tech, education, construction, and healthcare
- Specialization in writing for and about education enrollment
- Bennington College graduate
- Successful K12 reading and writing tutor
- Mom who genuinely enjoys working with young people
Contact
Please check your junk folder if you don’t get a reply within a day! You can text me at 609-929-0707 for a faster response.
You can email me at tutor@juliatell.com or text 609-929-0707 if you’re ready to sign up!