Varsity Tutors knows how difficult it can be to watch your student struggle academically, so we make it easy to connect with skilled special education tutors who can provide your student with the critical learning support they need as they work towards their learning goals. Students with learning differences include those on the autism spectrum, language processing disorders, auditory processing disorders, visual processing issues, and so much more. We believe learning differently shouldn't be a barrier to learning, which is why we work so hard to create a supportive learning environment by helping students connect with experienced instructors. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of special education tutoring and how you can schedule a session quickly and easily.
Students with learning differences often need additional academic support across all subject areas, and the amount of support they might need for each area could vary. In elementary and middle school, a special education tutor can easily work with your child in any subject area, including math, science, language arts, reading, writing, and social studies. The type of support the special education tutor will provide depends on the subject area and the learning style of your child. In math, they may use more visual examples, offer a number line, or provide math facts using charts and tables. In language arts or reading, they may review the content verbally and help children work through individual questions to arrive at the correct conclusion. For larger projects, your child's private instructor may break down the steps into more manageable portions to make the process less overwhelming.
As children transition into high school and college, it may be necessary to incorporate tutors who specialize in particular subject areas such as foreign languages, AP courses, or advanced math and science. While special education tutors can still provide general support and structure for your student, your student may also benefit from working with someone with expertise in a particular subject. If you're not sure if this would be appropriate for your student, contact us and we can review the various options.
Can special education tutoring help build learning skills?
One of the ways a special education tutor can best support a student with a learning difference is by helping them implement learning skills that can be used throughout their academic career. Some of these include time management strategies like creating a calendar or planner system that is easy to use and implement, note-taking options for reading independently, creating and utilizing to-do lists, or using color coding for studying and writing.
The skills your student's special education tutor prioritizes will be based on the needs of the student. If you know there are areas that are especially difficult for your child, be sure to share them with the instructor.
Is working with a special education tutor near me similar to being in a classroom?
If your student is already receiving additional academic support in a school setting, you may be wondering what more special education tutoring can offer. That's a valid concern. To understand how the two types of instruction differ, you first have to understand what happens in a typical classroom.
In class, your student may be receiving any number of accommodations to help them learn more effectively based on their learning differences. This could include having test items read to them, receiving extended time to complete assignments and tests, preferential seating, or notes and outlines for studying. What most students don't have in their classroom is the undivided attention of their instructor. While the teacher may be providing additional resources, their primary focus is still on the group. This means the instructional delivery and the majority of interaction will be with the group rather than with an individual student.
During special education tutoring, the instructor's full attention is on the one student they're working with. They can still provide the learning accommodations that are offered in the classroom setting, but they aren't limited by them. As your student's instructor gets to know them better, they can begin introducing new tactics and refining lesson plans to make the learning process more accessible for your student. Each session will be based on the needs of your student rather than a predefined curriculum. Some days that could mean homework help, and on other days it might mean working with a new learning strategy. In a typical classroom, this type of customization is practically impossible.
What are some of the benefits of working with a special education tutor?
Students with learning differences may receive a variety of accommodations in school. One of the most common is to be pulled out of their regular classroom to participate in a small group setting. While this can be a valuable resource, your student will typically miss out on critical direct instruction from their core subject area teacher. This can make it harder for the student to learn new concepts, especially if the lesson is not what is being covered in the small-group setting. Working with a special education tutor gives your student additional instruction time. Even if your child isn't pulled out of their class, many students require repeated exposure to new information before it can become fully integrated. Special education tutors have experience in delivering information using a variety of modalities to help your child develop new skills and more fully understand new concepts.
The main benefit of working with a personal special education tutor is receiving undivided attention and custom learning support from a professional. However, there are benefits that are often overlooked, even though they are equally valuable in their own way. For example, students who struggle to complete assignments after school may need additional homework support. This usually falls to a parent, guardian, or others in the child's support network. While this is a good solution, it can put additional stress on a relationship when the majority of your time together is spent working. This is especially true if those offering additional help aren't sure how to help your student most effectively. When a student is working with a special education tutor, that time can be spent with an experienced outside party, freeing up time with family members to be spent bonding over more enjoyable activities. The gift of quality time with family is just one of the many benefits of private instruction.
Similarly, private instructors can offer you tactics, routines, and activities that can offer additional support to your student when they have independent study time or if you want to spend more time working with them outside of their scheduled sessions.
How convenient are special education tutoring sessions?
It can be difficult for busy parents to find time to add any additional to-do items to an already packed list. When you add hectic schedules to the need to find instructors with experience working with students with learning differences, it can be almost impossible to find a combination that works. That is one of the driving forces behind the creation of our online Live Learning Platform. With this platform, students who need specialized help can easily be connected face-to-face with skilled instructors at a time and location that works best with their schedule and learning needs.
All your student needs when it's time for their special education tutoring session to begin is a digital device and reliable internet connection. Once they log in, they'll find themselves seated across from their instructor in a virtual learning environment. They'll be able to see and hear their instructor as if they were seated across the table. The platform has several features that make the learning process seamless.
The digital whiteboard makes it easy for your student's instructor to share resources, work through problems, and draw mind maps or diagrams to help better illustrate a concept. The document sharing functionality is one of the most important in an online learning session. The instructor can share a document to show even more information, but more importantly, your student can share their work with the instructor. This allows the instructor to monitor your student's work and offer corrections and suggestions in real time. This is a critical step in the learning process, especially for students with learning differences. Issues or misunderstandings can be identified and remedied quickly before they have a chance to become ingrained in your student.
We understand online learning isn't for everyone, however. So, if you have a student who would benefit more from working with someone in-person, we can help connect you with someone local.
Where can I find a special education tutor near me?
Finding a highly-qualified special education tutor doesn't have to be time-consuming or overwhelming with the help of the experts at Varsity Tutors. We can connect you with instructors who are passionate about serving students with a wide range of learning differences. Whether you want someone who can work with your student in-person or you prefer the convenience of an online learning environment, we would love to help you find the support you and your student need. If you're ready to schedule your student's first private special education tutoring session or if you have questions about the process, contact Varsity Tutors today.
