Award-Winning Certified Reading Intervention Tutors
serving Kansas City, MO
Certified Reading Intervention
Tutors in Kansas City
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
UniversitiesSchools & Universities
DeliveredHours Delivered
ProficiencyGrowth in Proficiency
Who needs tutoring?
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.

Two years of teaching elementary students who struggled with literacy gave McKenna firsthand experience identifying where decoding, fluency, or comprehension breaks down. She builds targeted exercises around phonemic awareness and sight-word recognition for younger readers, while older students get scaffolded strategies for tackling longer texts. Her certified reading intervention approach is patient and structured, meeting each learner's specific gaps.

Hello! I'm a reading intervention specialist with over 15 years of experience helping struggling readers build stronger skills and confidence. I use an Orton-Gillinghaminspired, structured literacy that is explicit, systematic, multisensory, and tailored to each learner. Sessions may include phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, spelling, fluency, comprehension, and writing based on individual needs. My goal is to strengthen the foundational literacy skills that make reading easier.
I earned my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Cardiff University, and have a Masters in Counseling from Monash University. Trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach to literacy, I am passionate and experienced in using a multi-sensory approach to tutoring students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties. Having worked in an educational setting for over 11 years in Hong Kong, I am experienced in working with students from kindergarten all the way through to primary school.
I received my degree in Elementary Education from York College of Pennsylvania. I then attended McDaniel College where I received a masters degree in reading and became a Reading Specialist. My love for teaching reading continued and I furthered my education at Mount Saint Mary's University for training in Reading Recovery. I started my career teaching kindergarten and currently am a reading specialist in my school district, where I work one on one and in small groups with struggling readers. My passion is for tutoring early learners to help them gain the skills they need to grow as readers and writers. In my tutoring sessions I love to get to know my learners interests and personalities. I incorporate manipulatives, sight word games, leveled texts, and writing into sessions to make sessions more engaging. I love to build confidence in my learners by focusing on their strengths in order to get the most amount of growth out of my learners. My hobbies include exercise, spending time with my family, and going to the beach.
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Average Session Rating – Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
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Frequently Asked Questions
Certified Reading Intervention is a specialized, evidence-based approach designed to help students who struggle with foundational reading skills like phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Unlike general reading tutoring, it follows a structured curriculum with specific diagnostic assessments to identify exactly where a student is struggling. Tutors trained in reading intervention use targeted, systematic strategies to address these gaps and build strong reading foundations.
Students across Kansas City's 24 school districts often struggle with phonemic awareness, decoding multisyllabic words, reading fluency, and comprehension—especially when moving from learning to read to reading to learn. Some students also face challenges with vocabulary development and connecting what they read to prior knowledge. Personalized reading intervention tutoring can target these specific areas and help students build confidence and independence as readers.
The process typically starts with a diagnostic assessment to identify your student's specific reading strengths and challenges. From there, a tutor creates a personalized intervention plan using evidence-based strategies tailored to your student's needs. Sessions focus on systematic, explicit instruction in areas like phonics, fluency, and comprehension, with regular progress monitoring to adjust the approach as your student improves.
Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who specialize in certified reading intervention for students in Kansas City. When you reach out, you can specify your student's grade level and reading challenges, and we'll match them with a tutor who has the expertise and credentials to help. This personalized matching ensures your student gets instruction from someone experienced in addressing their specific needs.
Many students begin showing measurable progress within 4-6 weeks of consistent, targeted intervention—though the timeline varies based on the severity of the reading difficulty and how frequently your student receives tutoring. With regular sessions (typically 2-3 times per week), students often gain confidence and momentum within the first few months. Your tutor will track progress regularly and adjust strategies to keep your student moving forward.
Reading intervention is most effective when started early—typically in elementary grades (K-3) when foundational skills are being built. However, students in any grade can benefit from intervention if they're struggling with reading fundamentals. Middle and high school students who missed early intervention can still make significant progress with specialized tutoring that addresses their specific skill gaps.
Your student's first session will likely include getting to know the tutor, discussing reading challenges and goals, and possibly some informal assessment or observation of reading skills. The tutor will ask questions to understand your student's background, interests, and learning style. This foundation helps the tutor create a personalized plan for the sessions ahead, so don't expect intensive intervention work on day one—it's about building rapport and gathering information.
Your tutor will likely recommend specific strategies and activities to practice between sessions—these might include reading aloud together, word games, or targeted phonics practice. Consistency is key: even 15-20 minutes of daily practice can reinforce what your student learns in tutoring sessions. Your tutor can provide guidance on how to support your student without overwhelming them, and they'll communicate progress so you know what to focus on at home.
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