While Philadelphia's 91 school districts provide essential accommodations through IEPs and 504 plans, personalized tutoring fills gaps by providing targeted skill-building and confidence-boosting in areas where students struggle most. Tutors can reinforce strategies recommended in formal plans, help students catch up on missed concepts, and work on specific academic skills like reading decoding, math computation, or writing organization outside the constraints of classroom instruction.

Students often struggle with reading fluency, math fact automaticity, written expression, or executive function skills like organization and time management. Through personalized instruction, tutors use evidence-based approaches like structured literacy for reading, concrete manipulatives and visual models for math, and explicit strategy instruction for writing and organization—all tailored to each student's specific needs and learning profile.

During the initial session, a tutor will get to know your student—their strengths, challenges, learning style, and academic goals. They'll ask about any formal evaluations, current classroom support, and specific areas where the student needs help. This conversation helps the tutor design a personalized approach for future sessions that builds on what's working and addresses priority skill gaps.

Progress looks different for each student—it might be improved reading fluency, increased math accuracy, better organization of written work, or greater confidence and independence. Tutors typically track specific skills through regular assessments, work samples, and observations, and they'll communicate progress to you regularly so you can see measurable improvements in both academic skills and learning confidence.

Expert tutors working with students who have learning differences typically have training in specialized areas like structured literacy, multisensory math instruction, or ADHD coaching strategies. When you connect with Varsity Tutors, you can discuss your student's specific needs, and we'll match them with a tutor who has relevant experience and expertise in supporting students with similar learning profiles.

In a classroom, even with accommodations, teachers must pace instruction for 20+ students with varying needs. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction allows a tutor to move at your student's speed, repeat concepts without pressure, use their preferred learning modality (visual, auditory, kinesthetic), and adjust strategies immediately based on what's working. This targeted approach helps students with learning differences build both skills and confidence more effectively.

Start by identifying your student's primary academic needs—whether that's reading, math, writing, executive function, or a combination. When you connect with Varsity Tutors, share details about your student's learning difference, current grade level, and goals. We'll match your student with an expert tutor who has experience supporting learners with similar needs and can provide the personalized instruction that makes the biggest difference.