Looking for a Reading Tutor? Consider This First
If your child is struggling with reading, you’re not alone—and you’re doing the right thing by looking for help. Reading is a foundational skill that affects every area of learning, and it’s only natural to want to hire a tutor when your child falls behind. But before you commit to a traditional reading tutor, there’s something important you should know: tutoring may not address the root cause of your child’s reading difficulties.
In many cases, the problem isn’t just about needing more reading instruction—it’s about how the brain processes and understands information. That’s where cognitive skills come in.
The Problem with a One-Size-Fits-All Reading Tutor Approach
Tutoring is designed to reteach material and reinforce reading strategies. And for students who simply need a little extra practice, that can be effective.
👉But what if your child has already been taught how to read, yet still struggles with decoding, comprehension, or fluency?
More of the same instruction may not lead to the breakthrough you’re hoping for.
Many struggling readers actually have underlying cognitive skill weaknesses—especially in areas like:
- Phonemic awareness (the ability to hear and manipulate sounds)
- Auditory processing
- Working memory
- Attention
- Processing speed
If these skills are weak, reading becomes a frustrating and exhausting task, no matter how much practice or tutoring they receive.
Cognitive Training: A Different Kind of Help for Reading
Reading isn’t a single skill—it’s a complex process that relies on strong, efficient brain connections. At LearningRx Staunton-Harrisonburg, we focus on training these root skills the brain uses to read, learn, and pay attention—not just reviewing reading content over and over. That’s why so many families turn to brain training after tutoring falls short.
Through one-on-one training exercises, we strengthen the core cognitive abilities that help children:
- Sound out words more easily
- Remember what they read
- Understand and follow multi-step instructions
- Focus for longer periods without frustration
In fact, in a large study of children with reading struggles who completed a LearningRx program, reading skills improved by an average of 4.1 years—in only 24 weeks!*
When a Reading Tutor Isn’t Enough
So how do you know if tutoring is the right choice—or if your child needs something different?
Here are a few signs that your child may need more than tutoring:
- They’ve had reading support in the past, but still struggle
- They avoid reading altogether or get easily frustrated
- They have trouble remembering what they read, even after reviewing it
- They’re falling behind in other subjects too—not just reading (like math word problems, social studies, or other subjects that require strong comprehension)
- Their teacher has mentioned concerns about attention, processing, or comprehension
If any of those sound familiar, it may be time to take a deeper look at your child’s cognitive skills.
Before you sign up with a reading tutor, consider this: Does your child really need more reading instruction—or do they need stronger brain skills to make reading easier?
Tutoring might help with reading practice, but cognitive training can create long-term change by strengthening the skills that make reading possible in the first place.
Next Steps: Get a Learning Skills Assessment
At LearningRx Staunton-Harrisonburg, we start with a comprehensive learning skills assessment that identifies your child’s unique cognitive strengths and weaknesses. It gives you a clearer picture of why your child may be struggling—and what can be done to help.
👉 Schedule a cognitive skills assessment today to find out what’s really going on—and how we can help.
*Results are from surveys and studies of past clients. You or your child may or may not achieve the same outcomes, but you can read more about our research and results here!
