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How do you choose a tutor for kids who learn and think differently? Whether you're looking for a tutor to help your child with dyslexia, dyscalculia, or something else, it's important to ask the right questions.

Here are questions to ask before you hire a tutor for your child.

Basic qualifications

How long have you been tutoring?

What are your qualifications, certifications, or credentials?

What's your expertise in the content area my child is studying?

Have you worked before with kids or adults who have trouble with the same skills as my child?

Do you have references I can speak to?

Tutoring strategies

Can you tell me a little bit about your teaching philosophy?

What strategies have you found help most when you start to work with a child?

How will you get a sense of my child's needs?

How would you help my child with [specific challenge your child has had]?

What kind of results can I expect to see?

What happens if my child doesn't make progress?

What might get in the way of achieving your tutoring goals?

Collaboration and communication

What can I do to support the process?

How will you communicate with me, and how often?

How will you work and communicate with my child's teachers?

How will you measure and share progress?

Availability, location, and costs

What's your availability?

Where will the tutoring sessions take place?

Do you offer online tutoring? If so, are there any specific technology tools we need at home?

How long is each tutoring session?

How much do you charge per session?

Are there other fees (for materials or assessments, for example)?

What's your policy for cancellations and make-up sessions?

Some tutors specialize in supporting kids with specific challenges. Learn how to find a tutor to help with dyslexia or dyscalculia.

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How to find a tutor to work with kids who learn and think differently? Start with this list of 21 questions to ask tutors.

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Scientific research has shown how children learn to read and how they should be taught. But many educators don’t know the science and, in some cases, actively resist it. As a result, millions of kids are being set up to fail.

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ADHD is a common condition that makes it hard to focus, keep still, and think before acting. Some people with ADHD mainly have trouble with focus. (This is also known as ADD.) ADHD can also impact other skills, including managing emotions.

It's not clear exactly how many people in the United States have ADHD. But estimates are between 5 and 11 percent.

ADHD doesn't just go away as people get older. Most of the time, hyperactivity and impulsivity lessen or disappear by the teen years or a little longer. But trouble with focus usually continues. Some people aren't diagnosed with ADHD until after high school or as adults.

No matter when people are diagnosed with ADHD, there are treatments that can make symptoms more manageable. And there are supports that can make things easier at school and at work.

People with ADHD have trouble with executive function, which is the "management system" of the brain. Because of that, people with ADHD often struggle with:

Managing time

Getting and staying organized

Setting priorities

Planning

Managing emotions

Paying attention and remembering things

Shifting focus from one thing to another

Getting started on and finishing tasks

Thinking before saying or doing things

There's one confusing sign of ADHD. People who have trouble focusing most of the time can often "hyperfocus" on tasks or activities they find really interesting.

Signs of ADHD can pop up at any age. Kids can show signs as young as preschool. But many don't show signs until later on, as school gets harder and they have more to juggle. Some people don't realize that what they experience is ADHD until they're in college or working.

The research shows that brain development is very similar. But the areas involved in executive function take longer to develop in people with ADHD. That's why kids with ADHD may act one to three years younger than other kids their age. Research also shows some differences in how the brain functions.

These differences have nothing to do with intelligence. People with ADHD are just as smart as people who don't have it.

Researchers are also looking at the role of genetics. ADHD tends to run in families. A child with ADHD has a one in four chance of having at least one parent who has it. And there's a strong likelihood that another close family member also has ADHD.

There are no tests for ADHD. Instead, evaluators use a variety of tools to determine if a child has ADHD. One is a questionnaire about behavior. Another is a clinical interview.

Here are some types of professionals who may diagnose ADHD:

General health care providers, including pediatricians

Psychiatrists

Developmental pediatricians

Neuropsychologists

Psychiatric nurse practitioners

Clinical psychologists

There are a few types of treatment for ADHD. They include:

Behavior therapy: This type of therapy involves creating a rewards system for changing a child's behavior. It's different from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps people look at their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and make positive changes. CBT may be helpful to some people with ADHD, but it's not a treatment for ADHD.

Alternative treatments: There's no shortage of companies that claim to have an all-natural fix to ADHD. Most have no evidence to back up their claims. Learn more about alternative treatments for ADHD.

ADHD doesn't go away. But with the right treatments and supports in school, at home, and at work, people with ADHD can thrive.

Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

Key takeaways

ADHD is a biological condition that can impact focus, organization, and self-control.

ADHD is not a problem of laziness or willpower.

With the right support, people with ADHD can thrive.

About the author

About the author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Thomas E. Brown, PhD has written many books on ADHD, including "Smart but Stuck: Emotions in Teens and Adults with ADHD." He's the director of the Brown Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders.

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What is ADHD? Use this ADHD guide to understand attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and how people with ADHD (or ADD) can thrive.

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ADD/ADHD | What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

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IDA’s Infomap Connects the Who, What, and How of Structured Literacy as Grounded in the Science of Reading

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Our Dyslexic Children - 2020 - Full Film

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Lindbergh: Leaders in Literacy. 10,944 likes · 30 talking about this. Organized by parents (not school officials) to make Lindbergh Schools a leader in literacy by embracing the science behind…

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Decoding Dyslexia Oregon, Portland, Oregon. 16,135 likes · 264 talking about this. We raise awareness, empower the dyslexia community, provide resources, and advocate for change.

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https://www.colorincolorado.org/language-and-literacy-home-tips-multilingual?fbclid=IwY2xjawG-2ZlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHU5PIiwVSBgWh1K0_cOMzDhT3MH0vBl2hXgLktdS_Ao_IbGsVMlqbY3puw_aem_Xyduu-IogMEKmlAt5qpebQ

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Groundbreaking New PBS Kids Series “Carl the Collector” Features Authentic Autistic Representation On Screen - Disability Belongs

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Series Production Team Includes Variety of Neurodiverse Writers, Production Staff, Animators, Advisors, and Voice Talent

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Explore reading resources for families and caregivers to help support your child’s literacy journey with confidence.

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kids reading literacy preschool kindergarden "first grade" dusty dott alphabott pbs

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What do a dog, a girl, and a robot have in common? First and foremost, Dusty, Dott, and Alphabott are best friends. But they are also reading buddies! Dusty loves to talk, but learning to read is a new skill. With the help of Dott and Alphabott, he discovers that it can be so much fun!

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As a Dad of a daughter who experiences disabilities and as a professional who has spent his career working in National, State and City parks conserving nature and building trails, I found myself at

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As a Dad of a daughter who experiences disabilities and as a professional who has spent his career working in National, State and City parks conserving nature and building trails, I found myself at

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The signs of dyslexia can appear as early as preschool. Whether you're a parent or teacher- or think you might have dyslexia yourself-here's what to look for, starting in the earliest years through adulthood.

The Preschool Years

Trouble learning common nursery rhymes, such as "Jack and Jill"

Difficulty learning (and remembering) the names of letters in the alphabet

Seems unable to recognize letters in his/her own name

Mispronounces familiar words; persistent "baby talk"

Doesn't recognize rhyming patterns like cat, bat, rat

A family history of reading and/or spelling difficulties (dyslexia often runs in families)

© Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, p. 122

Kindergarten & First Grade

Difficulties

Reading errors that show no connection to the sounds of the letters on the page-will say "puppy" instead of the written word "dog" on an illustrated page with a picture of a dog

Does not understand that words come apart

Complains about how hard reading is; "disappears" when it is time to read

A history of reading problems in parents or siblings

Cannot sound out even simple words like cat, map, nap

Does not associate letters with sounds, such as the letter b with the "b" sound

Strengths

Curiosity

Great imagination

Ability to figure things out; gets the gist of things

Eager embrace of new ideas

A good understanding of new concepts

Surprising maturity

A larger vocabulary than typical for age group

Enjoys solving puzzles

Talent for building models

Excellent comprehension of stories read or told to him

© Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, pp. 122 - 123

Second Grade through High School

Reading

Very slow in acquiring reading skills. Reading is slow and awkward

Trouble reading unfamiliar words, often making wild guesses because he cannot sound out the word

Doesn't seem to have a strategy for reading new words

Avoids reading out loud

Speaking

Searches for a specific word and ends up using vague language, such as "stuff" or "thing," without naming the object

Pauses, hesitates, and/or uses lots of "um's" when speaking

Confuses words that sound alike, such as saying "tornado" for "volcano," substituting "lotion" for "ocean"

Mispronunciation of long, unfamiliar or complicated words

Seems to need extra time to respond to questions

School and Life

Trouble remembering dates, names, telephone numbers, random lists

Struggles to finish tests on time

Extreme difficulty learning a foreign language

Poor spelling

Messy handwriting

Low self-esteem that may not be immediately visible

Strengths

Excellent thinking skills: conceptualization, reasoning, imagination, abstraction

Learning that is accomplished best through meaning rather than rote memorization

Ability to get the "big picture"

A high level of understanding of what is read tohim

The ability to read and to understand at a high level overlearned (or highly practiced) words in a special area of interest; for example, if he or she loves cooking they may be able to read food magazines and cookbooks

Improvement as an area of interest becomes more specialized and focused-and a miniature vocabulary is developed that allows for reading in that subject area

A surprisingly sophisticated listening vocabulary

Excels in areas not dependent on reading, such as math, computers and visual arts, or in more conceptual (versus fact-driven) subjects, including philosophy, biology, social studies, neuroscience and creative writing

© Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, pp. 123-125

Young Adults & Adults

Reading

A childhood history of reading and spelling difficulties

While reading skills have developed over time, reading still requires great effort and is done at a slow pace

Rarely reads for pleasure

Slow reading of most materials-books, manuals, subtitles in films

Avoids reading aloud

Speaking

Earlier oral language difficulties persist, including a lack of fluency and glibness; frequent use of "um's" and imprecise language; and general anxiety when speaking

Often pronounces the names of people and places incorrectly; trips over parts of words

Difficulty remembering names of people and places; confuses names that sound alike

Struggles to retrieve words; frequently has "It was on the tip of my tongue" moments

Rarely has a fast response in conversations; struggles when put on the spot

Spoken vocabulary is smaller than listening vocabulary

Avoids saying words that might be mispronounced

School & Life

Despite good grades, often says he's dumb or is concerned that peers think he's dumb

Penalized by multiple-choice tests

Frequently sacrifices social life for studying

Suffers extreme fatigue when reading

Performs rote clerical tasks poorly

Strengths

Maintains strengths noted during the school-age years

Has a high capacity to learn

Shows noticeable improvement when given additional time on multiple-choice examinations

Demonstrates excellence when focused on a highly specialized area, such as medicine, law, public policy, finance, architecture or basic science

Excellent writing skills if the focus is on content, not spelling

Highly articulate when expressing ideas and feelings

Exceptional empathy and warmth

Successful in areas not dependent on rote memory

A talent for high-level conceptualization and the ability to come up with original insights

Inclination to think outside of the box and see the big picture

Noticeably resilient and able to adapt

© Sally Shaywitz, Overcoming Dyslexia, pp. 125- 127

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The signs of dyslexia can appear as early as preschool. Whether you're a parent or teacher- or think ...

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Accommodations for Students with Dyslexia

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The motivation behind the film is simple - over 43 million Americans can't read well enough to get a job and support a family. But the film posits there are actually no illiterate children, just children who haven't learned to read yet.

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Learning About Your Child’s Reading Development

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This toolkit helps parents and families understand the many different skills involved with teaching your child to learn to read and how to support your child’s reading development at school and home.

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Welcome At Teach My Kid to Read, we are committed to creating awareness and education about the science of reading so that parents, librarians, or anyone interested in literacy education, is empowered to help more kids learn to read.

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Peak Literacy Consulting & Tutoring | Beaverton OR

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Peak Literacy Consulting & Tutoring, Beaverton, Oregon. 126 likes · 1 talking about this. I am passionate about working with children to strengthen literacy connections at home or in the cla