As a parent, it's natural that you want your child to excel in every aspect of their education and, if your child is struggling in their English classes, you will want to help them.
Whether it's problems with grammar and writing skills, reading comprehension or literature, hiring an English tutor can help your child feel more confident and elevate their learning experience... but, with so many options available, how do you choose the right one for your child?
1) Identify Your Child's Needs
Before starting the search for an English tutor, it is important to determine your child's individual needs, such as the specific areas they need to improve, the learning style that works best for them or the amount of help they require. Homework, reports, test results and teacher feedback will be able to help with this and, once you have a clear understanding of what your child needs, you can search for an English tutor that can help.
2) Check Qualifications and Experience
Hiring a qualified and experienced English tutor is crucial in ensuring your child receives the best support so make sure that you check for qualifications such as teaching certifications, academic degrees, and relevant experience in teaching English.
The tuition industry is very competitive and you could choose to work with either an individual tutor or a large tuition agency. It can be tempting to choose the cheaper option but you must ensure that you're investing in a tutor that has the necessary qualifications and experience to provide your child with a quality education.
3) Consider Personality and Teaching Style
When hiring an English tutor, it is important to choose a tutor that your child feels comfortable with so you will need to consider the tutor's personality and teaching style. Look for someone who is patient, understanding and can adapt to your child's needs, interests and learning style as this will make the learning experience more enjoyable and ensure better academic results.
4) Check Reviews and Recommendations
Word of mouth is a great way of finding a suitable tutor as honest feedback from people with personal experience of the service offered can be really helpful. If friends and family don't know anyone, try asking your child's school and members of local Facebook groups.
A reputable English tutor should be able to provide positive reviews from former and current students so make sure you ask for these before committing to any tuition programme.
5) Consider Online Learning
Traditionally, 1:1 English lessons had to be delivered face to face and many parents prefer face to face tuition, either at their own home or at the tutor's home. However, online tuition is growing in popularity as it is often more convenient and more affordable and allows the tutor and student access to a wide variety of interactive resources.
Choosing the right English tutor for your child can greatly impact their academic success and enjoyment of learning. By identifying your child's needs, checking a tutor's qualifications and experience, considering their personality and teaching style and checking reviews and recommendations, you can find a suitable English tutor that will help your child excel in their English classes. Remember, investing in your child's education is worth every penny.
About the Author
I’m a private tutor, a former qualified and experienced secondary school English Teacher and the founder of English Home Studies. In addition to offering 1:1 tuition sessions for students from 9 - 16 years old (Year 5 - Year 11), I create digital and printable revision guides and activity packs.
I often post advice and links to free and affordable English resources on the English Home Studies Facebook and Instagram pages but, if you have a child in KS3 or KS4, you might like to join one of my Facebook groups:
If you would like to find out more about my qualifications and experience, read some of the lovely reviews I've received from previous clients or have any questions, please have a look around my website or send me a message. Many thanks.
