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“Needs help with English” can describe quite different problems. Bring a reading book, a short piece of schoolwork or a teacher’s comment so the tutor can see what happens when your child works. The first goal should describe something they will learn to do, rather than simply a worksheet to finish.

Phonics connects written letters with speech sounds. For a child learning to read, practice should follow the sounds and spellings they have been taught at school. An older primary pupil who still struggles to read words may also need this foundation work.

For example, in ship, the letters sh work together to represent one sound. A child who tries to sound out s and h separately needs help noticing that pair. Point to sh, i and p, say the three sounds and blend them into ship. The task is to work through the printed word, rather than guess “boat” from a picture.

For a next step, shop keeps the same sh pattern and changes the middle sound. Use it once the child has learned that spelling too: identify sh–o–p, then blend the sounds. Books matched to the child’s taught sound–spelling knowledge give them a chance to use this skill while reading. Share the school’s phonics programme and reading book with the tutor.

An inference is an idea you work out from clues in the text. It goes beyond finding a fact that is stated directly, but the answer still needs a reason. This short, made-up passage shows the difference.

Maya paused at the classroom door and gripped her bag. She took a deep breath before going in.

“Where did Maya pause?” asks for a stated fact: at the classroom door. “How might Maya be feeling?” asks the reader to interpret the clues. “She failed a test” invents an event the passage does not give us. A better answer is: “Maya might be nervous because she pauses at the door and grips her bag before going in.” The word “might” leaves room for another explanation, while the detail from the passage supports this one.

Now add: “When she saw her friend, Maya let go of her bag and smiled.” A follow-up question is “What suggests her feelings have changed?” Letting go of the bag and smiling suggest she is more at ease. A useful sign of progress is that the child can find and explain the new clues, with less help than before.

Writing practice can separate composing an idea, forming the sentence and checking its spelling. Start with an idea the child can say aloud, then focus feedback on one manageable change. These constructed examples show how the work can develop.

You can compare profiles or make a free tutor-matching request. Look for relevant primary English teaching experience, then use the free introductory meeting to discuss goals, approach and lesson arrangements. It is a chance to work out whether the proposed support suits your child.

Agree a small amount of practice that your child understands and you can fit around school. The task should use what was taught: read a short passage, explain one answer, or write a few sentences using a spelling pattern. Ask what help to give if your child gets stuck, so practice does not turn into an adult completing the work.

Keep an early example and compare it with a new task of similar difficulty at the agreed review. Finishing a familiar worksheet with prompts is different from using the same skill in new work.

Tell the tutor what helps your child participate: time to think before answering, a shorter passage, clear print or a chance to say an idea before writing. Share relevant school support and agree which approaches to carry into tuition. These are arrangements to discuss for the individual child, rather than assumptions based on a label.

For an older child with a word-reading gap, ask for practice at the right reading level with topics that respect their age and interests. If English is an additional language, explain which languages your child uses and what they can already understand or explain. The tutor can then discuss the language demands of the task as well as the reading or writing skill.

If difficulties persist, keep the class teacher involved. Tuition can work on the learning tasks alongside school support; any concerns needing further assessment should be discussed through the school.