How to Become a Dyslexia Tutor and Build a Thriving Tutoring Business
Dyslexia Tutoring is a quickly growing field, particularly in regards to private tutoring services. It is estimated that 10% of the population has dyslexia, but this number can be as high as 17%. This means that there are at least 5 children in every classroom that will need a specialized dyslexia tutor. On today’s post, I will give you some tips and suggestions on how to become a dyslexia tutor and start a thriving tutoring business.
1. Get Orton-Gillingham Training
You will first want to begin by getting some dyslexia tutor training. Not every dyslexia training course is going to be the same. Some are just a few hours of online training and some are very extensive trainings with a supervised practicum.
There are multiple pathways for dyslexia tutors. The type of training you chose to take is entirely up to you. One is not necessarily better than the other. It really depends on what works out best for you and your needs.
The most common training method for a dyslexia tutor to become certified in is the Orton-Gillingham approach. Here is one that you can check out:
The PRIDE Reading Program
This self-paced course is for anyone who is looking to tutor dyslexic children. This Orton-Gillingham introduction course will give you a very nice overview of the Orton-Gillingham approach and multisensory teaching strategies. This course is also FREE. The link for the free O-G Course is HERE:
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2. Purchase a Dyslexia Curriculum for Tutoring
As a dyslexia tutor, your next step will be to purchase a curriculum that is specialized for children with dyslexia and will be easy for you to use with multiple students. Here is a program that you should consider using in your tutoring business:
The PRIDE Reading Program
This 100% scripted Orton-Gillingham reading program gives you everything you need for your dyslexia tutoring business. PRIDE Reading Program is effective, affordable, and the easiest to-use reading, writing, spelling and comprehension curriculum using the Orton-Gillingham approach.
Watch a video of a dyslexia tutor using the PRIDE Reading Program in her Orton-Gillingham lesson here:
3. Set Your Tutoring Rate
Factors that will affect how much a dyslexia tutor charges include location, education, and experience. A typical dyslexia tutor will charge between $40-70 per hour. A very experienced dyslexia tutor with an already established business might charge between $70-100 per hour. Dyslexia tutors in some locations such as Northern California can charge $120 an hour and will still have a very busy and thriving tutoring business!
4. Determine Your Tutoring Hours
A dyslexia tutor will need to tutor a single client no less than twice a week for one-hour sessions. The best way to figure out how many hours of instruction a child needs is to begin with an assessment. Most of the dyslexia curriculum that you purchase will come with a placement assessment. It takes around 60 hours of Orton-Gillingham instruction to improve one entire grade level. If a child is in 2nd grade, but places in Level 1, then that child will need at least 60 hours of remediation to catch up with his or her peers. That means you will need to recommend at least 3 days a week of one- hour lessons for the student to just catch up.
Now You Can Begin Tutoring!
Dyslexia tutoring fills a niche that can’t be filled in today’s busy schools alone. It is such a rewarding job. When you can help kids learn and grow, it just makes you feel amazing inside. Good Luck to you and Happy Tutoring!
Thank you for reading my post today. You might also enjoy reading my previous posts:
10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Online Teaching
Online Orton-Gillingham Program for Teachers and Tutors
Please don’t leave without checking out the PRIDE Reading Program. The PRIDE Reading Program is an Orton-Gillingham curriculum that is used by teachers, tutors, and homeschooling parents worldwide with great success.
