Reading & ELA tutoring

Online reading and ELA tutor

Reading help looks different at every age. A 6-year-old needs sounds and blending. A 14-year-old needs to turn ideas into an organized paragraph.

Try one hour for $25. Pick a time on the calendar and tick “first session” when you pay. After that it's $35/hour, or $130 for a 4-hour bundle.
Book the $25 first hour Free 15-min consult

Early readers (K–2)

Letter sounds, blending, and decoding short words
Sight words in real sentences, not just flashcards
Reading aloud with short, fun texts and building stamina

Growing readers (3–5)

Fluency: reading smoothly enough that meaning comes through
Comprehension: main idea, sequence, inference, and finding evidence
Vocabulary from context
Short written responses: answer, evidence, explanation

Middle and high school ELA

Close reading of novels, articles, and poems
Thesis statements, paragraph structure, and essay revision
Research papers and citations (the free Student Resource Center has citation help)
Grammar in the context of the student's own writing

How I'm honest about reading

I'm a tutor, not a reading specialist or a diagnostician. If what I see suggests dyslexia or another learning difference, I'll tell you and suggest you look into a formal evaluation. Tutoring can still help alongside it.

Who you'll work with

I'm David Clifford, the one person behind Life Academy. I've tutored for 8 years, worked as a substitute teacher for Pasco County Schools (including long-term assignments), and hold a BAS degree, cum laude. Every session is live, 1:1, with me, on Zoom or Google Meet. No AI tutor, no handoff to someone else.

Price

$35/hour. Your first full hour is $25. A 4-hour bundle is $130. Book at least 24 hours ahead; a free 15-minute consult is available first. Tutoring is sold separately from the homeschool plans. See the refund policy.

Not ready to book? Two free ways to see how I teach: free Math Office Hours (grades 2–8, a 30-minute live drop-in every Tuesday at 8 PM ET) and the free Week 1 of every grade in the Life Academy classroom, no card needed.

Questions parents ask

What does online reading tutoring cost?

$35/hour. The first full hour is $25, and a 4-hour bundle is $130.

Can a kindergartner do online reading tutoring?

Yes, with shorter, playful sessions and a parent nearby. Many early readers do well with 30-minute blocks inside the hour.

Do you help with essays?

Yes: planning, thesis, structure, and revision. I won't write it for your student, but I'll help them write a better one.

Do you diagnose dyslexia?

No. I'm not a diagnostician. If I notice signs, I'll tell you and suggest a formal evaluation.

Is there a free way to try Life Academy?

Yes. Week 1 of every grade's English lessons is free in the classroom, no card needed.