When Is It Time to Stop Tutoring?
As a literacy tutor, especially as the end of term approaches (like now!) and I’m planning the next term’s timetable, I often get asked a big question: “How will I know when it’s time to stop tutoring?” It’s a great question—especially for parents of neurodiverse learners who may not follow the same trajectory as their peers.
⏳ So, When Is It Time to Finish Tutoring?
My role as a tutor is to build the code. I teach students how the English reading and writing system works—how sounds link to letters, how syllables break apart, and how meaning is built through prefixes, suffixes, and root words. I also teach writing craft: how to build on basic sentences right through to opinion-based essays.
But once a student has a solid foundation in reading, writing, and spelling—and has been exposed to most of the essential tools—it might be time to step back and let the self-teaching process begin.
Here are some signs a student may be ready to finish:
- They’ve been taught and practised the core code and can read and spell unfamiliar words.
- They can apply spelling rules and patterns successfully.
- They understand how words are built (e.g., using syllables and morphology).
- They are reading more independently, even if still at a slower pace.
- They are showing more confidence—even if they’re still not “at standard.”
Once students have been explicitly taught how to decode—breaking words into sounds and mapping those sounds to letters—they begin teaching themselves new words as they read. This is where real reading growth happens.
It’s important to remember: 📌 Reading “at standard” and being ready to read independently are not the same thing. Put simply: once the foundational skills are in place, every encounter with text becomes a chance to grow.
💡 What About Students Who Don’t Catch Up to Year-Level Benchmarks?
This is a reality for many of the neurodiverse learners I teach—those with ADHD, dyslexia, processing difficulties, or a complex learning profile. Some will always find reading and writing more effortful. That doesn’t mean they won’t succeed.
Structured Literacy helps these learners understand the logic of language. It gives them access. Once the code is unlocked, they can continue growing as readers and writers at their own pace—with or without a tutor by their side.
It’s also important to consider:
- They might still need accommodations
- They might always read more slowly
- They might write at a slower pace
But here’s the big picture: They will have the tools—and that’s what matters most.
💬 Final Thoughts
Tutoring isn’t meant to last forever. (There are definitely students I’d gladly keep teaching just for the joy of watching them grow!) But it’s important to remember: tutoring is a season of building and support.
When the foundation is laid, students need time and space to practise, explore, and self-teach. If you’re a parent wondering whether it’s time to pause or finish tutoring, I’m always happy to talk it through. The goal is not perfection. The goal is confidence, access, and independence. Because learning to decode is just the beginning.
By Heather Down, 31 March 2024.