The essential building blocks to reading are forming connections between sounds and speech to print. Children learn the sounds of speech early, so the key is connecting the sounds to print or letters, which needs to be taught effectively.

The English Language has 45 basic sounds. The alphabet has only 26 letters. Different combinations of those letters compose or represent the different sounds. A phonogram is a single letter or a fixed combination of two, three or four letters that is the symbol for one sound in a given word. There are 70 combinations of letters that comprise the 45 sounds. These letters in spelling practice are underlined to help visually see the separate sounds (i.e. light - 3 sounds). Knowing the phonograms also increases understanding of how the words are spelt. Teaching children to recognize these phonograms highly increases success in reading and spelling.

To more fully understand the letter sounds, Spalding's marking system puts a number over the letter to identify the sound the letter is making. For example, the word ‘is'. If a child thinks that s only says [s] they would sound out i[s]. To avoid the confusion, the child is taught directly that S has two sounds [s & z]. Therefore, in the word ‘is', the s is saying its second sound of [z]. A small #2 is written over the s to help the children identify which sound the letter is making.

Most students experience a certain degree of math anxiety at some point during their school careers. It is important for children to get the help and attention they need to overcome any anxieties associated with doing math so they do not get behind. With one-on-one math tutoring children receive the attention they need in a setting that makes it easier for them to focus. Students often learn better when they are encouraged at their own pace without the worry of moving at the classroom level.

The key goal of Math Tutoring is to provide problem-solving experiences that build students' understanding of specific math facts and skills.

Assessment tests are given to each child on the first day. This helps tutors to identify specific areas and skills that children need additional help with. Once those areas and skills are identified, short term and long term goals will be set for the children. For example, if a student is having trouble adding two-digit numbers, a short term goal would be to familiarize the child with the 10-base blocks. Once the 10-base system is understood, progress will be made towards longer-term goals. In this situation a long term goal could be adding of those numbers without using manipulatives, or formulating the answer in their head.

Throughout each session, positive reinforcement is used to help children build confidence in their own intelligence and problem solving skills. Tutors work to eliminate the stress associated with math and make math fun by using manipulatives, movement, and musical math. Children are encouraged to bring their math homework from school; tutors can provide extra material to reinforce and supplement what is being taught at school in Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and Geometry.

Another essential sub-skill in teaching children to read is in understanding the organization of the written language. English is not as random and inconsistent as one may think. 29 rules of spelling offer order. Individuals applying these rules when spelling words are able to analyze and understand why the words are spelt the way they are. Memorizing thousands of words is very ineffective and overwhelming. For example, Rule 17: “We often double l, f, and s following a single vowel at the end of a one-syllable word (will, off, miss)”

Other rules to get you thinking:

• Why does the letter ‘c' in the word concept have different sounds?
• What are the 5 jobs of silent ‘e' at the end of a word?
• Why is the word ‘find' written that way?
• I'm hearing the same sounds; why are they spelled differently and when do I know which spelling to use? (i.e. saw, taught)

The guidelines, rules and marking system lawfully order letters for spelling and reading, giving the child and adults rich usage of the language. Without traffic rules, travel would be devastating. So it is with reading.