Kindergarten to Grade 8 · Ages 5-14
Online Reading Intervention for Struggling Readers
Live one-to-one lessons that rebuild phonics, decoding and fluency for children reading below grade level.
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How it works, in short
TaleemSquare reading intervention is live, one-to-one online tutoring for children who are reading below grade level. A tutor checks exactly where reading breaks down, then teaches the missing skills in a planned order: sounds and phonics, decoding longer words, fluency with connected text, and comprehension.
In the 2024 Nation's Report Card, 31 percent of US fourth graders read at or above NAEP Proficient, so many children need extra help. We do not diagnose reading disabilities. Plans start at $85 a month, with no contract.
- Format
- Live, one-to-one, online
- Lesson length
- 45 minutes
- Level
- Ages 5-14
- Price
- From $85 a month
- Per hour of tutoring
- About $14.17
- Families taught
- 500+ since 2023
What changes after a term of lessons
Accurate decoding
Sounds out unfamiliar words using phonics patterns instead of guessing from pictures or the first letter.
Fluent reading
Reads connected text more smoothly, so effort goes into meaning rather than individual words.
Better understanding
Retells, answers questions and learns new words from what they read.
What we cover
Lessons follow your child's own school or homeschool curriculum. These are the areas we work on most at this level.
Phonemic awareness
Hearing, blending and segmenting the sounds in spoken words, the base for phonics.
Systematic phonics
Letter-sound patterns taught in a planned order, with review until each one is secure.
Decoding longer words
Syllables, prefixes, suffixes and word parts for multisyllable words.
Fluency
Reading connected text every lesson, with modeling and repeated reading for accuracy and pace.
Vocabulary
Explicit teaching of useful words and how to work out meanings from context and word parts.
Comprehension
Retelling, summarizing, inference and answering questions about fiction and nonfiction.
Signs your child could use help
- Reads well below grade level, according to the teacher
- Guesses words instead of sounding them out
- Reads slowly and loses meaning along the way
- Avoids reading aloud or reading at all
- Scored low on a reading screener or state test
- Spelling lags far behind classmates
One of these on its own is normal. Two or three together usually point to a specific gap, and finding it is what the free assessment is for.
Taught to your curriculum, wherever you live
State reading standards and school reading plans
Lessons follow your child's grade-level reading standards and can work alongside a school reading plan, an IEP or a 504 plan. Share any screener or test results so the tutor can start in the right place.
National Curriculum and school phonics programme
For UK families, tutors follow your child's year group and can complement the school's systematic synthetic phonics programme and any SEN support.
Level: Reception to Year 9
Provincial language curricula
For Canadian families, lessons follow your province's language curriculum and can reflect accommodations in your child's IEP.
Level: Kindergarten to Grade 8
Australian Curriculum: English
For Australian families, tutors follow the Australian Curriculum for your child's year level, including phonics and early reading, and can mirror school adjustments.
Level: Foundation to Year 8
What a reading intervention lesson looks like
One 45-minute session. Tutors adjust the timings to your child.
5 min
Warm-up
A quick review of recent sounds or words.
12 min
Phonics or word study
One new pattern, taught explicitly and practiced.
8 min
Decoding practice
Reading and spelling words with the new pattern.
12 min
Connected text
Reading a short passage aloud with support for accuracy and fluency.
8 min
Comprehension and wrap-up
Talking about the text, then one thing to practice at home.
Who teaches your child
Every TaleemSquare reading and English tutor passes the same five checks before their first class. Your child keeps the same tutor each week, and if the fit is not right we switch tutor at no cost. Tutors are based in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Pakistan and India, and all of them teach in English.
Identity and references checked
Every tutor is identity-verified and reference-checked before teaching a student.
Subject test
Tutors pass a subject test before they are matched with a child.
Spoken-English assessment
Lessons are taught in English, so every tutor passes a spoken-English assessment.
Live sample lesson
Tutors teach a live sample lesson before they are hired, to show they can explain clearly.
Open to parents
Classes are one-to-one in a password-protected room. Sit in on any class or ask for a recording.
How reading intervention lessons work
Find where reading breaks down
The free assessment checks sounds, phonics, word reading, fluency and comprehension to pinpoint the starting point.
Teach skills in a planned order
Each skill builds on the last, with explicit teaching and plenty of review, as federal reading guidance recommends.
Read connected text every lesson
Every lesson includes reading real text for accuracy, fluency and understanding, not just drills.
Progress updates on WhatsApp
You get regular updates on what was covered, what improved and one thing to practice at home.
After each class you get a WhatsApp note: what was read, what clicked, and one thing to practise at home.
Simple monthly plans
$85a month for 2 one-to-one reading and English lessons a week
About $10.63 a lesson, or $14.17 per hour of live one-to-one tutoring.
- Free 45-minute trial assessment, no card details
- No contract, cancel any month
- No registration fee
- 4-class money-back promise
- Switch tutor at no cost
- WhatsApp update after every class
Starter
2 lessons a week, best for keeping up with school
$85/mo
EnrollGrowthMost chosen
3 lessons a week, best for catching up + building confidence
$119/mo
EnrollIntensive
4 lessons a week, best for exam prep & fast improvement
$149/mo
EnrollCommon worries, honest answers
“Is this the same as dyslexia support?”
It overlaps. Reading intervention suits any child reading below grade level. If dyslexia is diagnosed or suspected, see our dyslexia reading page too. We do not diagnose; for an evaluation, speak to your school.
“My child is in middle school and still struggles. Is it too late?”
No. Older students can still learn phonics and decoding patterns they missed, taught in a way that respects their age, alongside the reading they need for school.
“How often should lessons be?”
Regular practice matters for reading. Many families choose three lessons a week at the start. There is no contract, so you can adjust the plan as your child improves.
Frequently asked questions
What is reading intervention?
What does research recommend for struggling early readers?
How do I know if my child needs reading intervention?
Is online reading intervention effective?
Do you work with school reading plans and IEPs?
How much does reading intervention tutoring cost?
Book a free 45-minute assessment
Your child meets a tutor for a real one-to-one session. You get an honest read on where they are and what would help, even if the answer is that they don't need tutoring right now.
- 1
We reply on WhatsApp
Usually within 10 minutes, to find a time that suits your family.
- 2
Your child meets the tutor
A relaxed 45-minute session to see their level and how they learn.
- 3
You decide
You get a recommendation and a plan. No card details, no pressure.
Already decided? Choose a plan and enroll now
Not sure yet? Book a free assessment below.