Reading proficiency is a key skill. It's massively surprising that the numbers for those who are being assessed in the schooling system seem to be showing a rapid decline in their proficiency. This should raise all kinds of alarm systems in your head, as reading is the cornerstone of accessing information. For any scholar or student who truly wants to dive deeply into topics, they need to be able to do more than just skim the surface of a piece of work but really understand it. For this, reading is vital. Unfortunately, 14% of adults in the US can't read, 21% of adults in the US read below a 5th-grade level and 19% of high school graduates in the US can't read at all. This is scary if you think that all universities across the world depend massively on readings, often issuing three or four dense readings of 100 pages+ per course. This might sound too forward-thinking to you, as university might be far away for your young children; however, reading starts from the bottom and it's foundational information that is then built upon.

This is why many are turning to online tutoring, as teachers in school seem to be facing rising student numbers and are unable to give that one-on-one attention that children need to really understand a concept. More families and educators are turning to online tutoring that is rooted in evidence-based approaches like Orton-Gillingham to help students regain ground. It is paramount that students are able not only to read well but also to grasp the concepts they are reading. They need to continuously work on improving their vocabulary and increasing the difficulty level of what they're reading. For this, educated and highly experienced tutors are often needed and with urgency.

A National Reading Slide You Can’t Ignore

The 2024 cycle of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation’s Report Card, delivered sobering news. Average reading scores fell by two points for both 4th and 8th graders compared to 2022. In 2024, the average reading score for the nation at grade 12 was 3 points lower than in 2019. Compared to the first reading assessment in 1992, the average score was 10 points lower in 2024.  In many districts, the students at the lower percentiles, which means those who are already struggling, saw sharper declines.

The trend has only intensified through the rise of technology. More and more children are on their smartphones and using AI to send them voice-overs to understand concepts and this means that they are not reading often, already from a young age. iPads and smartphones have replaced books. Because of this, many students enter classrooms behind. Educators and policymakers rightly look to school-based interventions but constrained budgets, staffing shortages and logistical barriers make it extremely difficult to fill the gaps fast enough. Plus, they are fighting technology and AI, which is almost an impossible fight.

It’s under these conditions that online tutoring has gained serious attention. Families who once had limited options are now seeking flexible, scalable support that can reach kids wherever they are.

Why Orton-Gillingham Tutors Are in Demand

Orton-Gillingham is a structured, multi-sensory approach to teaching reading and spelling. You see, Orton-Gillingham tutors emphasize explicit instruction in phonics, blending, decoding and spelling rules, while building from simpler concepts to more complex ones, making them extremely useful as a reading tutor. Because it’s particularly effective for students who struggle with reading (including those with dyslexia), it has become a gold standard in reading intervention.

The Reading Guru is one notable example of a company offering live, online, one-to-one Orton-Gillingham tutoring. Their certified tutors tailor each session to the student’s skills, personality and gaps and they don’t advance until mastery is achieved. But unfortunately, not all students have access to an excellent reading tutor like these. Only 15% of U.S. students undergo some form of tutoring and less than 2% of students benefit from high-quality tutoring but this just shows that there is still work to be done. High-quality tutoring needs to become the norm so that students can reap the most benefits.

Even though the cost of high-quality tutoring is high and tends to rise, many see it as an investment. When a child falls behind in reading, the consequences unfold across subjects like comprehension in social studies, science and even later writing tasks. Getting support early can prevent escalating learning deficits and this is where you need a solid reading tutor and not some AI-powered smartphone.

You also can't forget the social and confidence aspect of reading. If you have a child who struggles with reading, it will greatly impact how they engage in class, what they feel they can or can't say and they might feel embarrassed around teachers or peers, leading them to avoid the topic of reading completely, only making things worse for them.

Critical Aspects to Bear in Mind With Online Tutoring

Online tutoring brings several benefits, particularly when schools are overwhelmed. As online tutoring can be quite pricey, it only makes sense that you should first take some time to look at the benefits that come with going this route. Other than having your child learn basic skills, you can also expect:

• Flexible scheduling: sessions can take place in the evening, on weekends or during school breaks. This is excellent as it means that you can create a schedule for your child that works with all of their other commitments, such as sports or hobbies.
• Personalized pacing: tutors can adjust speed based on the student’s readiness, which is good. Often, in a class, those who are not so good at reading get left behind because the majority wants to move on. A teacher can't slow down for someone who struggles, unfortunately but a dedicated tutor can.
• Access to expert tutors beyond geographical boundaries: regardless of where you might find yourself, your child can have access to the highest levels of teaching.

As great as all of this sounds, which it does, reality checks are needed. Some challenges include:

• The cost barrier: expert tutors are not cheap
• Digital divides: students without reliable internet or devices are left out
• Engagement issues: younger students may struggle to stay focused on a screen
• Compatibility: not all students respond equally to remote instruction
• Scaling: one tutor can only serve so many students effectively

Why Supporting Youth Literacy Now Matters

Reading is foundational. If a child cannot read fluently and with understanding, barriers follow everywhere. Access to higher education, career prospects and civic participation all become harder. In a society already grappling with inequality, failing to support struggling readers widens the divide further.

EMBED YOUTUBE LINK HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWWCmuAEBB4

Each child who recovers reading competence gains confidence, access and opportunity. From a civic perspective, the future economy and society depend on literate citizens who can interpret complex texts, engage in learning and adapt to change. Falling behind in reading isn’t just an academic issue; it’s a long-term societal risk.

This is also not a good sign for the country. If the country or even if you make that smaller and call it states, if states do not have high levels of reading abilities, it impacts the quality of brain power and work power for that area.

Why Is All of This Decline Happening?

A lot of individuals ask themselves why this is happening. Why is the youth in the USA struggling with reading? Many blame this on technology, in particular on smartphones and access to AI. You see, 53% of children have a smartphone by age 11 and by ages 13–17, over 95% of teens have a cell phone. This means that phones have replaced books. The content on these phones is often video-based, which means that reading is not as necessary as it was before. Or AI is being used in voice mode so that all people have to do is listen.

Furthermore, due to the speed of social media and short-form content, the attention span of children in the USA has also reduced. They no longer have the attention span to sit down and read a whole page, as they're used to consuming content in a matter of seconds. This is problematic.

When you think about trying to improve reading, you also need to think about what other intervention strategies you can implement to try to support this goal. This includes removing access or limiting access to digital devices, which can often negatively impact the reading proficiency of people.

Scaling the Solution: What Schools and Policy Makers Should Consider

While online tutors can help individual students, the challenge is systemic. Schools and policymakers should consider integrating high-quality tutoring into school recovery plans, investing in infrastructure (devices, broadband) so all students can access remote support, encouraging public–private partnerships with proven tutoring providers, providing subsidies or vouchers so lower-income families can afford intervention and training more tutors and expanding certification pipelines.

Policy decisions made now will ripple for decades. If recovery efforts neglect reading, the learning losses become entrenched.

A Call to Action for the Future

Reading loss is not a temporary setback; it’s a deep fissure threatening a generation of learners. Online Orton-Gillingham tutors offer a lifeline but they are not a magic wand. The broader ecosystem must support these efforts: schools, families, government and technology. Everyone needs to come together to try to create an ecosystem that works well for children and gives them the space they need to learn and improve. This is not just a problem for people with children but a problem for society as a whole. The world is built on the youth and if the youth are not properly educated, this can create a catastrophic chain of events.

Therefore, as a society, investing in youth literacy isn’t optional. It’s essential. By combining rigorous online tutors like those at The Reading Guru with policy support, infrastructure and early identification, there’s potential to reverse the decline. The stakes are high, as the future of learning, equity and opportunity depends in no small part on how effectively reading loss is addressed now.

Media info

Company.The Reading Guru LLC

Email.info@readingguru.com

Person.Joanna Brown

Website.https://readingguru.com

Country.United States

Media Contact
Company Name: The Reading Guru LLC
Contact Person: Joanna Brown
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: readingguru.com