Trying to find a free online platform to help you teach reading? Whether you’re just starting out or want to update your teaching methods, there are a number of network-accessible platforms that can be used to help enhance your students’ reading readiness. In this article, we cover the best online platform for teaching reading and give an overview of its features.If you are teacher, tutor or a parent looking for effective online reading platforms for students. You have come to the right place. Reading is an integral part of education and students should be encouraged to read regularly. Moreover, because of the advancement in technology, there are now many online reading platforms designed especially for children. All of these online reading platform have different features that make them unique.
A few days ago, my colleague told me about a site with free online reading platforms for students. At first, I was a bit unsure about whether this was legit or not. But after checking it out it definitely seemed worthwhile sharing with you. After all, there are different online reading platforms for students that can help in learning reading.
Skooli
Key Specs
- Price: Approximately $1 per minute
- Grade Level: Elementary school through college
- Frequency: As needed
Skooli is a great as-needed tutoring app, where you can instantly connect with tutors with expertise in your struggle areas. We love that there’s no commitment needed.
PROS
- Get help instantly
- No commitment needed
- Pay per minute makes rates reasonable
CONS
- 15 minute minimum
- No student-tutor relationship, since you’ll book as-needed
Skooli is a broad-strokes tutoring platform, where students can connect with tutors in a wide variety of subjects.
For the most part, Skooli prefers to hire instructors with at least a bachelor’s degree in the subjects they tutor, so students can be assured they’re getting the kind of expert help they may need, regardless of grade level. It’s easy to browse tutors (and their credentials), select one, and start a session almost instantly, whenever you need it.
Although you can certainly use Skooli as a long-term tutoring option—either with one specific tutor or choosing different tutors each time you log on—it’s designed for in-the-moment queries as well.
The pricing structure reflects that: rather than monthly or even hourly rates, Skooli charges around $1 per minute (minimum time is 15 minutes), so you literally do not pay for a single wasted minute. For the most part, tutors on Skooli are well-vetted and experienced, with degrees and teaching certifications, so you can be sure that every minute spent involves learning something useful.
TutorMe
Key Specs
- Price: $1 per minute for pay-per-session. Monthly plans available starting at roughly $69 and going up to about $209
- Grade Level: High school, college, and graduate level
- Frequency: As needed, 2 hours per month, 4 hours per month, or 8 hours per month.
TutorMe is best for test prep because there are programs to prepare for the SAT, ACT, SAT II, LSAT, GRE, MCAT, and more. While it’s not strictly a reading tutoring platform, these tests all have reading sections, and TutorMe’s tutors will help you prepare.
PROS
- Pay-as-you-go and monthly plans available
- Different options for different learning styles
- Courses are self-paced
CONS
- No specific reading tutoring course
- Courses aren’t live
Reading sections show up on every major standardized test, and TutorMe has plenty of instructors to help you prepare. Reading comprehension sections on standardized tests tend to have very specific goals and standards, so even strong readers may want to look into tutoring ahead of taking these tests.
TutorMe has tutors to help prepare for both the SAT and ACT, as well as individual SAT II subject tests. On top of that, the site also has tutors available for college and graduate-level tests, such as the LSAT, GRE, and MCAT, that also require reading sections.
TutorMe has a platform that includes screen-sharing and different types of live chat options, so students can consult with tutors in the methods that work best for them. For such important tests, it’s important for students to know their instructors have the experience.
And, TutorMe has a selective vetting process: The platform actively hires tutors with prior tutoring experience in the subject(s) they tutor, and applicants must be either enrolled in or graduated from an accredited university. Students can choose from several pricing options: about $1 per minute for pay-per-session, or monthly plans of two hours for roughly $69, four hours for around $119, or eight hours for approximately $209.
Revolution Prep
Key Specs
- Price: Around $199 to $1,398
- Grade Level: K – 12
- Frequency: 5 hours, 12 hours, or more
Revolution Prep offers several tiers of in-depth tutoring, from small groups to test-prep to one-on-one instruction.
PROS
- Hours of rigorous tutoring
- Several options for different needs
- Group and one-on-one available
- Live interactions
CONS
- Can be expensive
- No one-off appointments
- Lowest tier is 5 hours
Revolution Prep is one of the only online tutoring platforms that hires professional, full-time tutors (rather than hiring experts who tutor as a side gig).
Although the platform does offer instruction in a variety of subjects, typically through one-on-one tutoring that focuses on a student’s current curriculum, it started out as test prep, and that’s still one of its crown offerings. Test prep tutoring with Revolution Prep takes the form of pre-existing programs, taught in small, group tutoring sessions.
Each course includes preparatory tutoring and real-time practice tests, complete with detailed score reports and a personalized study plan after each one. The company offers three different options. Personalized tutoring with up to 2 other students for 5 hours starts at about $199. Group test prep in a group of up to 8 students for 12 hours starts at roughly $499. Private, one-on-one tutoring for 12 hours using a customizable schedule costs approximately $1,398.
Tutor.com
Key Specs
- Price: Around $40 per month to $340 per month, or roughly $350 to $1,450 for six month flex plans
- Grade Level: K-12 and higher education
- Frequency: One hour per month to 10 hours per month, or 10 hours to 50 hours in a 6
Expert tutors cater to your one-on-one tutoring needs including monthly plans and as-needed flex plans that span several months.
PROS
- One-on-one tutors plus premade content for academic help
- Tutors available 24/7
- Heavily vetted tutors include professors, teachers, PhDs and other experts
CONS
- Can be expensive
- No one-off sessions
Tutor.com was acquired by the Princeton Review in 2014, and that depth of resources makes it a strong option for students of pretty much any grade level looking for reading help.
Along with its expert tutors, the site also offers a great selection of pre-made content to help students with reading comprehension techniques, from the fundamental skills up to more complex literary analysis. It’s a great way for students to get a little nudge, even if they don’t need full-fledged tutoring.
For students who do want one-on-one personalized tutoring, Tutor.com offers an array of plans, including monthly subscriptions that include a specific number of hours, or flex plans allowing for tutoring at any time.
Monthly plans range from about $40 for one hour to roughly $340 for 10 hours in a month. Six-month flex plans start at about $350 for 10 hours ($35 per hour) and go as high as approximately $1,450 for 50 hours ($29 per hour). With these plans, students can use their allotted hours as they wish, whether in a handful of long or sporadic sessions to answer quick questions.
Wyzant
Key Specs
- Price: Around $35 to $70 per hour
- Grade Level: All, plus adults
- Frequency: As needed
Wyzant is a tutoring service that connects you instantly to a tutor when you need it, even for those late night studying sessions.
PROS
- Ability to search for the type of tutor you want
- Search within your price range
- 24/7 access to tutors
CONS
- Experience is very specific to the tutor you choose
- Site does not have tutors adhere to a specific methodology
- No tutor/student relationship, as sessions are one-off and as-needed
One of the more popular broad-ranging tutoring platforms, Wyzant has plenty of expert reading tutors available at any time, for anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re seeking help for K-12 reading comprehension and fluency, college-level literature assignments, or test-specific tutoring—there’s a whole list of tutors with the expertise you need.
The service is set up to allow students to really narrow down prospective instructors by stated expertise and niche skills, all the way down to specific grade levels or standardized tests. Students can also view a tutor’s profile, rating from previous students, and hourly rates right away.
Instructors on Wyzant can set their own rates. According to the site itself, the average rate for reading tutors is between roughly $30 and $50 per hour, although not every tutor will fall into that range. On the plus side, Wyzant does include a one-hour “insurance” policy: The first-hour lesson with a new tutor is guaranteed to work out, or it’s free.
Thanks to the service’s interactive features, complete with video chat and “whiteboard” style classroom space, it’s super easy to use for any reading lesson, anytime.
Online Reading Tutor
Key Specs
- Price: Around $49 for one week trial. Plans start at about $179 per month and go up to approximately $359 per month.
- Grade Level: Any, plus adults
- Frequency: 20 – 30 minute practices at least 3 days per week. 2 – 8 one-on-one tutoring sessions per month.
We chose Online Reading Tutor as best for readers with dyslexia because of its use of the Orton-Gillingham method, and its accreditations by top organizations such as the International Dyslexia Association.
PROS
- Backed by expert research
- Individual adjustment of lessons
- One-on-one attention
CONS
- Can be expensive
- Only 2 one-on-one tutoring sessions at the lowest cost tier
- Emails and WhatsApp messages are rationed
For students with dyslexia, a specialized reading tutor can make all the difference, and that’s where Online Reading Tutor comes in. The platform specializes in methods to assist students with reading disabilities, no matter what their age or grade level is.
Based on Orton-Gillingham methodology, the site is geared at giving students the tools they need to improve their reading skills in the long term, not just to meet certain benchmarks or pass a particular test.
Tutors work with students in five specific areas: vocabulary, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, and reading comprehension. Students are required to work on lessons a minimum of three days a week—although five or six are recommended—and tutors are available for one-on-one lessons fitting the student’s schedule.
The site offers a one-week trial for roughly $49, along with three tiered monthly plans: about $179 per month for the “silver” plan, around $249 per month for “gold” option, and approximately $359 per month for the “platinum” plan. The difference between levels is really about how much one-on-one tutoring and communication happens.
Conclusion:
These days, everyone wants to learn online. From online tutoring services to online training and education, online learning is all the rage. There are a number of reasons for this, but it means more people are getting more education than before. Online education has never been so easy. That’s not even an exaggeration: We live in an age where there are many free learning platforms out there for you to use.