The number of students getting private tutoring after school has been increasing in Hong Kong and many countries around the world. The demand for private tuition has also spread among students attending international schools. To pay or not to pay for a private tutor is a question that many parents are asking nowadays. The answer depends on whether your child belongs to one of the three groups of students below.
Students who seek private tuition generally fall into three groups. First, there are those who are falling behind in a particular subject and may be struggling in school. Lesson time is limited in most regular schools and teachers cannot always adjust the lesson pace to suit every learner. Private tuition can help this group of students as classes are tailored to individual needs and the small teacher-student ratio allows pupils to focus on areas of weakness. The smaller class size also gives timid individuals confidence to speak up and raise questions in order to clarify any doubts.
The second group of students are those who are already flourishing academically but want to improve even more to get top grades. In small groups or one-to-one tuition, the tutor can help students develop a specific subject further and explore topics of interest beyond the school curriculum. Tutoring can be particularly useful for IB and A-level students wanting to secure the grades they need to get into their top choice university. For this group, private tutoring can often help students turn a “B” grade into an “A”. While knowing the subject content is important, succeeding in an exam is also a matter of knowing the precise keywords and how to write your answers to gain marks. Studying with an experienced tutor, students can learn test-taking strategies and answering skills which are crucial for success.
The third group consists of students needing test preparation for standardized exams such as the SAT and ACT. Admissions exams are critical for getting into many elite universities and colleges in the US; and as competition for places is higher than ever, students will need an exceptional score to distinguish themselves from the pool of applicants. With test prep tuition, students can receive training in a specific approach, enabling them to become familiar with the test format, and refine test-taking techniques to maximize test score.
When enrolling in private tuition, it’s important to set objectives and clear goals. Although cramming just before the exams is not recommended, time-crunched students can often benefit from last minute tutoring. Pre-exam tutoring provides an opportunity to fine-tune exam and revision strategies in a short period of time. Private classes are also effective for improving language and essay writing skills, which can boost students’ overall academic capabilities. Go to the article
