If you’ve been searching for a reading tutor in Kingston, Ontario, you have likely run into an overwhelming sea of digital apps, online programs, and software packages. While screens have their place, learning to read is a deeply human experience.
At Limestone Reading, we choose a different path: in-person, one-on-one, face-to-face instruction.
Hi! I’m Chris, and I returned to my hometown of Kingston after years of teaching internationally, most recently running my own English school in Japan. I built this space because I believe that helping a struggling reader requires two basic things: a time-tested method that actually works, and a teacher who takes the time to get to know your child.
A Simple, Phonics-First Approach (No Guessing)
When I say I teach reading the old-school way, I don’t mean the lessons are stuffy or rigid. I just mean we focus on what works: structured literacy.
In plain terms, I focus completely on sounding out words (decoding) rather than encouraging kids to guess words from pictures or context.
Here is how we build that foundation, step by step:
- The Right Start: We begin with a tiny, manageable set of letter sounds—usually s, a, t, p, i, n—using simple phonics cards.
- Side-by-Side Practice: Your child and I sit side by side, writing together on small whiteboards. We blend two letters together, then three, building immediate confidence.
- The Reading-Writing Connection: To lock in what they learn, students complete a short, single-page writing sheet after the lesson. Writing the words reinforces the sound-letter relationship. At the start of the next lesson, we read it together to celebrate their progress.
- Navigating the “Rule Breakers”: Right from day one, I let kids know that while we are learning the rules of phonics, English has plenty of words that break them! Acknowledging this early takes away the anxiety of making mistakes. We face those tricky words together.
What I Brought Back From Japan
During my years teaching in Japan, I loved how their elementary schools balanced daily structure with an active joy for learning. I bring that same balance back to Kingston.
Lessons are structured, but they are designed to give children a sense of ownership over their learning. When a child realizes they have the tools to crack the code of a new word on their own, their posture changes. They stand a little taller.
Hard Work and Trash-Can Basketball
A struggling reader is often a frustrated or anxious reader. With classroom sizes as big as they are today, it is incredibly hard for kids to get the focus they need. Even school intervention programs like Empower—while well-intentioned—are often stretched too thin to give a child the dedicated attention required to truly catch up.
Your child doesn’t need another computer algorithm flashing a red screen at them when they slip up; they need a calm, encouraging guide sitting right next to them, noticing exactly where they are stumbling.
Because kids tend to feel comfortable around me quickly, we build a great rapport right away. That trust is the secret ingredient—it allows us to push hard and study effectively while still having a lot of fun.
To keep energy high, I weave purposeful, hands-on games into our lessons. Here are a few examples:
- Trash-Can Basketball: When learning spelling patterns like the “magic e” (making ick turn into ike), I set up two garbage pails as nets. If a student correctly reads a word like bike or stick, they get to crumple the paper and shoot a basket.
- Nonsense Word Building: Kids love shuffling phonics cards to create their own wildly long nonsense words. It gives them a wonderful sense of play and control while they practice pure blending skills.
- Active Skits: Sometimes we write words, read them, and then perform a tiny, simple scene together right in the classroom.
Why We Stick to Paper, Pencil, and Whiteboards
There is something irreplaceable about a physical book, a sheet of paper, and a pencil. When a child tracks words across a physical page, their brain processes language entirely differently than it does when clicking a mouse.
Being in the same room allows me to look past the surface. I can read subtle body language, notice the exact moment a student is getting tired, and pivot the lesson right then and there to keep them supported. This is key.
My goal isn’t just to teach your child how to decode letters on a page. It is to build an honest, warm connection that makes it safe for them to take risks, stick with the process when it feels challenging, and ultimately get their confidence back.
We blend these classic, relationship-first methods with modern insights into childhood development and educational philosophy, ensuring your child feels safe, capable, and understood.