At Great Leaps Tutoring, one of the most common questions parents ask us is:
“Is 15 minutes really enough to teach my child to read?”
The short answer is yes — when those 15 minutes are intentional, structured, and individualized to your child's needs.
In fact, short, consistent reading sessions are often more effective than long, exhausting ones. Here’s why.
Reading Struggles Aren’t About Effort — They’re About Efficiency
Many parents assume that if their child is struggling to read, the solution is more time:
Longer homework sessions or more worksheets only leads to more nightly battles. Doing the same thing that hasn't worked with more intensity will only lead to your child becoming more frustrated, more discouraged and more resistant to instruction.
Reading development doesn’t work that way. What struggling readers usually need isn’t more reading — it’s better reading practice. At Great Leaps, we focus on the core skills that drive reading success! This includes structured phonics, sight words, fluency and comprehension.
When these skills are targeted directly, progress accelerates — even in short sessions.
Why Short, Daily Practice Works Better Than Long Sessions
1. It Builds Automaticity Without Burnout
Reading is a complex cognitive task. For many students, especially struggling or reluctant readers, long sessions lead to fatigue and frustration.
Short sessions keep students focused, reduce anxiety, and allow skills to be practiced correctly and consistently with direct instruction.
Fifteen minutes is long enough to build skill — but short enough to maintain confidence and focus.
2. Consistency Beats Intensity
Research consistently shows that frequent, spaced practice leads to stronger learning than occasional marathon sessions.
Fifteen minutes a day reinforces neural pathways and helps the small gains made each day actually stick! That’s why Great Leaps tutoring is designed to be brief, targeted, and repeated — the way the brain actually learns.
3. Fluency Is the Gateway to Comprehension
Many children can decode words but struggle to understand what they read. Why?
Because they’re using all their mental energy just to get through the words.
When fluency improves:
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Reading becomes smoother and faster
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The brain has room to focus on meaning
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Comprehension naturally improves
Our 15-minute sessions intentionally strengthen fluency so comprehension can follow.
What Happens During a Great Leaps 15-Minute Session?
Every session is structured and purposeful. There’s no wasted time.
Relationship Building - It's critical that our students trust their tutors, and are empowered to try their best and actually make mistakes so that our tutors can provide targeted instruction. Many tutors practically become a part of the family they work with since they work 3 - 5 days per week with your child.
Targeted, Timed Exercises - It's not good enough to just be accurate. To be fluent, students must read at the rate of spoken language. Students will complete three timed exercises in Phonics, High Frequency Word Phrases, and Age and difficulty-appropriate stories, followed with comprehension questions.
Direct Instruction - Tutors immediately correct errors during the exercise, then follow up with targeted practice in areas of need where errors were made.
Data Collection - Every session is recorded and stored so you can know exactly how your child is doing and they can see their own growth and success!
Students know what they’re working on, why it matters, and how they’re improving.
Small Time Investment. Big Confidence Gains.
One of the biggest transformations we see isn’t just in reading scores — it’s in confidence.
Parents often tell us that reading and homework isn't a fight any more. Or that their child is talking more to them about school and their expressive language has improved. We've even had students tell their parents they feel like they can do anything if they just practice a little bit every day.
That confidence comes from success — and success comes from focused practice that works.
Who Benefits Most From 15-Minute Reading Sessions?
Short, structured tutoring is especially powerful for:
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Struggling readers
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Students with dyslexia or ADHD
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English language learners
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Older students who feel discouraged
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Students who read accurately but slowly
In other words: students who need efficient, evidence-based support.
Ready to See What 15 Minutes Can Do?
If your child is struggling with reading, one-hour-long sessions just won't cut it! They need consistent instruction from an experienced tutor with a program that will teach them to love reading.
Sign Up and schedule a free Reading Screening with a Great Leaps Tutor to learn how our proven, 15-minute-a-day approach can help your child become a stronger, more confident reader.
