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Boosting Grades in Reading, Writing, & Test Prep
E.L. A.

4.9 (307 ratings)

1,604 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $70
Contact E.L.
Response time: 6 hours

About E.L.

Bio

The students I've tutored are showing remarkable improvement in their English Language Arts scores. Most recently, an SAT student upped his grade by 190 points; a student slated for Special Ed is getting Bs, and a Common Core student is receiving As in reading comprehension. I am an experienced tutor and a professional writer with 20 years of experience. My resume spans awards for corporate communications, three published novels, articles for The New York Post, The Litchfield County Times,...

The students I've tutored are showing remarkable improvement in their English Language Arts scores. Most recently, an SAT student upped his grade by 190 points; a student slated for Special Ed is getting Bs, and a Common Core student is receiving As in reading comprehension. I am an experienced tutor and a professional writer with 20 years of experience. My resume spans awards for corporate communications, three published novels, articles for The New York Post, The Litchfield County Times, and multiple magazines.
I teach by tailoring lessons to the learning style that best fits each student's strengths, and the atmosphere I establish with my students is supportive and fun. I don't want my sessions to become a chore. The results of this teaching style are obvious--my kids learn.

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Education

New York University
undergrad

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $70
  • Rate details: My rate is negotiable for long-term students who need help with writing and reading comprehension. Ten sessions is the minimum number required to receive this reduced fee.
  • Lesson cancellation: 3 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 7/24/2020

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

ACT English

ACT English

For the ACT, I've created a series of worksheets that address the most frequently asked grammar and punctuation questions. As a result, my students know what to expect on the English section of the test, and that has improved their scores significantly.
ACT Reading

ACT Reading

Both speed and comprehension play significant roles in the reading portion of the ACT. By teaching a few tricks for improving comprehension as well as methods for eliminating incorrect answers, I have vastly improved scores for test takers. The ACT is never easy, but my patient, light-hearted style has resulted in confident students who consistently achieve strong results.
English

English

Remember the teachers who inspired you most? They loved the subject they taught and they adored working with kids. I've been tutoring English and reading comprehension for 8 years, and I've truly delighted in every minute of it. But I don't just tutor, I teach at the prestigious Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, I am an author with two published novels, and I freelance for Penguin Random House, one of the largest publishers in the world. Every one of my English students has garnered better grades.
Grammar

Grammar

For many students, grammar and punctuation are confusing, but because I'm a professional writer in addition to being a tutor, I'm able to demystify these subjects. My students, as a result, are confident in their skills and don't fear essay, report, or creative writing assignments.
Proofreading

Proofreading

In addition to being a tutor specializing in grammar, punctuation, and reading comprehension, I am a professional writer who spent 13 years on the staff of a newspaper both writing and editing articles. My experience as a journalist has translated into something more than a standard set of editing skills: I know how to recognize a statement that needs supporting data, a sentence that reads flat, and an ending that lacks punch. These are skills that can turn a B paper into an A+ paper.
Reading

Reading

For 13 years I was a journalist and editor for an award-winning newspaper. What I learned from that experience is the structure of writing. When a student is trying to comprehend a passage, I point him or her toward the areas where most writers summarize the topic of an essay, article, research paper, or paragraph in a novel. By demystifying text, my students have shown sizable increases in reading comprehension.
SAT Reading

SAT Reading

Sad to say, but to score high on the SAT/ACT it's critical to know test-taking strategies. Both speed and comprehension play significant roles in both the reading and writing sections of these standardized tests. Because I've been teaching these tests for over a decade, I have a strong grasp on the questions most likely to be asked. Then by teaching tricks to improve grammar and comprehension as well as methods for eliminating incorrect answers, my students have consistently upped their scores, typically by 50 or more points. Additionally, I offer a method for mentally preparing for a test as well as a way for my students to calm their nerves before and during the exam. Standardized tests are never easy, but my patient, light-hearted style has resulted in confident students who consistently achieve strong results.
SAT Writing

SAT Writing

Questions in the writing portion of the SAT exam are designed deliberately so students can't depend on their ear to correctly answer grammar problems. To help bring my students up to speed I've designed worksheets that address the majority of the tricks the test employs. Additionally, my 20 years of experience as a professional writer has given me a deeper understanding of the specific criteria graders seek in the essay portion of the test. The result is students who score higher and who use the lessons I taught them in their everyday lives.
Writing

Writing

I am a professional writer currently freelancing for Penguin Random House, one of the largest publishing companies in the world. In addition, I have two published novels, 13 years of experience as a journalist/editor, and I've written for the New York Post, Connecticut Magazine, Yankee Magazine, and many other publications. I have a few simple rules I teach kids about writing, and once they've learned and understand them, they've consistently improved their school assignments.
GED
Literature
Vocabulary
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Ratings and Reviews

Rating

4.9 (307 ratings)
5 star
(292)
4 star
(11)
3 star
(4)
2 star
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1 star
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Reviews

Bad Test Taker?

E.L. Ahearn worked with our daughter 2x weekly for 2 months. She is an expert in prepping a poor test taker for the SAT. Our daughter is intelligent with dyslexia and dyscalcula. She had taken the SAT twice, receiving the same score. EL stepped in and trained her for her third attempt covering test taking tips, focus, and even diet and sleep issues—like a marathon trainer. Our daughter did her homework, expressing how exhausting it was to build focus. But E.L. Had her highly motivated. On her third take she raised her reading, writing and essay scores 70 points. EL had correctly sized up her situation, created a content and focus plan, and connected with our daughter to pull this off. The cost of tutoring is small compared to the scholarship reward, and the college prep and confidence. I highly recommend EL.

Lori, 9 lessons with E.L.

Knowledgeable and fun tutor

My daughter thought why do we need additional tutoring for language. But thanks to Ms. Ahearn, after this session she thought it was more fun and there is a lot to learn.

Ragasudha, 20 lessons with E.L.

Knowledgeable and patient!

EL was amazing! She is working with my son on GED material and really knows how to motivate and encourage a student. She is patient and knowledgeable in her field. She went online and found great resources to help him. He’s really feeling confident about the test!

Chamie, 8 lessons with E.L.

Smart and sweet

So far after my second meeting with her, she has only been a great help :) She is very knowledgeable and experienced, she is excellent at teaching all the good stuff she knows. Very nice lady too.

Lori, 9 lessons with E.L.

Knowledgeable

E.L. proofreaded my reflection paper and provided help with the sentence structure to make the paper more concise. The main item was providing feedback on a few elements I was missing in the paper. I have a bit more writing to do but I am glad that I got her opinion so I will not miss any requirements from the original instructions.

Vicki, 1 lesson with E.L.

great teacher

My son love the lesson and also be motivated to write his story every day. He thought the lesson is very helpful.

Emma, 39 lessons with E.L.

Knowledgeable, professional, patient. The list goes on.

We're so thrilled and thankful to meet Elf. My special education son was striving to get his high school diploma. English was the hardest for him. He's never had to write essays in middle or high school. He didn't like reading books. But after his lessons with Elf he began enjoying reading, he even became a President of a book club in the high school. He passed his English regents after 5 months of practicing with Elf. She gave him strategy, plan, motivation. She is so patient with great sense of humor. Elf is worth every penny she charges! Now we want Elf to help our son with the history regents. Thank you very much for your hard work, Elf!

Victoria, 39 lessons with E.L.

Engaging and helpful!

E.L is very engaging and helpful. She guided my daughter with her essay writing. Now my daughter has much better idea and feels more confident about writing. E.L. has been a pleasure to work with!

Qian, 27 lessons with E.L.

Helpful and patient

E.L. has been covering a lot of material with my daughter. She is patient and works hard to cover the topics that Dana needs the most help with. E.L. has been a pleasure to work with!

Diane, 9 lessons with E.L.

Patient and engaging

E.L. tutors three of my children (16, 14, 11) with grammar and writing. She's timely and fills the full time allotted to each of them. My children enjoy their time with her and look forward to improving their skills with her!

Dianna, 3 lessons with E.L.
Hourly Rate: $70
Response time: 6 hours
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