NIU Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic offers free, online summer tutoring in reading

DeKALB – Northern Illinois University’s Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic is offering free and online tutoring in reading this summer for students entering second through fifth grades.

Tutoring sessions begin in late May, opening with an evaluation of each child’s reading ability, and continue through late July with instruction tailored to each child’s specific needs.

Individualized instruction is delivered in 30-minute sessions by NIU students completing their bachelor’s or master’s degrees in education. Children should have access to tablets or computers (not cellphones) in a quiet area of their homes.

“Good reading is critical to academic achievement. Prior to the pandemic, half or more of students struggled to become smooth readers, and this has worsened in the last year,” David D. Paige, director of the clinic, said in a news release. “The Jerry L. Johns Literacy Clinic trains our NIU students to help young readers improve their reading and unlock their academic potential.”

Faculty from the department of NIU College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction supervise the tutors, who are known as “reading stewards” at the clinic with a 60-year legacy of helping children to improve their literacy.

Space is limited; email literacyclinic@niu.edu as soon as possible to reserve a spot for your child or for more information. Visit the clinic website at www.cedu.niu.edu/literacy-clinic/.