Some topics in primary tutoring, for maths particularly, need to be revisited over and over. This includes basic operations (multiplication, addition, subtraction, division) word problems, or algorithm strategies. They’re often simple in our heads as tutors, but for students, they can be the things that slip away the quickest. That’s why I try to make repetitive practice more engaging, especially during end-of-term review sessions.

One of the ways I do this is by turning the termly quiz into a game show-style challenge. I usually start with a Twinkl end-of-term quiz (they’re aligned with the curriculum and easy to adapt), then split the questions into different themed “rounds” – a bit like sections of a real quiz show. There might be a speed round, a problem-solving round, a worded problem round, or even a head-to-head buzzer-style segment where we take turns answering (make the titles of the rounds unique & fun for them though). I let the student ‘verse’ me, which they always find entertaining, and I adjust the difficulty to suit their level.

I also use UNO cards for maths practice. For younger students or when we’re drilling number fluency, I split the deck in two and we each pull a card. Then, I’ll ask them to add, subtract, multiply or divide the two numbers. Power cards are worth trickier numbers to increase difficulty. We turn it into rounds too e.g. “Speed Round” for quick recall, then a challenge round where I give them algorithm-based problems like 2-digit × 1-digit or 2-digit × 2-digit.

Sometimes I go a step further and print out custom number cards with their favourite things — jerseys, horse names, dog breeds — whatever they’re into. It sounds small, but they get excited about using something that feels personal to them.

The goal is to make revision feel like something they want to do, not something they have to do. It keeps them engaged and helps cement those skills in a way that worksheets alone just can’t.

Briana Vaz

One of the best ways to make your tutoring sessions more effective, especially for primary school students, is by having a simple, consistent lesson structure. We’re lucky to have access to resources like IXL, which lays out the full Australian curriculum for both English and Maths from Kindergarten through Year 6. Instead of starting each session with “What did you do at school today?”—only to have your student shrug and draw something completely unrelated on the board—you can come in with a plan.

What I like to do is print out the relevant IXL syllabus for the student’s year level and pop it into a plastic sleeve. We colour-code our progress: green means the student understood it straight away, orange means we’re still working on it, and I note anything in orange as homework. It’s also a great visual for parents. They can see exactly what we’re working through, where their child is struggling, and how we’re tracking overall.

What makes IXL even better is that each syllabus dot point links directly to an interactive quiz. This means you’re not just ticking boxes — you’re confirming understanding in real time. While IXL doesn’t always have the most in-depth worksheets, I simply outsource material from Twinkl, K–5 resources, or even generate them using AI. Once we’ve worked through the content and the student shows understanding, we jump on the IXL quiz to consolidate it.

Having this structure not only saves you time but also allows you to lead the session confidently. It signals to the parent that you’re prepared, knowledgeable, and committed to their child’s progress — which is exactly the impression you want to leave.

Briana Vaz

When tutoring primary students, one of the most effective tools is establishing a consistent and reliable routine. At this developmental stage, students thrive on predictability. Routine helps them feel safe, focused, and ready to engage with learning. It also sets clear expectations, which can reduce distractions and anxiety during sessions.

A structured tutoring session does not need to be rigid, but having a familiar format provides a strong foundation. For example, beginning each lesson with a short warm-up question or activity helps settle the student and shift their mindset into learning mode. It signals that the session has started and gently transitions them from the day’s distractions.

Following this, tutors can move into the main content, whether that is reviewing previous work, tackling a new concept, or practising a skill. Having a consistent flow such as revisiting past material, introducing something new, then applying it helps students understand the purpose behind each part of the lesson.

Closing the session with a quick recap or reflection helps reinforce what has been learned and gives the student a sense of accomplishment. It also allows the tutor to praise effort and progress, which is incredibly motivating for younger learners.

Routine also supports the development of study habits. By modelling a consistent and organised approach to learning, tutors teach students how to manage their time and approach tasks in a logical order. These habits, when formed early, become tools that students carry into later schooling.

In primary tutoring, learning is about more than mastering content. It is about creating an environment where students feel secure and supported. A simple and predictable routine can provide that structure, helping young learners to build confidence, stay engaged, and develop a positive relationship with learning.

Demetria Koutavas

Teaching primary school children is a unique and rewarding experience for us as tutors. At this stage, students are curious, enthusiastic and developing the foundational skills that will shape their future learning. As tutors, some may not realise but our goal goes beyond teaching content–it is about creating a positive learning environment where young learners feel safe, supported and motivated.

One of the most important aspects of working with primary students is building strong relationships. Children learn best when they trust their tutor and feel comfortable asking questions or making mistakes. I make it a priority to get to know each student–their interests, learning style, and what motivates them. For example, having a warm, encouraging tone and a patient attitude can go a long way in building this trust. By doing this, it will help a student feel more at ease within the sessions.

Engaging lessons are essential for younger learners. Attention spans can be short, so it is important to incorporate variety, and creativity. For example, creating a game or using visual prompts to help reinforce times tables or a writing task. When working with visual learners, I often use drawings, diagrams or stickers. These strategies not only keep students interested but also help them retain information more effectively.

Primary school children also benefit from clear structure and routine. I have found that setting clear goals at the beginning of a session like, “This is what we are going to work over today”, “I would like you to create three paragraphs” gives students a sense of purpose and helps them stay focused. Young learners also need positive reinforcement as their confidence is developing during these stages so recognising effort and progress is important. For example, using simple praises like, “Well done, this is great” can make a big impact.

Teaching primary students means laying the groundwork for lifelong learning. By creating a fun, supportive and structured environment, we can help them develop the skills and self-belief they need to thrive outside the tutoring walls.

Annie Bulkeley

In primary tutoring, one of the most important goals is to build a strong foundation not just academically, but emotionally as well. At this early stage, students are still developing their sense of self as learners, and their confidence can deeply influence how they approach challenges. Helping them feel capable and supported can shape their entire academic journey.

Primary students often doubt themselves, especially when they encounter something new or unfamiliar. As tutors, we have a unique opportunity to influence their mindset. Simple strategies like celebrating small wins, reinforcing effort over results, and using positive language can make a big difference. For example, instead of saying “That’s wrong,” we might say, “Good try, let’s look at another way to approach it.” Subtle changes like this help keep students open to learning.

Another key to building confidence is creating a predictable and safe learning environment. When students know what to expect in a session, such as starting with a warm-up question, using visual supports, or ending with a recap, they begin to feel more in control. This sense of routine can reduce anxiety, particularly for students who may struggle in classroom settings.

Tutors can also build confidence by giving students opportunities to make choices. Even small ones, like selecting which question to work on first or choosing a coloured marker for a task, help students feel involved and valued. When they feel that their input matters, their confidence grows naturally.

The ultimate goal of primary tutoring is not only to teach content, but to help students believe in their own ability to learn. By supporting their confidence from the beginning, we help them develop resilience, curiosity, and a positive attitude that will serve them well in all future learning experiences.

Demetria Koutavas

In a fast-paced environment filled with both internal and external pressures, student’s of all ages often face challenges with their educational process. Tutoring can aid in easing this pressure through a myriad of ways; boosting confidence through granting small wins, improving study skills and time management, overcoming individual learning barriers and acting as preparation for high-stakes exams. One of the most significant advantages of tutoring is its personalised structure. Unlike traditional classroom settings, where a single teacher has to engage with upwards of twenty students with a variety of learning preferences, one-on-one tutoring and small-group tutoring narrows in on an individual students’ learning pattern, ensuring engagement and therefore confidence. In answering personalised questions and honing in on areas of concern, tutoring can build a solid foundation of knowledge at the individual students’ pace. Many student’s feel dissatisfied when they are unable to grasp topics, with tutoring breaking this cycle by offering small, achievable goals, with tutors celebrating small successes along the way. In doing so, a students’ confidence will build, a feeling which will likely lead to confidence in other settings including in a class and exam room. Moreover, tutors go beyond teaching concepts and strategies for students, they build life-long skills such as time management, organisation and effective study habits. Through tutoring, students are able to plan their study schedules, organise assessment timetables and ensure their homework is completed on time before their session. Tutors are also able to teach strategies to remain focused, breaking down large chunks into manageable tasks, and reviewing material which maximises retention. These skills are crucial for student’s of all ages, whether they are in primary school, senior school or in the future for university and the workplace. Furthermore, a tutor is able to use alternative teaching methods for students with learning disabilities which will cater to their specific learning style including those who value auditory, visual or written strategies. This ensures students are able to study effectively for their exams, maximising the likelihood of their academic success.

Georgina Maxwell

Speech refers to the way that children pronounce sounds and say words. By 5 years of age, children should be 90% intelligible. They may continue to replace some sounds like ‘r’ with ‘w’ e.g. ‘wed’ for ‘red or ‘th’ with ‘f’ e.g. ‘toof’ for ‘tooth’. By 7-8 years old, they should be making all sounds correctly (except for dialectal variations e.g. in some dialects ‘th’ is always pronounced as ‘f’).

Language refers to how a child is able to put words together to communicate. Children in kindergarten should be using sentences at least 4-5 words long. They should be able to use basic present, past and future tenses. They should be able to follow 3-step directions and use/answer ‘wh’ questions.

Blank’s levels of questions are a good way to gauge how well a kid’s comprehension and higher-order language are developing. By 5, they should be able to answer all 4 levels of questions.

Most children learn to read by 7 years old. However, there are many pre-literacy skills that they develop earlier that are foundational to their literacy development. In kindergarten, child should be able to recognise most letters, the sounds they make and begin to write some letters with correct formation. They should be able to syllabify words, show some familiarity with rhyming and identifying the initial sound of words. They should also have some print awareness i.e. we read from left to right, top to bottom. If any of our kids are not meeting these milestones, this might be something to flag with parents.

Finally, an interesting thing I learned about teaching development. Most of us probably learned to read using a ‘whole language approach’, which basically involves ‘guessing’ the words that are on a page using clues from the pictures. Hence, the unit of learning is ‘words’. However, this approach to learning to read has been discredited. Research has shown that reading requires explicit teaching of sound-letter matches, and it is not a skill that we are innately designed to acquire (as opposed to talking, for example,) which is interesting to think about.

Hope this helps!

Derus Kung

Tutoring primary school students
Tutoring primary school students sounds like it would be more straightforward than older students, however, it is more challenging than anticipated. Younger students have significantly shorter attention spans and varying levels and types of motivation they need. This means it is incredibly important to have engaging and age-appropriate methods of tutoring in order to create positive learning experiences for all students.

Maintaining the attention span of primary school students can be difficult, especially younger students such as those in kindergarten. They are very easily distracted and can struggle to stay engaged with longer tasks or even shorter tasks, depending on the student. To overcome this challenge, I’ve found that it is helpful to break down the lessons into smaller, more manageable chunks with specific goals. For example, completing 10 spelling words and writing out sentences before having a five minute break. I have also found that using a variety of teaching tools helps maintain their focus, such as verbal and visual explanations, hands-on activities, real-life examples and interactive games related to the content.

Younger students also need more frequent breaks compared to older students who may not need any breaks at all. I always try to incorporate at least one break halfway through the lesson where the student can have a snack and play a short game such as a round of Uno, as this can help keep them energised and prevent burnout. The needs of each student varies, including their preferences for breaks, so it is important to ask the student how they would like to spend their break, for example, if they would rather just rest for a few minutes, play a game, do a quick drawing session, or whatever else might keep the mood light and enjoyable.

Primary school kids also especially thrive on encouragement, as they can easily lose motivation when they don’t understand a question or get something wrong. Given this, it is important to celebrate the successes of your younger students, no matter how big or small they are, and provide constructive feedback to support them. Some students are fine with just verbal feedback, but some may benefit from a physical reward system, such as stickers, to stay engaged and enthusiastic.

Daisy Brenac

Repetition and revision are important components to effective learning, especially in tutoring as it can promote understanding, reinforce memory and boost students confidence. It is shown across the research that when students engage with new ideas or concepts, they need to rehearse it or learn it multiple times before mastering them. For students, repetition allows the foundational knowledge that has been acquired to be consolidated, while revision provides an avenue to affirm and build upon that foundation.

Repetition can create strong neural pathways for recall, allowing information to transition from short-term to long-term memory. For example, a primary aged student practising their times tables regularly will find it much easier recall them during problem-solving questions. Likewise, a high school student regularly reviewing themes along with quotes for a text they are studying at school will help them deepen their understanding of the given text. This continuous process is particularly important in school when students move across year levels, as each year group heavily relies on a solid foundational knowledge.

Revision complements repetition by establishing refinement, knowledge building and reflection. It enables students to assess their understanding and identify any gaps in their learning. Revision activities that I myself have used in tutoring can include summarising content, creating mind maps or exam style questions. In addition, tailoring revision to the needs of a student is super important as it allows them to focus on weaker areas to maximise benefit for improvement.

As a tutor, showing the importance of repetition and revision to students can help them improve greatly and in fact allow them to see the value of tutoring. This can involve bringing sessions from the end of term forward and setting up one of the sessions as a revision session, testing the student on their knowledge for an upcoming assessment through either verbal recall or through practice revision tests. As well as this, presenting the content to students in different ways will help reinforce concepts to students and cater to the different learning styles for students such as visual aids, practical examples or verbal discussions. In todays world, students may undervalue repetition and revision. Hence, tutors should emphasise revision and repetition techniques as students will learn to implement them.

Annie Bulkeley

English comprehension can be a difficult subject, and it is a skill that students need throughout primary and high school. That’s why it’s so important that students form strong foundations in these skills early on. I have had the pleasure of tutoring several primary-aged students in English and I’ve gained some insights along the way.

One of the biggest challenges with keeping younger students engaged in English comprehension is the texts they read. For older primary students, it can be useful to ask what books or movies they enjoy, as this can help you select texts they will be interested in. For younger primary students, I find that they engage more with hands-on activities, such as using grammar clues to solve a mystery. When selecting the right text for each student, there is some trial and error involved where you gauge the student’s interest and engagement with the text, and work from there.

One of the core English comprehension skills all students need is active reading. It can be useful to ask students questions like ‘what do you think will happen next?’ or ‘why do you think the character said that?’. This approach helps students understand the text more broadly, rather than simply reading the words. Predicting what will happen next in a story can also be a fun way of keeping students engaged with the task, as they learn to make inferences from what they have read.

A useful tip when helping older primary students with their English comprehension is timing them as they read a text for the first time. This helps them practice reading at a fast pace, and it also allows the tutor to measure progress throughout the term/year. For example, a student may have taken five minutes to read one page, and with practice, they can now read one page in two minutes. This is particularly important for Year 5 and Year 6 students preparing for high school, where time management and exam skills are crucial.

Hopefully, these tips help make English comprehension a fun, engaging, and useful activity for primary students!

Enya Rose