1st lesson free
Marcos's profile, qualifications and contact details have been verified by our experts
Marcos
- Rate S$32
- Response 1h
S$32/h
Contact
1st lesson free
- English
- Reading
- Literacy
- Spelling
Fun and Experienced Credentialed Teacher Building Confident Early Readers Through Phonics, Language Development, and Bilingual Spanish-English Instruction.
- English
- Reading
- Literacy
- Spelling
Lesson location
About Marcos
Growing up I wanted to be in law enforcement. I wanted to make a difference in my community and protect the people around me. What I didn't expect was that I would find that same sense of purpose — and so much more — standing in front of a classroom.
It started with a summer camp job. What I thought was just a side gig turned into a calling. Watching a child's face light up when something finally clicks, when a kid who struggled to read a single word starts reading sentences with confidence — that's the moment I knew teaching was exactly where I was supposed to be.
I've been teaching in the Bay Area for 6+ years across San Francisco and Oakland, working with some of the most vibrant, resilient, and brilliant young learners I've ever met. I specialize in early phonics and literacy, and I bring the same energy and commitment to every tutoring session that I bring to my classroom every single day.
My teaching philosophy is simple — every student deserves to feel safe, seen, and valued before any real learning can happen. I work hard to build classrooms and tutoring spaces where every culture, every tradition, and every background is not just respected but celebrated. I want my students to feel comfortable enough to challenge my thinking, push back on ideas, and bring their full selves to every lesson. That's not just good teaching — that's how we grow together.
I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. I believe in meeting every child exactly where they are and building them up from there — with patience, with joy, and with the deep conviction that every single student has the ability to succeed when given the right support.
Whether you're a parent looking for reading intervention, phonics foundations, or bilingual literacy support — I'm here because I genuinely love this work. Not because it's a job. Because it's who I am.
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About the lesson
- Primary
- Secondary
- SPM
- +5
levels :
Primary
Secondary
SPM
Form 6
STPM
Adult education
Masters
Doctorate
- English
All languages in which the lesson is available :
English
My Teaching Method and Approach
My approach to literacy is grounded in the Science of Reading — the research-based understanding of how the brain learns to decode, process, and comprehend language. Every lesson I design is explicit, systematic, and sequential, meaning students build skills in the right order with direct instruction and immediate feedback rather than guessing or relying on memorization.
I pull from a deep toolkit of structured literacy frameworks including UFLI, CKLA, Bookworms, SIPPS, Lexia Core5, and LETRS-informed instruction. This means I don't rely on one single method — I meet each student exactly where they are and use the approach that works best for their unique learning profile. Whether a student is just learning letter sounds or struggling to break through a reading plateau, I have the tools and training to move them forward.
For my bilingual and English Language Learner students I bring additional expertise in EL Education and designated ELD instruction, making me uniquely equipped to support students developing literacy in both English and Spanish simultaneously.
A Typical Lesson
Every session follows a structured and predictable routine so students feel safe, confident, and ready to learn:
Opening — Phonemic Awareness Warm Up (5–10 min)
We start by training the ear before we train the eye. Students practice blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds orally. This activates the phonological awareness foundation that all reading is built on.
Explicit Phonics Instruction (10–15 min)
I introduce or review a specific phonics pattern using direct instruction. No guessing — I show exactly how sounds and letters connect, model it clearly, and then guide the student through practice with immediate corrective feedback.
Decodable Text Reading (10–15 min)
Students apply the phonics patterns we just practiced in controlled decodable text. This is where the skill becomes real reading. I take running records and use DIBELS-aligned progress monitoring to track accuracy, fluency, and comprehension in real time.
Word Work and Vocabulary (5–10 min)
We build word recognition, high frequency word automaticity, and vocabulary in context. For bilingual students we make explicit connections between Spanish and English word patterns — a powerful accelerator for reading growth.
Closing — Reading Aloud or Independent Practice (5 min)
We end on success. Students read something they can do confidently, building the positive reading identity that keeps them motivated between sessions.
Parent Communication
After every session I send a brief update to families — what we worked on, what the student did well, and one thing to practice at home before the next session. I did this daily and weekly with families of 45 students during the pandemic and I bring that same commitment to every student I tutor privately.
What Sets Me Apart
Most tutors teach reading. I diagnose and intervene at the root cause of reading difficulty.
During my time in San Francisco teaching TK–5 I managed reading groups of up to 45 students during the pandemic — independently designing and running small group Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions with no reading specialist support. I administered DIBELS assessments independently, progress monitored every student multiple times per year, and communicated results directly to families in both English and Spanish.
Since moving to Oakland in 2023 I have continued this work using UFLI Foundations, EL Education, and DIBELS Next — the most current and research-aligned literacy tools available. I have been formally trained in SIPPS, Lexia Core5, and LETRS — the gold standard professional development in structured literacy that most classroom teachers never receive.
My bilingual Spanish-English expertise is rare. I don't just translate — I understand how phonological awareness transfers between languages, where interference occurs, and how to accelerate English literacy development in Spanish-dominant students using their home language as a bridge rather than a barrier.
I have taught in some of the most challenging and under-resourced classrooms in the Bay Area and produced measurable reading growth in students who had previously been written off as slow learners. What I know from that experience is that every child can learn to read — they just need the right instruction delivered by someone who knows exactly what they're doing.
Who My Lessons Are For
My tutoring is specifically designed for:
TK through 3rd grade students who are learning to read or struggling with foundational phonics and decoding
Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention students who need targeted support beyond what the classroom provides
English Language Learners in TK–5 developing academic language and literacy in English
Bilingual Spanish-English students who need support in one or both languages
Students identified through DIBELS as below benchmark in phonemic awareness, phonics, or oral reading fluency
Students who have tried other tutoring without results and need a specialist who understands the science behind why they're struggling
Families who want regular communication and active involvement in their child's reading progress
Training and Credentials
California Clear or Preliminary CTC Credential — Elementary Education
Spanish Bilingual Authorization
LETRS trained — Science of Reading professional development
Lexia Core5 and Lexia LETRS certified
SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words)
UFLI Foundations trained
CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts)
Bookworms Reading and Writing
EL Education
DIBELS Next — assessment, progress monitoring, and data analysis
6+ years classroom experience including San Francisco Unified and Oakland
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Rates
Rate
- S$32
Pack rates
- 5h: S$160
- 10h: S$320
online
- S$32/h
free lessons
This first lesson is free to allow you to get to know your teacher so that they can best meet your needs.
- 1hr
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