FAQ
for excellence
in reading and writing
How do I start?
To get started, please email class@englishhound.com and tell us: (1) your child’s name and grade; (2) your child’s reading and writing level; (3) your Skype username (but don’t worry if you don’t have one yet); (4) your phone number (optional if you want us to call you); and (5) days and times of the week your child is available for tutoring. We will contact you shortly and set up a risk-free trial class with you. You can decide if you want to enroll your child after the trial class. If you do, we will send a Paypal invoice to your email, and you can use a credit card or make a direct transfer.
How are the classes conducted?
The classes are conducted via Skype video conferencing. Your child will have an individualized tutoring session with a teacher. Students and teachers work on writing interactively on Google Docs.
What are the benefits of online classes?
Getting tutored via video conferencing is very effective and convenient. All you have to do is open up Skype on your computer and your teacher will call you. It is even more interactive than having a tutor physically sit next to your child sharing a book because the reading materials and writing materials are on the computer screen for both the teacher and the student to see and interact with easily. Teachers and students can edit documents simultaneously on Google Docs. And because the teacher does not have to be physically present, your child can have a lessons anywhere in the world with high speed internet. Also, online classes make cancelling and rescheduling a class a lot easier.
What is the cost for each course, and what is a risk-free trial class?
Each course is comprised of eight (8) 55-minute classes. The cost of each course is listed in our Course Offerings, and it ranges from $480 – $680 ($60 – $85 per class). Our risk-free trial class allows your child to try a class without paying up front. If you are satisfied, we will register your child for the course with the trial class counting as the first class. If you are not satisfied, then the class is complimentary. If you want to cancel before a course is over, we will give you a refund for the remainder of the course minus the Paypal processing fee. We group our courses into 8-class courses just for billing purposes. How you choose to schedule those 8 classes is up to you whether it be once or twice a week. Most students continue with us after their 8 week course is over. Many of our students have been taking classes with us for years.
Which reading and writing programs does English Hound use?
Our curriculum developer, who is a graduate of the renowned Columbia University Teachers College and has taught at top school districts throughout the state of New York, created a reading and writing curricula that will help advance your child’s reading and writing skills. Grade school children who want to focus on advancing their reading skills utilize digital reading programs such as Reading A-Z and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Journeys. Older students who want to focus on their reading skills will, with their teachers’ assistance, select level-appropriate books and reading materials such as short stories and news articles. Students who want to focus on enhancing their vocabulary use Vocab A-Z and Townsend Press. For writing, we customize each class to suit the needs of each student. Teachers teach students the process of writing – brainstorming, outlining, drafting, redrafting, editing, and proofreading. They work interactively on Google Docs.
What if my child needs help with school work?
We understand that homework and school papers take precedence over our curriculum. Therefore, our teachers will happily assist our students with reading and writing assignments and school papers. They can work on English Hound’s curriculum after homework is completed, if time permits.
What if I don’t see a course that I want to take?
We can customize a course for you. Some of our students need help in their history classes, and our teachers have been amazing tutoring them in history. We have had several students request assistance with their college admissions essays. Our English Hound teachers, with the help of CEO Helen Whang, have successfully helped students gain admission to Columbia University and University of Chicago. We have even helped parents of students draft their parent statements for private school admission. Unfortunately, we do not teach math and gym!
How are the teachers assigned?
After you contact us, we speak to you and your child about your child’s needs, interests, and goals. We will then recommend a teacher unless you request a specific teacher. A risk-free trial class is a great way to see if a teacher is the right fit for your child. We have had great success matching up teachers and students, and our students are very happy with our teachers and vice versa. We have chosen our teachers after interviewing over 400 applicants and observing over 100 teachers teaching a student. We think our teachers are the best, and our students would agree! Of course, if an issue arises, please contact us, and we can resolve the issue for you and your child.
Do you give out grades or assessments?
We do not give out grades, but we do provide a mid-course assessment and a course-end assessment. Our mid-course assessment is an email to you from the teacher detailing what they are working on and where the student is in his or her reading and writing development. Our course-end assessment details the student’s accomplishments, strengths, and areas for improvement.
Why should I register my child for English Hound?
Just take a look at our testimonials page, and you will see why students and their parents love English Hound. For a closer look at English Hound, check out this document.