If you’re considering online English tutoring for your child for the first time, you likely have practical questions: What does a session actually look like? What equipment do you need? Is it as effective as face-to-face? How does my child get feedback on their writing if everything is virtual?
Here’s a straightforward guide to what online English tutoring involves — and how to help your child get the most out of it.
What Equipment Do You Need?
For online tutoring via Zoom or a similar platform, you need: a device (laptop, tablet, or desktop — a phone screen is too small for shared documents), a stable internet connection, and a quiet space where your child can focus for the duration of the session. A microphone and camera are standard on most modern laptops and tablets.
Most tutors will share a document or presentation on screen during the session — your child will be able to see and interact with it on their own screen. For English tutoring specifically, your child should also have paper and a pen available: nothing replaces the habit of writing by hand for an exam that’s sat on paper.
What Does a Session Look Like?
A well-structured online English tutoring session typically moves between several activities: a review of work done since the last session, teaching or explanation of a concept or skill, practice (reading, analysis, or writing), and a brief wrap-up with clear guidance on what to do before the next session.
In a small group session, the tutor will direct discussion, ask questions of different students, and create opportunities for students to respond to each other’s ideas — not just to the tutor. Good online tutors are skilled at managing this: using direct questions to involve quieter students, using breakout rooms for paired tasks, and reading the virtual room for signs of confusion.
How Does Writing Feedback Work Online?
This is the question parents ask most frequently — and it’s a reasonable one. The short answer is that written feedback works very well online, often better than in a face-to-face setting.
Students submit writing (essays, directed pieces, creative writing) to the tutor between sessions — either by email, via a shared document, or through a learning management platform. The tutor marks it with detailed written comments — using track changes in a Google Doc, annotating a Word document, or writing separate feedback notes — and returns it before the next session. The session then includes time to discuss the feedback and address the specific issues it identifies.
This process is arguably more efficient than face-to-face: the marking happens at the tutor’s own pace (not a rushed scan in the last five minutes of a session), the feedback is written down so the student can return to it, and discussion time is focused on the most important issues rather than whatever can be covered in the remaining minutes.
How Do You Know If It’s Working?
After the first few sessions, you should notice: your child coming away with clear tasks and a clear sense of what they’re working on; improvement (even small improvement) in the specific skills being targeted; your child being more willing to talk about their English work — a sign that they feel more confident and more capable.
Ask your child these questions after sessions: “What did you work on today?” “Did you understand the feedback on your writing?” “Is there anything you found confusing?” Their answers will tell you whether the tutoring is genuinely landing.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Online Tutoring
- Have your child sit at a desk — not a sofa — for sessions. Posture affects attention.
- Close other browser tabs and put notifications on silent during the session.
- Make sure any work set between sessions is done before the next session — feedback on incomplete work helps no one.
- Encourage your child to ask questions during sessions, not just nod along. The best use of a tutor is the ability to ask “why” about anything.
- Review feedback together occasionally — not to helicopter, but to understand what your child is working on and where they’ve improved.
Thorogood English offers a free trial lesson so you and your child can experience online small-group English tutoring before committing to anything. Join the waiting list for January 2027 — or get in touch with questions.
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