Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Excellent services, caring therapists.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
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Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
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I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
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Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
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Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
Thanks to both for a job well done... -
Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
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As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
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We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
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Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
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Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
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We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
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We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ELA TUTORING NYC
In-Home & Online Middle School Writing, Reading Comprehension, and Literary Analysis Support Across NYC
Middle school English Language Arts (ELA) demands far more than basic homework help. As students transition from elementary school to middle school, reading assignments become longer and more abstract, writing expectations shift toward evidence-based analysis, and academic organization becomes critical. This period of adolescence is an important stage in a student’s life, as children develop the skills they will carry through future generations of education and work.
Themba Tutors provides structured, 1:1 in-home and online English Language Arts tutoring for middle school students across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester, Long Island, and nearby NYC communities. Our academic support is designed to help middle school kids develop stronger reading, writing, organization, and independent learning skills.
For families searching for an English language arts tutor, English tutor NYC, or ELA specialist, our qualified tutors connect reading comprehension, written expression, literary analysis, and executive study habits into a cohesive learning system. For elementary writing foundations (Grades 1–5), visit ourNYC writing tutor directory and for specialized reading decoding, visit our reading tutoring for K–12 portal.
Service Snapshot
- Service: Middle School ELA Tutoring & Literacy Execution Support
- Locations: NYC Metro Area (In-home private instruction across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, and Long Island) & Virtual Online
- Student Type: Middle school students (Grades 5–8 / 6th–8th Grade)
- Focus Areas: Reading comprehension, literary analysis, thesis development, essay planning, paragraph structure, vocabulary development, annotation strategies, and academic organization
- Goal: Improve reading stamina, writing execution, textual analysis, and long-term academic independence during middle school transitions
- Leadership & Team: Overseen by CEO Craig Selinger; Master’s- and Doctoral-level literacy specialists, certified English teachers, and special education educators
What Middle School English Language Arts Actually Includes
Middle school English Language Arts encompasses reading comprehension, analytical writing, literary analysis, vocabulary development, and clear academic communication across subjects. These academic subjects provide important groundwork for future courses, high school expectations, and college preparation.
Many parents view ELA as grammar drills or basic spelling. In reality, middle school ELA expands dramatically across 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade levels. For eighth graders, these skills become especially important as they prepare for the transition to high school.
Cross-Subject Academic Support
Strong ELA skills influence performance in social studies, history, science lab reports, humanities electives, honors coursework, and admissions exams. Effective academic support helps students transfer reading, writing, and analytical skills across their different courses.
Independent Expectations
In demanding NYC public, private, and independent schools, students are expected to annotate texts independently, defend arguments with textual evidence, organize multi-paragraph essays, manage reading deadlines, and write clearly across disciplines.
Connecting Comprehension & Expression
Rather than treating reading and writing as isolated tasks, an ELA tutor helps students connect what they read directly to what they write. This approach strengthens academic tutoring while helping students become more confident and independent learners.
Why Content Mastery Isn’t Enough: Our Systemic Framework
For middle school students, understanding a book during class discussion does not automatically translate into a well-structured essay. Writing longer papers and completing complex reading projects requires sustained working memory, planning, task initiation, and self-editing.
Our academic execution system connects direct ELA instruction with explicit execution routines. Rather than providing last-minute homework rescue or quick editing, we teach students repeatable academic performance systems for annotating chapters, building graphic outlines, integrating evidence, and managing multi-week writing deadlines. This systematic coordination approach ensures students develop habits that transfer to high school and beyond.
TESTIMONIALS
Jacob was an incredible help to our son when he tutored him in writing and reading comprehension in elementary and middle
school. Jacob was patient and came up with creative, well-informed approaches. Our son connected with Jacob and benefited
greatly from their sessions. Jacob also collaborated with our son’s school and often shared updates and insights with us. We are
very grateful for all of Jacob’s support!
– J & C
Stephen was an amazing tutor to my bristly middle schooler! He helped with his writing and high school application process and
was a wonderful influence on him. We are so grateful for his help and would highly recommend him!
–Erica W.
We are thrilled with Emily and her engagement with both our kids. She spends most of her time with our younger one that
requires more attention, and has done a great job engaging her, keeping her focused, and generally finding strategies to work
with her on letter and number recognition and basic writing skills. Seeing great improvements there. For our older child, Emily
spends less time but she’s giving him thoughtful assignments to build his critical thinking, reading comprehension, and
information presentation.
– DM
We’ve been so happy to have Themba’s wonderful tutor, Jill, working with our daughter on her reading and spelling, helping her
become more efficient and recognize and remember spelling rules. Jill’s warmth and attentiveness have made it possible for my
daughter to connect with her despite the fact that these sessions have been entirely virtual. I get copies of the spelling rules so I
can reinforce them at home, as well as some interactive tools to help my daughter build on what she’s been learning. Themba
has helped us a ton!
– L.C.
STEPHEN S.
BA in English History, MA in Teaching, MA in Liberal Studies
PETER W.
MS. PhD Literacy Specialist, Writing Coach
MCEDWIN
M.S in Special Education
OCTAVIA
Bachelor’s degree in English, Currently pursuing a Master’s in Dramaturgy
NICOLE M.
M.A in Secondary Education, English Teacher Specialization
CAROL
Master’s in Special Education, Master’s in English
Why Middle School Is Such a Major Academic Transition
Many students experience their first major academic overload during middle school because workload, organizational demands, and reading complexity increase simultaneously. The transition can be challenging for children who previously performed well with less structured support.
Parents frequently notice recurring warning signs:
- Homework takes much longer than expected every night.
- Essays and written assignments lack structure or evidence.
- Students understand class discussions but struggle to express thoughts in writing.
- Reading assignments are avoided or rushed at the last minute.
- Grades become inconsistent across humanities classes.
Building strong middle school reading and writing skills directly prepares students for high school coursework, NYS Regents exam preparation, PSAT readiness, and AP-level demands. Developing these skills early can also help students approach future academic and professional lives with greater confidence.
Common Middle School Reading Comprehension Challenges
Reading comprehension challenges often surface when students shift from “learning to read” to “reading to analyze and synthesize information”.
Middle school reading support focuses on:
- Identifying Main Ideas & Themes: Extracting central arguments and underlying themes from complex literature and non-fiction.
- Making Textual Inferences: Reading between the lines and explaining why author choices matter.
- Active Annotation Systems: Teaching students structured note-taking and marginal annotation strategies so reading becomes active rather than passive.
- Retaining Long Reading Assignments: Helping students track character development, plot arcs, and evidence across multi-chapter books.
Middle School Writing Tutoring & Essay Planning
Many middle school students struggle with writing not because they lack ideas, but because they lack systems for organizing and executing those ideas effectively.
Our middle school writing tutors focus on:
- Paragraph Mechanics & Topic Sentences: Formulating clear, argumentative topic sentences and cohesive paragraph structures.
- Pre-Writing & Graphic Outlining: Overcoming “blank page syndrome” by mapping arguments before drafting.
- Textual Evidence Integration: Selecting relevant quotes, citing sources, and analyzing evidence rather than just summarizing plot.
- Transitions & Academic Tone: Improving flow between paragraphs and refining formal academic voice.
- Editing & Revision Stamina: Shifting students from single-draft writers into active self-editors through structured practice and hard work.
Literary Analysis Support for Middle School Students
Literary analysis requires students to interpret themes, evaluate evidence, and explain reasoning clearly in writing. Instead of answering what happened in a text, students must explain why it matters and how the author creates meaning.
Our tutors assist students with:
- Analyzing character development, motivation, and conflict
- Interpreting figurative language, imagery, and symbolism
- Evaluating author choices and narrative structure
- Constructing thesis-driven analytical essays for honors English and competitive NYC school rubrics
Executive Function & Academic Organization Support Within ELA
Executive functioning and writing are inextricably linked because essays require planning, sequencing, time management, revision, and follow-through.
When executive function challenges impact ELA performance, our tutors integrate academic organization directly into session routines:
- Task Initiation: Breaking daunting essay prompts into bite-sized, non-intimidating steps.
- Reading Schedules: Creating realistic weekly reading timelines to avoid night-before cramming.
- Assignment Tracking: Managing digital portals (Canvas, Google Classroom, PowerSchool) and physical materials.
- Repeatable Writing Systems: Building structured routines for drafting, editing, and submitting assignments on time.
Smart but Struggling Middle School Students
Many middle school students who struggle academically are highly intelligent but lack consistent execution systems. These “smart but struggling” students often speak articulately during class discussions but produce rushed, disorganized, or incomplete written work.
Themba Tutors helps these students bridge the gap between their verbal intelligence and written execution, protecting their academic confidence while building essential habits for high school readiness.
Whether a student is beginning with kindergarten foundations or entering adolescence and the middle school years, consistent academic habits can make a meaningful difference. The goal is not simply to complete today’s assignment but to build skills that can support students across generations of changing educational expectations.
In-Home Middle School ELA Tutoring vs. Generic Tutoring Centers
Curriculum Alignment: Private in-home ELA tutoring with Themba Tutors aligns 100% with the student’s actual school texts, rubrics, and essays, while generic tutoring centers typically rely on rigid, standardized worksheets and general workbooks.
Instructor Quality: Themba Tutors works with Master’s/Ph.D.-level literacy specialists and certified educators, compared with part-time staff or rotating group tutors at generic tutoring centers. Families can receive individualized support from qualified tutors who understand the demands of middle school learning.
Instructional Focus: In-home tutoring provides individualized support in reading comprehension, writing, and executive function, rather than group drills and repetitive skill sheets. This personalized approach combines tutoring services, academic tutoring, and targeted subject instruction.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does middle school ELA tutoring include?
Middle school English Language Arts tutoring includes reading comprehension, literary analysis, essay writing, vocabulary development, annotation strategies, and executive-function-related academic organization.
- When should a middle school student get an ELA tutor?
Families typically seek ELA tutoring when homework starts taking hours, essays lack structure, reading assignments are avoided, grades decline, or 6th-grade ELA expectations increase significantly.
- Does middle school ELA tutoring help with executive functioning?
Yes. ELA assignments require planning, task initiation, evidence tracking, and time management. Our tutors integrate organizational systems directly into weekly essay and reading assignments.
- What is literary analysis tutoring?
Literary analysis tutoring teaches students how to interpret themes, evaluate author choices, support claims with textual evidence, and structure analytical essays.
- Do you support students with ADHD, Dyslexia, or Dysgraphia?
Yes. We support neurodivergent learners, including students with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, twice-exceptional (2e) profiles, and executive functioning differences.
Start Your Performance Journey
Take the first step toward building sustainable academic habits, consistent execution, and long-term subject mastery. Start with our Diagnostic Gateway, learn more about Our Methodology, or explore our Subjects Directory to find the right support for your needs.
📞 (917) 382-8641
✉ info@thembatutors.com
Most NYC-area families are matched with tutors within 1–3 business days.
Not ready to fill out the form yet? We’re here to make this easy.
📞 (917) 382-8641 | 📲 (917) 382-8641 | ✉ info@thembatutors.com
Every coach offers a free 15-minute remote meet-and-greet, so you can get to know them and see if it feels like the right fit. We’re very responsive and easy to communicate with throughout the process. From there, we’ll thoughtfully match you with one or more of our coaches.