Virginia Reads

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Thank you for your interest in private literacy tutoring. I know how important it is to find a tutor who has both the expertise and experience to support you. Please take a moment to read my bio below. Feel free to reach out with any questions via the Contact page.

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Donna McConnell is a literacy expert and educational leader with extensive experience in structured literacy, curriculum development, and professional learning.

She has over 20 years of teaching and leadership experience and has served as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, and central office literacy administrator. Most recently, she served in central office literacy leadership in Arlington Public Schools and Fairfax County Public Schools. In addition to her public school experience, she has developed and facilitated graduate level literacy coursework and served as a non-profit literacy director.

Donna holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from The George Washington University, a M.Ed. in Curriculum Development and Instructional Supervision from N.C. State, a M.Ed. in K-12 Literacy Education from Columbus State University, and a B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education from Columbus State University. She also maintains her Virginia teaching license in elementary education with endorsements in reading, school administration, and ESL. 

She also has the following structured literacy training:

• Language Essentials for Teaching Reading and Spelling (LETRS), Volume 1 and Volume 2, Local Facilitator
• Orton-Gillingham Comprehensive Training
• Orton-Gillingham Intermediate Training

oooReading Rockets: Orton-Gillingham: What You Need to o K-12 students who would benefit from additional foundational literacy instruction. These students may or may not receive intervention or special education services as a part of their school day. I can accommodate tutoring sessions after school and/or on weekends. 

If you are interested in tutoring services, please reach out to schedule a consultation. During this time, we can discuss the student's learning profile and determine if 1:1 tutoring sessions are a good fit.

What is an OG approach to literacy tutoring?

The Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach is a highly structured, multisensory way of teaching literacy, specifically designed to help individuals with dyslexia or other reading difficulties. In a one-on-one tutoring setting, it is uniquely powerful because it is diagnostic and prescriptive. Other characteristics of the approach include:

• Sequential and Cumulative: Instruction begins with the simplest elements of the English language (individual sounds) and slowly builds toward complex concepts like morphology and syntax. Each new lesson builds directly on what was previously mastered.

• Explicit Instruction: Nothing is left to "discovery." Tutors explicitly teach the rules of the language, such as why a word ends in "ck" versus "k."

• Systematic Phonics: It focuses heavily on the internal structure of words, teaching students to decode (read) and encode (spell) based on logical patterns rather than memorization.

Want to know more?

• EdWeek Article: What is the Orton-Gillingham Method for Teaching Reading?
• Reading Rockets: Orton-Gillingham: What You Need to Know