1-on-1 English Foundations Tutoring · Grades K–2 · Taipei

English Foundations, the early years done well.

The work that builds the literacy foundations your child's school will assume. Phonics, vocabulary, early writing, and reading taught together at the level your child is ready for, in a format that keeps the work enjoyable for a five-year-old and rigorous enough to move them forward.

Audience
Grades K–2, international school or transitioning
Format
1-on-1, typically 1 hour per lesson
Duration
Typically 6 to 12 months per level
Begin
Complimentary consultation & assessment class

What Students Learn

English foundations at the level your child's school will assume.

English Foundations is for children whose early literacy work needs deliberate building. International primary schools assume a foundation already in place by Grade 1, and every school assumes it by Grade 3. Phonological awareness, phonetic decoding, sight words, letter formation, simple sentence construction, vocabulary tied to the topics the child is encountering at school. The Foundations program is built around four strands taught together: phonics and reading fluency, vocabulary, early writing, and grammar. These strands look different at this age than later. Reading is decoding and fluency, not yet comprehension and inference. Writing is letter formation and sentence building, not yet essays. Grammar is parts of speech and sentence types, not yet syntax and clause analysis. The work matches the developmental stage.

The strands aren't taught in isolation. A Level K lesson might pair the letters F and B with phonetic decoding of /f/ and /b/ sounds, vocabulary tied to Friends and Family, and a simple sentence using a new word. A Level 2 lesson might pair Growing Up vocabulary with combined-sentence writing, grammar work on conjunctions, and a leveled reading text the child works through aloud. Children at this age don't naturally separate "reading time" from "writing time" from "vocabulary time." The integrated approach matches how their learning works.

The work follows Harland's leveled curriculum, which corresponds to international school grade expectations. A child entering kindergarten enrolls at Level K. A child entering Grade 1 typically starts at Level 1. Each level breaks into four units of eleven lessons. The eleventh lesson of each unit assesses what the child has built that unit, scaled to where they are. A Level K child's writing assessment might be producing letters of the alphabet or writing their name. A Level 1 child writes words and short sentences. A Level 2 child combines sentences into more sophisticated structures. By the end of Level 2, children are writing compound sentences, reading independently at grade level, and ready for the paragraph-level work of Level 3.

Progress shows up in places parents can see. Reads aloud with growing fluency, fewer pauses, correct pronunciation of new words. Writes letters, words, or sentences, scaled to level, with appropriate control. Speaks up more confidently when teachers ask questions in English.

How We Teach It

English foundations taught with both rigor and joy.

Harland's pedagogy is content-based learning, and at this age the content is the child's world. Vocabulary doesn't get drilled out of context. It gets learned through topics that matter to the child's life: Friends and Family at Level K, At School at Level 1, Growing Up at Level 2. The themes follow Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for K-2, which most international primary schools track. Children build vocabulary while also building the social-emotional awareness those topics develop. Friends and Family covers family relationships and friendship. At School covers classroom routines and learning. Growing Up covers identity, change, and difference. Topics worth learning in their own right.

Level placement follows where the child sits developmentally, not where their birth year says they should be. A chronologically-Grade-1 child whose phonics skills sit at K level starts at K work, not L1. A child arriving with stronger English than their grade suggests can stretch into the next level once placement is set. The assessment class establishes where the child is and what kind of teacher will fit best.

Parents often arrive caught between two worries. They want their child to enjoy learning and not be pushed too hard at this age. They also know that most schools take a gentle approach to academic English at this age, and that the rigor their child will need to keep up with grade-level work later, especially in international school environments, will not arrive on its own. The work at Foundations resolves the tension. Lessons are structured enough to produce measurable development across all four strands, and flexible enough to feel natural to a five-year-old. Children at this age learn through play, curiosity, and trust. The 1-on-1 format lets teachers find what each child responds to, whether that's stories, phonics games, writing practice, or songs. The work has to be enjoyable enough that the child wants to come back, and serious enough to make a difference.

Reading at this age is mechanical before it's meaningful. Phonological awareness, the ability to hear and play with sounds in words. Phonetic decoding, connecting sounds to letters. Sight word recognition, building the visual vocabulary that makes fluent reading possible. Reading aloud with growing accuracy and confidence. The work moves from Foundations of Literacy at Level K through Beginning to Read at Level 1 to Reading Independence at Level 2. By the end of Level 2, children are reading independently at grade level, ready for the close-reading work of later programs.

Curriculum and Alignment

A structured curriculum that aligns with your child's school.

English Foundations at Harland follows a leveled curriculum keyed to international school grade expectations. Level K corresponds to Kindergarten, Level 1 to Grade 1, Level 2 to Grade 2. A child who completes a level has demonstrated competence at that grade level across all four strands.

Level placement defaults to grade alignment but is set by the assessment class. At this age, calibration usually means meeting the child where they are developmentally. A Grade 1 child whose phonics skills sit at K level starts at K work. A Grade 1 child reading independently can stretch into Level 2 work. Once placement is set, the level is fixed. The cadence is what flexes.

Lessons coordinate with whatever curriculum your child's school follows. For students at American international schools, the Foundations curriculum tracks against the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for kindergarten through Grade 2. For Cambridge schools, against the Cambridge Primary English benchmarks for early years. For students in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), against the IB language standards for early childhood. Where a school uses its own internal curriculum, the Student Coordinator translates school expectations into lesson goals. This includes the bilingual departments at private primary schools that build their own English programs. In every case, Harland's curriculum provides the spine.

Standards
Harland's leveled English Foundations curriculum, with cross-references to Common Core K–2, Cambridge Primary English (early years), IB PYP language standards, and school-specific standards as relevant
Materials
Harland curriculum materials including age-appropriate writing exercises, leveled phonics work, and vocabulary themes calibrated to K–2 development, with school texts and assignments integrated as ongoing input
Assessment
Per-unit assessments scaled to level: letter formation and basic vocabulary at Level K, simple sentence writing at Level 1, combined sentence construction at Level 2. Reading fluency assessments at every level.
Reporting
Skill-level tracking against Harland's internal rubrics, matched to international school early years standards across all four strands

Prerequisites and What Comes Next

Where English Foundations fits in your child's learning.

Before starting

English Foundations is the entry point. No prior English exposure is required at Level K. Children arriving with no English at all start with letter recognition, basic phonics, and vocabulary tied to their everyday world. Children with some English are placed at Level 1 or Level 2 based on the assessment class.

Many of our Foundations families are planning a transition into international school within the next year or two. Starting Foundations before the move means the child arrives at the new school with the literacy already in place, instead of trying to build it under pressure once enrolled. We work backward from the planned transition date to set the right starting level and cadence.

Some children at this age have specific developmental needs that go beyond what early English tutoring addresses. Children with diagnosed speech, language, or learning differences may benefit from specialist support alongside or before academic tutoring. The consultation helps identify when this is the right call.

What comes after

Most students complete a level in 6 to 12 months, depending on starting position and lesson cadence. At completion, families have a clear decision point.

Many students continue at the next Foundations level, working their way up from K through Level 2 as their grade advances. After Level 2, students typically move to Reading Comprehension for focused work on close reading, inference, and academic vocabulary at higher grades, or to Academic English (Grades 3–12) for the full integrated program where vocabulary, writing, grammar, and reading continue together at increasing depth. Each move is a decision the family makes at level completion.

The longer-term aim of English Foundations is to make itself unnecessary. The program brings children to the point where they can read independently at grade level, write simple sentences with control, and keep up with English-medium subjects at school, and after that, they don't need this specific program. Some families step the cadence down to maintain. Others finish a level and stop. Most progress to Reading Comprehension or Academic English as the work shifts toward higher-level reading and writing. All are good outcomes. A parent who's no longer worried about whether their child is keeping up in English is the point of all of it.

Common Questions

Common questions about English Foundations at Harland.

Who is English Foundations at Harland for? +
English Foundations is for Grades K–2 children whose English foundations need building before school starts demanding more of them. Most of our students are at international primary schools, or preparing to transition into one. Some are children with no English exposure who are starting from the alphabet. Some can decode simple words but need vocabulary, sentence structure, or fluency built up. Some are children whose schools take a gentle approach at this age but whose parents know the work is real and want it done properly. Wherever they are starting from, all of them need their early English foundations built deliberately before the academic demands of Grade 3 and beyond.
My child barely speaks English or has just started learning. Is this the right program? +
Yes. Level K is designed for children starting from the beginning, including those with no prior English exposure. Lessons begin with letter recognition, basic phonics, and vocabulary tied to the child's everyday world. Children build through 1-on-1 sessions calibrated to their pace. Children who already have some English get placed at Level 1 or Level 2 by the assessment class, where the work focuses on reading independence and writing development. Wherever your child is starting from, the assessment class identifies the right level and the lesson plan calibrates to where the actual gaps sit.
What does the program cover? +
English Foundations is built around four strands taught together. Vocabulary, where children build language through age-appropriate themes like Friends and Family at Level K, At School at Level 1, and Growing Up at Level 2. Writing, which develops from letter formation at Level K through simple sentences at Level 1 to combined sentences at Level 2. Grammar, which covers parts of speech, sentence types, and early syntax. Reading, which works on phonological and phonetic awareness, decoding, sight words, and fluency through leveled texts. The four strands aren't taught in isolation. A Level K lesson might pair Friends and Family vocabulary, the letters F and B, simple sentence structure, and decoding work, all in the same session.
How long is each lesson and how often does my child attend? +
Lessons at this age are 1-on-1 sessions, typically one hour, with the option to extend up to 1.5 hours for older Foundations students who can sustain the focus. Sessions are in person at our head office on Xinyi Road or online. Most students attend one to three lessons per week. A standard Foundations level is 4 units of 11 lessons. At one or two lessons per week, that's 6 to 12 months. At three, about 14 weeks. The Student Coordinator helps you choose the cadence that fits, and at this age many families start with one lesson per week.
How are lessons scheduled, and what if we need to reschedule? +
Lessons happen on a fixed weekly slot reserved with your child's primary teacher. This protects the teacher's time and keeps a consistent rhythm for your child. If you need to reschedule, give us at least 24 hours of notice and we'll find another time when your teacher is available. Many families add classes during summer or winter vacation, either to accelerate progress or to make up for a slower term. Once a unit has started, it should be completed within a defined window. For a typical 11-lesson unit, that means finishing within 15 weeks of the start date. The Student Coordinator walks through the details when you enroll.
How do you measure progress at this age? +
Progress is measured through assessments calibrated to where the child is. Each level has four units of eleven lessons. The eleventh lesson of each unit assesses what the child has built that unit, scaled to their level. A Level K student's writing assessment might be producing letters of the alphabet or writing their name. A Level 1 student writes words and short sentences. A Level 2 student combines sentences into more sophisticated structures. Reading assessments check fluency, decoding accuracy, and comprehension at age-appropriate levels. Parents receive updates after every lesson and formal progress reports when each unit ends. The Student Coordinator translates progress into the language your child's school uses.
How do we begin? +
Every Harland relationship begins with a consultation, followed by a 1-on-1 assessment class. The consultation is about your goals and your child's situation. The assessment class is about how your child works in the subject. Together they tell us where to start and what kind of teacher will fit best. At this age the assessment is short, low-pressure, and structured around play, so your child treats it as a first lesson rather than a test.

Related at Harland

Program Hub
English & Writing
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Related Program
Academic English (Grades 3–12)
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Faculty
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