Superprof survey identifies middle school as a critical turning point, with math habits declining sharply in grades 7 and 8 as reading habits erode earlier
PARIS, FRANCE, September 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A new survey from Superprof, the world’s largest tutoring network, finds that the daily practices that let students learn independently, from reviewing their own work to pushing through a hard problem, are breaking down on two different timelines. Students begin spending less time reading closely and engaging deeply with texts as early as elementary school, while their willingness to reason through math problems declines most sharply in seventh and eighth grade.
The finding offers a possible explanation for a trend showing up in national assessment data, where younger students continue to make gains in both subjects while 13-year-olds’ performance has stagnated or declined.
The tutors’ responses reveal two primary trajectories:
• Math habits, students’ willingness to reason through a problem rather than shortcut it, often hold steady until seventh and eighth grade, when 32.1% of math tutors see the most significant decline.
• Reading habits, how closely and consistently students engage with a text, erode earlier and more gradually, with 11.7% of reading tutors pointing to grades K–2, 20.3% identifying grades 3–5, and 26.6% selecting the transition into sixth grade.
• The decline is not universal, as about 17.4% of math tutors and 15.6% of reading tutors say no consistent stage marks when learning habits weaken.
“We believe this difference comes down to timing and visibility, not ability,” said Wilfried Granier, CEO of Superprof. “In math, foundational habits may appear sufficient until students encounter more complex material in seventh and eighth grade. Reading habits can be harder to track because, once children can read independently, adults may pay less attention to how closely or consistently they are reading. By the time either decline becomes visible in a grade or test score, the underlying habits may have been weakening for years. A private tutor can identify those difficulties earlier and provide personalized guidance that helps students work through challenges at their own pace.”
Tutors say the most effective response is often the hardest one, resisting the urge to give an immediate answer. Instead, they give students time to sit with uncertainty, explain their reasoning, and return to foundational concepts when a shortcut has replaced genuine understanding.
“As students move into middle school, I often see foundational math skills like number sense, fractions, and basic operations start to slip because the curriculum moves so quickly and earlier gaps never fully close,” said Maryam Jabeen, a math tutor at Superprof. “I deliberately slow things down, diagnose the exact missing building blocks, and then rebuild them through targeted practice and real-world examples until the student feels confident again. Once those foundations are solid, everything else becomes much easier.”
The findings point to a distinction that often gets lost in conversations about student achievement. Declining performance may not start with a lack of ability. It may start when a skill stops being explicitly taught or closely watched, and the habits that support it quietly fall away.
The findings are based on a survey of 237 U.S.-based math and reading tutors conducted in August 2026.
Parents and students looking for support, or tutors interested in joining the Superprof network, can visit www.superprof.com to find a tutor or start tutoring.
###
About Superprof
Superprof is the world’s largest tutoring network, connecting millions of students with tutors for online or in-person lessons across more than 2,000 subjects. From academics to languages to life skills, Superprof helps learners of all ages find personalized, flexible support to achieve their goals.
Gena Ritter
Communications Strategy Group
gritter@wearecsg.com
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Media gallery
