Hello!

As the title says, I've recently been hired to tutor a girl approaching fourth or fifth grade. I was told that she doesn't know how to read or write, but it's pretty clear to me that she does. I think her main problem is that she is unable to sit still, gets distracted easily, doesn't understand how rules work/know how to act in a social setting, etc. I think she has all the tools she needs to learn, but she either doesn't know how to use them or doesn't want to, so I want to help her with that.

I've been diagnosed with ADHD in the past (although I think it was just a cross of my hyper-vigilance from PTSD and my hypomania from bipolar type 2) and I have friends who deal with it, so I know the signs. I've been reading a bunch of stuff, but I still have loads of questions.

1.) How do I find out what her strengths are? How do I use them to her full potential?

2.) How do I figure out what her preferred learning style is? Her parents drop her off at the library and all she wants to do is read Goosebumps and fool around, so I sort of have limited resources. What strategies can accompany this?

3.) What are some good study habits for her?

4.) I know she wants to take breaks and I should use lots of incentives, but if I even bring up the idea of it she becomes restless and outright refuses to do anything until she gets her reward first. I don't really know how to teach kids discipline.

Those are all of the questions I can think of for now. If it helps, she's really into horror books and is only afraid of heights when it's convenient for her to not focus on her studies (unfortunately, the kids section of the library is on the second floor and surrounded by views of the world below). I have a difficult time talking to her family because they're not too involved, and the girl persistently reminds me that I am not her first tutor and I will most certainly not be her last. She threatens me not to tell anyone about our too-frequent breaks and the snacks I can barely afford to buy her lest I be fired. I'm at a loss.

Thanks for reading and/or helping.