Measuring reading engagement is critical for monitoring student involvement in academic tasks, as it predicts student reading achievement and further academic success (Anderson et al., 2021; Guthrie et al., 2012). As a multidimensional construct, researchers have employed various methods to assess reading engagement (Gill & Remedios, 2013; Lee et al., 2021). The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential variabilities of student reading engagement categories and factors associated with distraction across four activities in the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) Intensive tutoring session using a direct observational approach, the Student Reading Engagement Observational Coding System (SREOCS). Twenty videos were randomly selected from 82 intensive tutoring in-person sessions that met the inclusion criteria in a Summer Adventure in Literacy (SAIL) program. The program aims to improve reading competence for students with dyslexia or reading difficulties in first grade through third grade (University of Florida Literacy Institute, [UFLI], 2021). A series of repeated measures within-subject analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Greenhouse-Geisser adjustment were used to examine the main effect of activity types on reading engagement and distraction category, respectively. Subsequently, sets of planned dependent samples t-tests were conducted for specific group comparisons if the main effect was statistically significant. The results suggested students exhibited a high level of reading engagement during UFLI Intensive tutoring, with a low level of disengaged behaviors associated with tutors' instructions, interruptions from the surrounding environment, and other confounding factors. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were found in student initiation and responding to initial requests under the student reading engagement category across four activities. The results from follow-up dependent samples t-tests showed student initiation increased and responding to initial requests decreased significantly in the regular word spelling activity than in the visual drill condition. Additionally, increases in student initiation were also found in the auditory drill and the blending drill conditions compared to the visual drill condition, separately. The implications for future research, professional development opportunities, and practitioners' instructional practices to improve student reading engagement were discussed. Limitations and conclusions were provided at the end of the paper. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]