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| Guidelines for Reading Tutoring Sessions: Adult Literacy and Adult Learners; Ages 16+ (or what do I do now?) |
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In the national service arena, tutoring models range from cross-age to intergenerational programs. But don't let the jargon scare you. Instead, think of yourself as an advocate, and use the following guidelines to create successful sessions.
Tutoring adults differs significantly from tutoring children and youth. Along with vast life experience, adults may bring considerable anxiety about working on literacy and academic skills. You may find yourself working to establish trust before you begin to work on building skills. This blank lesson plan can help you plan sessions:
| A. Sample Lesson Plan for an Adult Learner in a GED Preparation Program |
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Goals(s) for the Session
Example: reading and writing as part of career exploration project
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1. Reading or Academic Topic
Example: read James Baldwin's essay "A Talk to Teachers"
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2. Comprehension or Content Questions and Activities
Example: discuss race relations in educational institutions
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3. Word Attack Skills
Example: identify trouble words in the essay and discuss strategies for deciphering
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4. Academic Success Skills
Example: talk about essay form; outline the main points of the essay
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5. Writing Activity
Example: outline an answer to the essay question on application for teacher's aide
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Suggestions for Next Lesson
Example: take the outline created above and write a rough draft in essay form
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Observations for Next Lesson
Example: completed application (handwriting better!); work on vocabulary building exercises; great discussion on education and race; full of ideas for writing project
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| B. Sample Lesson Plan for an Adult Learner in a Literacy Program |
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Goals(s) for the Session
Example: reading and writing as part of career exploration project
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1. Reading or Academic Topic
Example: read and understand paragraph on signs from the Driver's Ed manual
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2. Comprehension or Content Questions and Activities
Example: talk about creating a board game involving road signs (e.g., what do you do when you see this sign . . .)
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3. Word Attack Skills
Example: look at words from the passage that "don't play by the rules of phonics" (light, sign, high) put them on index cards with a definition and drawing on one side and the word on the other; add these to the pile of cards already collected.
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4. Academic Success Skills
Example: bring in a highlighter and show how to highlight important points
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5. Writing Activity
Example: ask student to narrate a traffic accident while you take dictation
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Suggestions for Next Lesson
Example: read back and expand the traffic accident story; quiz on Driver's Ed manual; bring in road atlas and plot an imaginary trip (work on recognition of road names)
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Observations for Next Lesson
Example: index cards seem to be helping-work more on word families (light, night, fright, might); creative projects are a motivator!
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Tips for Working with Adult Learners
Honor experience. Adults learn best when they can integrate prior experience with new learning. They must collaborate with you on setting goals and choosing activities. Allow adults plenty of discussion and processing time so they can "bring the old into the new," for effective transfer of learning.
Content matters. More and more publishers are producing high-content, low-reading-level books. After you know what interests your tutee, choose books accordingly. Aligning materials with interests personalizes the reading process. It may also help an adult learner maintain motivation.
Make it relevant. These learners have survived without the advantages of high literacy skills. They can operate without them, so you need to help them see literacy as an important part of their lives. Read from the voter's pamphlet, the sports page, a road atlas. Visit the library together.
Create a supportive learning environment. Carl Rogers, a psychologist, spoke of unconditional positive regard. He argued that this quality, the ability to accept another person without judgement, is essential for learning to proceed and change to occur. So, in addition to your skills, don't forget to bring sensitivity and respect to the tutoring table.
Practice being flexible. You may need to modify your expectations, both for yourself and those you tutor. When working with adults, it is essential to meet them where they are. Some days you may just have to toss your well-planned lesson. Let the learner be your guide!
Record your impressions and observations. Your notes can be a valuable source of information. Use them to plan activities, chart progress, and provide feedback. In addition, collecting pieces of work over the course of your tutoring can contribute to a portfolio of work, one that speaks for itself. Make sure that you discuss progress in the sessions, too.
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| Links |
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- Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. delivers tutoring services through a network of more than 50,000 volunteers nationwide. LVA's mission is to reach adults whose literacy skills are very limited or non-existent and to provide volunteer tutors who can teach reading, writing, and English speaking skills. LVA provides training, materials, and support to their volunteer tutors.
- National Institute for Literacy is the springboard to the regional LINCS (Literacy Information and Communication Network System), which provides a vast array of resources and information on adult literacy. Access regional resources through the LINCS covering your state: Eastern, Midwest, Southern, and Western/Pacific LINCS.
- The Office of Vocational and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education links to research and resources related to adult and vocational education. Grant announcements and statistics are available. Access the Adult Education and Literacy Clearinghouse from here.
- National Clearinghouse on Literacy Education is an adjunct ERIC site focusing on all aspects of literacy education including family literacy, workplace literacy, and native language literacy for adults and out-of-school youth learning English as a second language. Lists of publications, both free and for sale, are available.
- The American Library Association provides documents with information on various facets of designing a family literacy program including recruiting volunteers, building partnerships with the community, and other elements that make a strong program.
- The Center for Literacy Studies provides information on a Practitioner Dissemination and Research Network (PDRN) that links literacy practitioners with up-to-date research in the field of adult education; a description of the National Institute for Literacy’s grassroots initiative to make adult literacy and lifelong learning programs available to all; a searchable list of their library holdings; and a glossary of Adult Basic Education terms.
- Literacy Online: National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL) is international in its scope and provides information on professional training opportunities worldwide. It also includes information on new and practical innovations in teaching literacy, the use of technology in distance education, research findings, and policy issues and legislation regarding education. The site also hosts an on-line bookstore with products to download or purchase.
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