Though every family has its own literacy traditions, some reluctant adolescent readers missed having adults read to them as children. They may also have lacked books or magazines in their house. Perhaps they did not observe siblings curled up in a chair and absorbed in a story, or a parent using a reference book to answer a question.
To fill in this gap, think of ways you can model your own love of language. What personal reading material can you share in the tutoring session? You might discuss your own reading habits, or convey a love of language by talking about where words come from, how they change and are transformed through time. Working together on puzzles or word games can also enliven a session.
Does your learner show interest in diverse cultures? Then you might focus on the oral tradition of literature by playing a recording of an African American or Native American storyteller. There are many other examples of oral, dramatic, and visual language, such as Indonesian puppetry or Japanese Kabuki Theater. And, of course, you can always discuss the language of popular movies and music.
