Working with upper elementary-grade students
For older students who are still struggling with reading and writing skills, a tutor has to consider the following:
Academic issues: By the upper-elementary grades, students are no longer learning to read, they are reading to learn. If they continue to struggle with reading, they will likely fall behind in all their subjects.
Social issues: Students who have struggled academically throughout the early elementary grades generally have not had very positive school experiences. They are sometimes shy, reluctant, or nervous about working with a new adult on academic tasks.
Multiple needs: Older students have multiple needs that cannot all be met by a tutor working one or two afternoons a week. These students will have immediate needs, such as homework assignments or projects that are due soon, or perhaps overdue. In addition, these students may need support to develop the reading or writing skills to complete the assigned homework.
The need for balance: Tutors working with upper elementary students need to make decisions about which tasks take priority for each student and gauge how best to approach each tutoring or homework-help situation. At this age, students need support in becoming independent learners. Whether through working on assignments, modeling and teaching organization and time management, or simply providing opportunities for students to be successful, tutors can help provide the skills students need to succeed in school.
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Date of Last Updated: 7/14/2004
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