Planning the tutoring session
Abstract
Because reading feels like "second nature" to most tutors, they may be unaware of the learning mechanisms that build literacy, and need to be equipped with specific methods for teaching reading to their students. This effective practice clarifies the reading process by specifying four areas of activity to include in the tutoring session: rereading, word analysis, writing, and reading new text. Excerpted from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's So That Every Child Can Read.Issue
Tutors need to be equipped with specific methods for teaching reading to their students.Action
Tutoring sessions should incorporate four core steps:- Rereading. Rereading a familiar passage gives the child the chance to succeed, and to see him- or herself as a reader. As the child becomes familiar with what the words say, he or she can relax and focus on what they mean.
- Word analysis. Children need tools to help them decode the words on a page. Tutors can help children break large words into smaller "chunks," help them look for patterns they know, and show them how to use context clues to find meaning.
- Writing. Writing a story together or letting the child express his or her thoughts in print adds depth to a student’s language abilities.
- Reading new text. Reading new material expands the child’s vocabulary and strengthens newly acquired skills.
Citation
Potter, Jana, Judy Blankenship, and Laura Carlsmith. So That Every Child Can Read... America Reads Community Tutoring Partnerships. A Review of Effective and Promising Practices in Volunteer Reading Tutoring Programs. Portland, Oregon: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, April 1999. pp. 31-33.Outcome
Tutors proficient at all four steps help students increase their self-confidence, provide them with tools to learn new vocabulary on their own, and stimulate enjoyment and satisfaction in reading.Posted On
November 3, 2000Source Documents
Related Practices
Related sites
Anerica Reads: Principles and Key Components