Finding tutor trainers
Abstract
Research has shown that trained tutors have a greater impact on student learning. This effective practice from LEARNS provides ideas on where to find tutor trainers in your community and which topics to include in a tutor training. Excerpted from The Tutor, Summer/Fall 2001.Issue
Some areas of training are better left to the experts. But finding experts in your community that can provide training at little or no cost can be difficult if you don't know where to look.Action
Common training topics fall into four general areas or tracks:
- Program Operation refers to training related to your project, its goals, and your connection with national service.
- School or Site Culture. Training to help tutors and mentors interact with, and contribute to, the educational goals of a school or out-of-school time site.
- Learning Support. Training in educational content areas, such as literacy, computers, and math.
- Learner Relationships refers to training that helps volunteers build a positive relationship with learners, incorporating both research and strategies.
When searching for trainers, conduct a broad search, focusing on four main resource pools:
- Staff from partner schools and school districts
- Your own and other national service program coordinators
- Staff from your sponsoring organization
- Professionals from community organizations
You may even want to build training into your memorandum of understanding with partner schools.
Those who may know about learner relationships include the following sources:
- School counselors
- Teachers, including special education teachers
- Staff from youth and social service agencies
- Juvenile justice staff
- Child and mental health specialists
- Mentoring project staff
- Higher education faculty
Learning support can be found among the following resources:
- School or district teachers and specialists
- Title I reading specialists
- Higher education faculty
- Retired teachers
- Graduate students in education
- School or city librarians
- State and local councils
- Professional organizations (for specific subjects, i.e., math, computers,history)
Context
LEARNS provides training and technical assistance to Corporation-funded programs focused on education. LEARNS is a partnership of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory and the Bank Street College of Education.Citation
DeSantis, Dean et al. "The Verdict Is In: Trained Tutors = Increased Student Learning." The Tutor. Portland, Oregon:LEARNS, Summer/Fall 2001.Outcome
Tutors who receive training are more likely to increase student learning. Finding experts to conduct tutor training can increase their tutoring abilities.Evidence
An Abt Associates' study of 68 AmeriCorps tutoring programs across the country identified tutor training as one of four effective practices that correlated with higher student learning gains. In fact, when tutors received pre-service and ongoing training, students showed significantly higher gains in reading skills.In a meta-analysis of 29 separate studies, researchers from the University of Texas and the University of Miami found that tutors who receive intensive training are more effective in improving reading skills.Posted On
September 26, 2001For More Information
LEARNS at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
101 SW Main St., Suite 500
Portland,
OR
97204
Toll-free: 1-800-361-7890
Email: learns@nwrel.org
Resources
The Verdict Is In: Trained Tutors = Increased Student Learning provides a tutor training calendar.
Programs can also develop their own training capacity. The LEARNS partnership provides project staff members with state and regional training in strategies and materials. The LEARNS website contains training information.