Tips for Being A More Effective Tutor

Working with Beginning Learners

1. Build on the experiences and language of learners. Invite them to discuss their health care experiences and use the activities provided in the unit to not only develop new vocabulary, but to also generate active use of language they have already developed.
2. Use learners as resources. Ask them to share their knowledge and expertise with others in the class.
3. Follow the sequence of the activities provided in the units.  This sequence moves from less challenging to more challenging tasks, such as progressing from learning basic vocabulary in controlled exercises (like fill-in-the-blank or matching) to more open-ended discussion activities that require the learners to use this vocabulary in free conversation. Following the sequence will also allow you to take advantage of the redundancy we have built into the curriculum.  This will help reinforce the key instructional points of the unit as well as help learners overcome problems related to irregular attendance that are common in adult classes.
4. Use the cooperative learning activities provided in the lessons that encourage real interaction between learners.  Some of your learners may resist these activities at first because, to them, this is not a language class –many are used to sitting at their desk being drilled on grammar rules and their mastery of vocabulary lists. Do your best to overcome this resistance by remaining confident about what you are doing and requiring participation.   

Materials that support beginning level learners

Using concrete but age-appropriate materials with adult learners enhances instruction by providing a context for language and literacy development. A basic kit of materials might consist of the following objects, games, and materials:

1. Realia (real objects brought into the classroom as examples for your learners): food items, calendars, plastic fruits and vegetables, maps, household objects, real and play money, food containers/measurement devices, abacus, medical documents, prescription drug containers

2. Flash cards: pictures, words, and signs

3. Pictures or photographs: personal, magazine, and others

4. Tape recorder and cassette tapes, so that learners can listen to activities at home

5. Games such as Bingo and Concentration: commercial or teacher-made for warm-up activities

Conclusion

Providing instruction to adults acquiring ESL literacy is a challenge. When approaches, techniques, and materials are suitable for adults, related to their real needs, and promote involvement in their own learning, there is a greater chance of success.

For more information about working with adult low-level ESL learners please check out the following web resources:

Adult English Language Instruction in the 21st Century is available in English at www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/languageinstructionEng.pdf and in Spanish at www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/languageinstructionSP.pdf

Adult ESL Language and Literacy Instruction: A Vision and Action Agenda for the 21st Century at www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/vision.pdf

Adult ESL Fact Sheets at www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/collections/factsheets.html

Picture Stories for ESL Health Literacy at www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/Health/healthindex.html

Basic Tips for working with Adult ESL learners at http://www.nald.ca/clr/ttk/ttm/TTKTTM.pdf

Practitioner’s tool-kit for working with Adult ESL learners in literacy settings at http://www.famlit.org/Publications/Practitioner-Toolkit-ELL.cfm

Creating Authentic Materials and Activities for the Adult Literacy Classroom: A Handbook for Practitioners at http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/teach/jacobson.pdf