Ask Micki: Group Tutoring Motivation

Question: Hi, Micki. I need some help with my group tutoring sessions.

I tutor English, and one of my ESL tutoring sessions is in the form of group tutoring.  I tutor 3 ESL students at my college.

They are great students to tutor, really enthusiastic about learning, but I would like to find a way to make class a little more exciting.

I guess what I am looking for are some ways that I can increase motivation, and provide some fun, rather than just using the ESL textbook that they all use. 

Thanks!
Becca from NV

Answer: Hi, there, Becca, thanks for the question!

I think it is great that you are so involved in making sure your tutees not only learn the material, but also that they have a good time doing it.  I'm sure they're happy to have such a proactive, thoughtful tutor!

Here are a few ideas that work really well with ESL tutees, particularly in group tutoring settings.

1. Use realia. 
Realia can provide a breath of fresh air from the usual book based learning.  These tutoring props also help ESL students work with new vocabulary in a real-world setting.  Clocks, money, brochures, and grocery items are some good examples of items that can be used to illustrate and reinforce vocabulary and grammar.  For a really great example of realia in ESL tutoring, check out this blog posting from an ESL tutor. 

2. Get your group talking.  
Conversational skills are an important part of ESL learning.  During a conversation, both vocabulary and grammar are utilized, and ESL students can begin to get comfortable conversing with other speakers of English.  Take this into your group setting by asking and answering questions back and forth with your tutees.  Then, have them talk to one another about various things.  Each tutee can talk briefly about classes, the weather, their family, or what time of the day it is.  Anything to get your tutees talking with you, and with one another.

3. Stories as learning tools.  
Have each of your tutees, in turn, tell a brief story about something that has happened in his or her past.  This can be anything - a favorite trip, beloved pet, family memory, or anything else that your tutee wants to tell a story about during tutoring.  If you have students who are new to learning English, you will want to ask them to write out their short story ahead of time, so that they have something prepared before your next tutoring session (this way your tutee are not put on the spot with the exercise).

4. Show and tell.
Not just for kids, show and tell can be a powerful learning tool for ESL students of all ages.  Much like telling a story, having your tutees talk about favorite or cherished items will get them to open up and practice conversation skills.  Every ESL tutor I know loves the show and tell technique when working with their tutees.   

5. Play a game.
Games are great motivators when it comes to learning.  There's nothing quite like learning while having fun - it hardly seems like work at all!  Try to find a couple of tried and true games that will help your tutees learn English.  Or, if you are feeling creative, come up with some games of your own.  Try a version of Hangman, or hand out simple crossword puzzles.  Anything to make learning English a little more fun.

Implementing a couple of these techniques will make your ESL group tutoring a little more fun, and will keep your tutees motivated both during and after the session!

Field Notes: ESL Technique, Realia

I was reading the blog the other day, and noticed someone asking about ESL terminology.  Well, that got me to thinking about my own ESL tutoring, and I wanted to share a great technique that always works well for me and my students.

It's "Realia."  In other words, it is "stuff" that I bring to my ESL tutoring session.  Kind of like tutoring props. 

By using real objects during my ESL tutoring, I can help my tutee increase his or her vocabulary, act out English speaking scenarios, and improve his or her conversational skills.  Plus, it gives my students real, actual, tangible things to use when working through sentences and grammar.

A great example of realia I use all the time: travel brochures and play money.  My student and I go through the travel brochures together, and then my tutee chooses where he or she would like to go on vacation.

Then, my tutee tells me how they want to travel (train, ship, airplane, car, etc.), where they want to stay (good for learning basic travel/hotel vocabulary), what time and date they would like to leave and return (great for learning numbers, time, and calender dates), and how they want to pay for the vacation.  If my tutee wants to pay with cash, it gives my tutee a chance to practice counting money in English. All while looking at some great pictures of travel destinations!

Also good is the fact that this kind of realia is easy to travel with, because it folds flat, and is lightweight.  A definite must if, like me, you ride a bike to your tutoring appointments.

So far, I have had a lot of success with this technique, and my students really seem to love it!
Tammy from Eau Claire, WI

Ask Micki: Summer Tutoring

Question: Hello, Micki. I'm tutoring a 2nd grade kid in reading, and her parents have asked that I continue to tutor her once a week throughout the summer.  The thing is, right now we work with her school worksheets and homework.  Any ideas how we can stay on track during the summertime?

Thank you for the help!
Maricel from MN

Answer: Hi Maricel, thanks for the question - with summer coming up soon, I'm sure your question will help a lot of tutors out there who are wondering the same thing!

First of all, that is great news that the parents of your tutee have asked you to stay on during the summer months.  Not only is it a great professional tutoring opportunity for you, but it is an excellent way to keep your tutee on track (and give her a head start) for the next school year. 

Even better news: reading is one of those tutoring subjects that naturally lends itself to extracurricular work.  Get some fun, exciting books for the two of you to read together. 

Look into summer reading programs at your local library - I always loved those as a kid, and I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I got my "Gold Medal Reading Award" for reading 50 books.  I was ecstatic!

If there isn't anything available locally, you can also set something up yourself.  Keep track of books your tutee reads, ask your tutee to give you short reports of what she has read, and have prizes on hand for when she meets certain goals. 

Last, but certainly not least, check out the resource page on the ITA site for some fun reading and language activities for kids.  There are a bunch of them on there, and it is always good to have a few surprise activities to keep things interesting.

Have fun and, as always, happy tutoring!

Ask Micki: Too young to tutor?

Question: Hi, Micki.  This may seem like an easy question, but I am pretty new to the tutoring business, and I need some help on this.  I had a dad contact me a few days ago about tutoring his daughter in English & writing.  The thing is, his daughter is only 4 years old. 

This seems exceptionally young to start putting pressure on the child, and I am not sure I should take the job.  I want to help her, but I know what it is like to have too much academic pressure put on you at a young age - it stinks.  Help!

Signed,
Laurie in Syracuse

Answer:  Hi, Laurie - thanks for your question!  First of all, I agree with you.  I think that a lot of parents are putting way too much pressure on kids these days.  Kids need to be kids, and childhood is short enough without all of the adult pressures to succeed at everything under the sun. 

That being said, I would absolutely take the job!

Think of it this way: who would be better for the tutoring job?  A hardcore tutor who pushes a 4 year old too hard in the name of success?  Or you, a tutor who will be understanding and compassionate enough to patiently help the tutee brush up on reading without making her stressed about her progress?

It seems to me that with your outlook of the situation, you will be cautious not to push her too hard, but will be willing to put the time in, and help her learn to enjoy reading and writing.

Technically, if tutoring is done correctly, and the tutor pays attention to the tutee's learning style, it is never too young to begin tutoring.  If you think about it, babies are tutored every day as they learn to walk, talk, etc.  As long as the tutoring is done in a low key, kid friendly way, tutoring can actually be a fun part of a young child's week.

I would definitely suggest making the sessions as entertaining as possible while still helping your tutee pick up the basic concepts.  Write a few stories together, have her read her favorite books as practice materials, check out the resources for some cool reading/writing games.

Whatever you can do to make the tutoring more fun will undoubtedly make the tutoring session more enjoyable and much more effective.

Good luck, and as always, happy tutoring!

Ask Micki: Non-academic Tutoring?

Question: Hi, Micki. I have a chance to tutor a subject that is not an academic subject, but I'm not sure about taking the job.

You see, usually I tutor English, but I also play the guitar. Recently one of my English tutoring clients asked if it would be willing to tutor her in guitar, too. I'm really used to the English tutoring style (essays, grammar, etc.), but I have never tutored a non-academic subject. Should I go for it? Is there anything I need to know or do differently for music tutoring?

Thanks for the help - Tony P., English Tutor, from Mt. Pleasant, SC

Answer: Hi, Tony! First off, yes, I would definitely take the guitar tutoring gig if you feel comfortable enough with your skill set to pass along your knowledge. Tutoring, whether a nontraditional or academic subject, is all based off of the same principle - to help a tutee master a set of skills.

Tutoring music is a lot like tutoring any other subject. You will be helping your tutee learn skills (guitar chords, music reading, etc), that she can put into action. The only difference is that instead of turning in a paper, she'll be strumming a song.

I know a lot of music tutors who also tutor academic subjects, and they actually prefer the convenience of being able to tutor multiple subjects with a tutee they already familiar with - there are a lot of benefits with this arrangement: you already have a great working relationship with your tutee, you already know his/her learning style, you know the route to the tutoring location, you know how the tutoring session will go, etc..

Even better, some of these tutors have told me that tutoring something a little more fun, like music or sports, actually improved their academic tutoring sessions. One tutor I spoke with told me that tutoring clarinet once a week with his tutee improved their tutoring relationship, and made their math tutoring a lot more relaxed and effective.

So, the quick answer to your question is: Yes! I would go for it - Have fun branching out and tutoring something a bit outside of your norm!

Good luck, and happy tutoring!

Ask Micki: Question from a writing tutor

Question: Hi, Micki. My question is regarding not doing your tutee’s homework. I am a writing tutor and a lot of my tutees want to “go over” papers they have written prior to turning them in. I get the feeling that some of them want me to review their work and correct it for them. I don’t want them turning in my work, but I still want to help them with their paper. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Alfred N.


Answer: Hi, Alfred. Thanks for your question. What you are describing is a very common scenario for writing tutors; I've even run across the problem myself from time to time. Here is a technique that is used regularly by seasoned writing tutors:

Read through your tutee’s paper and make mental notes on any common or recurring errors made.

Put the paper aside and address each error one at a time.

Discuss any rules or techniques for dealing with the particular error. Have your tutee practice the new skill, and when you are convinced that they are ready, move on to the next problem area.

Finally, return to their paper, but this time, have them read it, identify any errors that you previously addressed, and suggest corrections to their paper.

This technique allows you to identify and address a tutee’s weaknesses, while at the same time allowing them to take responsibility for their own work.

Good luck, and as always, happy tutoring!