[ProfessionalDevelopment 2005] Re: Tutors becoming aware of specific ESOL needsMolly Elkins melkins at dclibraries.orgMon Mar 3 13:17:00 EST 2008
I completely agree that tutoring should be driven by learner needs. I do hammer that home with my tutors in training, because I believe that the learners will get little out of a program that isn't meeting their needs, and adult learners will be likely to simply leave. And I have to say that I am blessed in my program with MANY tutors who are experienced at working with adults, and teaching reading and/or ESL. Frequently I am astounded at the experience my tutors bring to our program. But I also have many tutors that are inexperienced. Some are hoping to gain experience, and others are admittedly looking for the pleasure of feeling like they helped someone else. Here's my actual dilemma. I have a waiting list of many people who would like service through our program. Some have been waiting since November, and I have new people applying to our program weekly. What I'm trying to do is offer professional development to my tutors anywhere I can. I provide them with a training manual that has a wealth of information and ready-to-use ideas. I am setting up round table discussions where tutors can share with one another. I inform them of opportunities in the community for professional development. Many of them attend because they are thirsty for knowledge of how to help their learners. What my tutors ultimately need is the ability to gage learner needs even when a learner can't articulate what that need is. This ability is something that will mainly come with experience, probably not training or testing. Thank you, Molly Elkins Literacy Specialist Douglas County Libraries Phillip S. Miller Library 100 S. Wilcox Street Castle Rock CO 80104 Map <http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&addtohistory=&formtype=addr ess&searchtype=address&cat=&address=100%20S%20Wilcox%20St&city=Castle%20Rock &state=CO&zipcode=80104%2d1911&search=Get%2bMap> Phone: (303)791-READ Fax: (303) 688-7655 Email: melkins at dclibraries.org Web: www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org <http://www.douglascountylibraries.org/> _____ From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of robinschwarz1 at aol.com Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 2:21 PM To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2002] Re: Tutors becoming aware of specific ESOL needs Molly-- you have stated the problem neatly in your second paragraph--How WILL an inexperienced tutor begin to help a learner with almost no English skills? But my question to you is why you feel you CAN'T require all volunteers who work with low level ESL learners to have experience?? As I noted in a much earlier post, it is backwards to have the tutoring program be for the pleasure and benefit ofr tutors. Tutoring response should be driven by learner needs-- short and simple. Robin Lovrien Schwarz -----Original Message----- From: Molly Elkins <melkins at dclibraries.org> To: 'The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List' <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov> Sent: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:52 pm Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1995] Tutors becoming aware of specific ESOL needs I am very interested in this discussion. I coordinate the Adult Literacy program at our library, which is powered entirely by volunteers. Many have experience working with adult learners or ESL, but many also do not. In our training, we do discuss the importance of meeting the specific learning needs and goals of the learner, however, if the learner is unable to articulate, how will an inexperienced tutor be helpful? I don't want to just throw my hands up and do away with the program, or require that all volunteers have experience. How can I train or prepare my tutors to meet the needs of their learners? Thank you, Molly Elkins Literacy Specialist Douglas County Libraries Phillip S. Miller Library 100 S. Wilcox Street Castle Rock CO 80104 <http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&addtohistory=&formtype=addr ess&searchtype=address&cat=&address=100%20S%20Wilcox%20St&city=Castle%20Rock &state=CO&zipcode=80104%2d1911&search=Get%2bMap> Map Phone: (303)791-READ Fax: (303) 688-7655 Email: <mailto:melkins at dclibraries.org> melkins at dclibraries.org Web: <http://www.douglascountylibraries.org/> www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org _____ From: <mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov> professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [ <mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov?> mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of <mailto:robinschwarz1 at aol.com> robinschwarz1 at aol.com Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 11:15 AM To: <mailto:professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1911] Re: Requesting Resource Information I hate to be a wet blanket here, but this just caught my eye. Why don't you recommend that this person advertise at a local college for someone to tutor him. He needs someone who will work with him on his assignments who is able to meet him at the level of English he already has. I say this having just worked with one on one with the FOURTH tutor from the local library Literacy Services assigned to an ESOL learner with fairly strong English skills. I have also worked with numerous literacy service providers in several states and regularly provide PD sessions for literacy tutors in the state where I live. These tutors mean so well but know so very little about working with ESOL learners that frankly, it is not a productive match. Since the tutors do not know ESOL issues well, they tend to grab at some generic book in hopes that will appease the learner-- when usually the learner has very specific needs and goals, as does this learner, which do not get met or addressed at all. I am so disheartened by the gap between what ESOL learners need and what their literacy tutors are providing that I have decided to speak more frankly about it. I have adjusted my sessions with tutors to help them start with the very basics: let's find out just what English your learner actually knows and then what he or she really came to you to learn. Robin Lovrien Schwarz -----Original Message----- From: Sandy Phillips < <mailto:SPhillips at ci.oceanside.ca.us> SPhillips at ci.oceanside.ca.us> To: <mailto:lbedford at rushmore.com> lbedford at rushmore.com; The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List < <mailto:professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov> Sent: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 10:37 am Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1910] Re: Requesting Resource Information Laurie, Have him call the Literacy Coordinator at the Stockton Public Library Peaches Ehrich at (209) 937-8261. I am sure she can help him locate the help he needs. Sandy Phillips Literacy Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator (760) 435-5683 (760) 435-5681 FAX# <mailto:sphillips at ci.oceanside.ca.us> sphillips at ci.oceanside.ca.us _____ From: <mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov> professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [ <mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov?> mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Laurie Bedford Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 7:38 AM To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1909] Requesting Resource Information All, I am an adjunct faculty member at an online unversity teaching graduate courses. I have a student who is struggling with his writing. He is an english languague learner and Spanish is his first language. He lives in Stockton, CA. Does anyone know of any resources in that area that he might draw upon? Thanks. Laurie Laurie Bedford, Ph.D. Adjunct Faculty/Instructional Development Consultant <mailto:lbedford at rushmore.com> lbedford at rushmore.com 605-720-7881 ---------------------------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list <mailto:professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to <http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment Email delivered to <mailto:robinschwarz1 at aol.com> robinschwarz1 at aol.com Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki <http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Developm ent> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Developme nt _____ size=2 width="100%" align=center> More new features than ever. 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