Are you stuck in a rut with your tutoring?
Are you looking for more activity ideas, teaching strategies, or even a refresher on best practices for tutoring? Look no further than the reference book LITSTART: Strategies for Adult Literacy and ESL Tutors.
LITSTART is an adult tutoring specific resource that the Literacy Center has used for a number of years (we even have a copy that dates back to the early days of the organization!). We've used it for so many years because it is an excellent reference for new tutors developing their first lesson plans, or experienced tutors looking for new materials or information. The Literacy Center staff also use LITSTART to inform our tutor training sessions.
The first two sections of LITSTART are great for anyone looking for best practices for tutoring either English language learners and native speakers of English.
For those who are planning their first lessons and need some additional support, we recommend reviewing the third and fourth sections of LITSTART. There you will find guidance in building rapport with your learner, tips for planning out lessons, some samples of lessons, as well as checklists of skills based on learners’ literacy levels.
In sections five through eight, you will find fantastic activities for teaching speaking, reading, work study, and writing.
The activities in LITSTART are versatile enough to use with all levels of learners – and a great way to introduce new and engaging elements to your tutoring sessions. The appendices in the back of the book provide useful reference tools including word lists and word family sets.
Overall, LITSTART can be a great tool for tutors of all experience levels. We have plenty of copies available in the tutor library. Feel free to check out a copy or photocopy an interesting page or section.
Interested in being a Literacy Center tutor? Learn more at a volunteer orientation. Sign up online or by calling (616) 459-5151. If you're a current tutor looking for additional resources, contact your Literacy Coordinator.
