Our Tutor Training Program
Literacy of Northern New York is always looking for tutors in basic reading or English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Tutoring allows you to share your knowledge and love of reading with another person, giving them the priceless gift of literacy. Here's what you do:
- First, you will go through a training course that will prepare you to teach a student.
- After completing the course, you will be matched with a student.
- Tutors and students meet once or twice a week in a public place for an hour or two.
- You are in control of your schedule. Tutors and students set up their own meeting times.
Meeting Locations
Tutors meet students at local libraries or other public areas. Literacy of Northern New York does NOT recommend that tutors and students meet in each other's homes. Some possible meeting locations are local libraries and churches.
Tutor Support
Will I be on my own once I get started? No! The staff at Literacy of
Northern NY is available to answer questions, give you tutoring tips and suggest
new materials to use. We call tutors quarterly to check on progress and answer questions. We also offer tutor in-services so you can learn new tutoring skills.
As a tutor, you are not on your own! Literacy of Northern New York's staff is happy to answer questions, suggest learning materials, and offer support.
Basic Reading and ESOL Training
Basic Reading Tutoring
Basic reading/literacy tutors help adults improve basic reading and writing skills. Most of our students read below a 6th grade level. We teach practical skills to students such as how to read signs and recipes, fill out applications, write checks, read labels on medicine bottles, write notes to a child's teacher, etc. We use a wide variety of books written especially for adults.
Anyone interested in becoming a tutor should contact Literacy of Northern New York. We will then notify you when our next training course is scheduled. The course is typically held in the evening, once a week, for 2 to 3 hours over a course of six weeks. Occasionally we do run daytime trainings. Participants learn a variety of basic reading and writing techniques and receive a tutor textbook, which is an excellent resource.
After the training, tutors are matched with students from their area. Tutors and students arrange when and how often to meet. Once matched with a student, Literacy of Northern New York's staff provides on-going support to tutors, answers questions, and suggests teaching materials.
ESOL Tutoring
As an ESOL tutor you would be working with someone who is new to the United States and wants to learn English. One of Literacy of Northern New York's goals is to offer more ESOL tutoring. Learning English can be tough, so the help of a tutor is invaluable. ESOL tutoring is a lot of fun because you can see your student improving from week to week.
Do I need to speak the student's language in order to tutor?
Absolutely not! We actually prefer that you do not. If you spoke the student's language you would tend to rely on it as a communication tool.
Find out if tutoring is something you would like to do
Description of volunteer Tutor position