The Adult Learner - California Library Literacy Services

[pic] Tutor Training Manual [pic] [pic] Table of Contents Welcome Letter 3
Tutor Training Agendas 4
Volunteer Tutor Description 5
Volunteer Tutor Agreement 6
Introduction to the Inspired Learning Model 7
Guidelines for Accelerated Learning 10
The Adult Learner 12
Learning Styles 13
Learning Styles Inventory 14
Interpreting the Inventory 15
Setting a Positive Learning Environment 19
Short Vowel Sounds 20
Long Vowel Sounds 21
Syllabication Rules 22
Activity: Building Comprehension Skills 23
Activity: Practicing Assisted Reading Techniques 24
Writing 25
Journal Prompts and Sentence Starters 26
The Writing Process 27
Activity: Understanding the Writing Process 29
Tips for Spelling 28
Tips for Teaching Writing 30
The First Meeting 31
The Second Meeting 33
CASAS Skill Level Descriptors 37
Lesson Plan 38
Literacy Websites 39 Welcome Letter Dear Tutors, Welcome to tutor training and thank you for choosing to give the invaluable
gift of reading. We are looking forward to your participation in Vision
Literacy. Vision Literacy learners are a special group of people. They have
chosen to dedicate the hard work and time necessary to improve their
literacy skills in order to enhance their lives at home, at work, and
within the community. Vision Literacy maintains a learner-centered philosophy. We work to ensure
that all tutoring sessions are tied to the learners' specific needs and
goals. As they enter the program, we ask each learner to set personally
relevant and measurable goals that will make a difference in their life.
For adult learners this may include getting a better job, participating in
a spiritual community, or having more meaningful interactions with their
children's teachers at school. Most learners join our program because they were not able to learn through
the methods used in a traditional classroom setting. As tutors, you will
have the opportunity to use a variety of creative, non-traditional
techniques and practices. Your learners will have the benefit of working at
a pace best suited to their needs. As tutors, you will help your learners meet their goals and celebrate their
progress along the way. Your ultimate goal will be to put yourself out of a
job as your learner gains confidence in his or her new literacy skills,
successfully applies those skills in his or her everyday life, and
accomplishes these goals. Again, we thank you for taking the time to work with Vision Literacy. We
know that your efforts will be personally rewarding as you share your
special skills with others and as you come to know and grow with your
learners. We hope you enjoy the tutor training and that it prepares you
well for your tutoring experience. If at any time you need more information
or assistance, please call us at (408) 262-1349 or email us at
info@visionliteracy.org.
Thank you! Vision Literacy Staff
Tutor Training Agendas Lesson 1: Saturday Morning
. Review the agenda
. Inspired Learning Model
. Guidelines for Accelerated Learning
. Foreign language realia
. Positive learning experiences
. The adult learner and learning environments Lesson 2: Saturday Afternoon
. Learning differences, difficulties and disabilities
. Learner profiles
. Active listening
. Language experience approach
. Non-traditional materials with roles and goals Lesson 3: Saturday Morning
. Review
. Basic reading skills
. Phonics
. Syllabication
. The writing process Lesson 4: Saturday Afternoon
. Guest speaker
. The first meetings
. Guided visualization
. Formal and informal assessments
. Lesson plan
. America Learns
. Evaluate training
Volunteer Tutor Description Work Locations
. Santa Clara County libraries in Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los
Altos, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, and Saratoga, City of Mountain View
Public Library, South County office in Gilroy, North County office in
Milpitas, Elmwood Correction Facility in Milpitas, and Community
Learning Center at Valley Medical Center in San Jose Purpose
. To tutor English-speaking adults who read or write below the ninth-
grade level
Responsibilities
. Complete a one-hour orientation and participate successfully in 10
hours of tutor training
. Honor students' cultural and personal sensitivities
. Select and utilize appropriate tutoring materials
. Submit monthly hours reports to evaluate student progress
. Encourage learners to participate in Vision Literacy activities Time Commitment
. Meet for two hours each week for a minimum of six months
. Prepare lessons for tutoring sessions and submit reports Qualifications
. Be at least 18 years of age
. Be able to speak, read, and write in English
. Possess ability to utilize Vision Literacy's learner-centered approach Benefits
. Receive ongoing professional training and support to provide learner-
centered instruction
. Gain personal satisfaction of helping adults improve their literacy
skills
. Attend and participate in special events [pic] Volunteer Tutor Agreement As a volunteer tutor, you are an important member of our organization, and
we value your commitment to enrich the lives of others. To better
understand our expectations, please read and sign the following agreement. As a volunteer tutor for Vision Literacy, I understand that I am expected
to:
. Complete 10 hours of tutor training
. Respect the privacy of learners, other tutors, Vision Literacy staff
members, and the organization
. Treat my learner or small group of learners with respect and dignity
. Be sensitive to differences in values, beliefs, and cultural diversities
. Meet with my learner or small group of learners at least two hours each
week for a minimum of six months
. Meet at scheduled times and promptly communicate any scheduling changes
with my learner or group of learners
. Contact my assigned Literacy Specialist regarding any questions or
concerns related to my volunteer role
. Submit monthly progress reports in the first week of the following month
. Prepare lesson plans to meet my students' learning needs
. Notify the organization if I choose to stop tutoring To ensure the best volunteer experience possible, Vision Literacy will
provide:
. Comprehensive training and ongoing support throughout the training and
tutoring process
. Access to a Literacy Specialist
. Periodic check-ins via phone and/or email to monitor progress
. Access to relevant tutoring materials and supplies
. Opportunities to interact with learners, volunteer tutors, and Vision
Literacy staff members
. A Vision Literacy newsletter
. A certificate upon completion of tutor training Vision Literacy tries to match every tutor with a learner. Occasionally, it
is not possible to make a match. I understand that tutor-learner matches
are made at the discretion of Vision Literacy. Name Date
Introduction to the Inspired Learning Model (ILM)
Rationale
A new approach to learning is needed for the adult learners who have not
been successful in achieving their basic reading and writing goals through
approaches to education which focus on the teacher as the primary director
of instruction, dispenser of knowledge, and judge of the student's
performance. For this reason, many adult literacy programs have adopted a
learner-centered approach, which focuses instruction on the learner's
stated goals, makes use of the learning styles that best suit the learner,
and engages the learner as an active participant in the instructional
decision-making and evaluation process. Despite this, learners still may
not engage with the learning process to the extent needed to achieve their
goals, losing interest or faith in their ability to learn and leaving the
program, with yet another experience of failure behind them.
Approach
The Inspired Learning Model enhances the learner-centered approach by
ensuring a safe and fun learning environment, honoring the learner as an
equal partner in the learning process, engaging with the content to be
learned in a variety of ways to facilitate mastery, and acknowledging the
learner's success, rather than pointing out error. Even when delivered with
the most constructive intention, corrections are still a form of criticism
and can stifle the learning potential. In the ILM , positive
acknowledgement replaces criticism. This can be a major paradigm shift for
many of us; we invite you to see how it can inspire the learners you work
with as well as engage your own love of learning. The Inspired Learning Model
The underlying principle of the model is that learning takes place when the
student is open to lear