Materials and equipment

Handout 10.11: Skill Characteristics and Strategies Chart (7 pages)
Handout 10.12: Case Study – Tom (2 pages)
Flip chart and markers

Preparation

Copy and review handouts.
Read over the background information for this activity so you can give ideas if tutors are stuck.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

1. Pass out Case Study – Tom to tutors. Go over the general points about Tom on the first page.
2. Divide the skill areas as listed on the Skill Characteristics and Strategies Chart handout among tutors. Have a few groups so that at least one group will be able to look at reading and one at writing. If you have enough people for more groups, include mathematics, speaking and listening skills.
3. Ask tutors to look at the case study description for the skill you have assigned to them. They are to identify an area within that skill to focus on and then choose an appropriate strategy. They can use the charts they just received or think of something on their own. Tell them that they will be sharing their ideas and will have to give a reason for their choice of strategy.
4. Pass out flip chart paper and markers.
5. Give tutors around five minutes (or more if you have more time) and then ask for their input. Ask the groups to share their ideas and hold up the chart paper with their notes. Indicate that you want only a few strategies because you wouldn’t want to overwhelm the learner with a large number of strategies to learn at one time.