Creating Learning Partners: A facilitator’s guide for training effective adult literacy tutors

Activity B

First meeting questions

Tutors can find the first meeting with their new learners somewhat overwhelming. Here’s something concrete to do that helps the tutor learn more about the learner.

Use of handout , discussion
Materials and equipment Handout 11.6: First Meeting Questions, if you choose to use it Flip chart and markers if you do brainstorming Preparation Decide if you want to use the handout or have tutors brainstorm their own questions. Copy the handout if you want to use it. STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS Lead a discussion about the possible questions that could be part of a first meeting with an ESL learner. You might want to hand out to tutors the First Meeting Questions or have the group brainstorm some questions of their own. Mention that, as a coordinator, you will have met with the learners before the tutors do and will be asking many of these questions. You will pass on some of what you learn to the tutors, but even so, they can ask the same questions again. It will give the tutors and the learners a chance to get to know each other. Help tutors know how to create a safe environment for the first meeting with a learner by mentioning the following points: When a tutor and learner are meeting for the first time, the tutor wants to build trust and comfort for the learner. When asking questions, the tutor is in the lead position and the learner may feel anxious about giving “good answers” or about being asked sensitive questions, particularly if they are refugees. Explore with tutors ways to put the learners in the lead role, for example by asking them, “Tell me a little about your life before coming to Canada” or “What would you like to know about me?” Tutors can give learners a way of saying they would prefer not to answer particular questions. Make sure that tutors realize that they need to share information about themselves. Give tutors some ideas of how to make it easy for the learners: Suggest that tutors start with the simpler questions and stop when the learners find it difficult to answer. Suggest that tutors only ask for more information if the learners seem capable of elaborating. The learners could draw a picture of their families or home settings and use those as triggers to begin to share information and stories. Encourage tutors to make notes on the learners’ answers after the first meeting and to jot down language observations. These notes can then help with lesson planning and can be part of the learners’ portfolios.

Use of handout , discussion

Materials and equipment

Handout 11.6: First Meeting Questions, if you choose to use it
Flip chart and markers if you do brainstorming

Preparation

Decide if you want to use the handout or have tutors brainstorm their own questions.
Copy the handout if you want to use it.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Lead a discussion about the possible questions that could be part of a first meeting with an ESL learner.
You might want to hand out to tutors the First Meeting Questions or have the group brainstorm some questions of their own. Mention that, as a coordinator, you will have met with the learners before the tutors do and will be asking many of these questions. You will pass on some of what you learn to the tutors, but even so, they can ask the same questions again. It will give the tutors and the learners a chance to get to know each other.
Help tutors know how to create a safe environment for the first meeting with a learner by mentioning the following points:
- When a tutor and learner are meeting for the first time, the tutor wants to build trust and comfort for the learner. When asking questions, the tutor is in the lead position and the learner may feel anxious about giving “good answers” or about being asked sensitive questions, particularly if they are refugees.
- Explore with tutors ways to put the learners in the lead role, for example by asking them, “Tell me a little about your life before coming to Canada” or “What would you like to know about me?”
- Tutors can give learners a way of saying they would prefer not to answer particular questions.
- Make sure that tutors realize that they need to share information about themselves.
Give tutors some ideas of how to make it easy for the learners:
- Suggest that tutors start with the simpler questions and stop when the learners find it difficult to answer.
- Suggest that tutors only ask for more information if the learners seem capable of elaborating.
- The learners could draw a picture of their families or home settings and use those as triggers to begin to share information and stories.
- Encourage tutors to make notes on the learners’ answers after the first meeting and to jot down language observations. These notes can then help with lesson planning and can be part of the learners’ portfolios.