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

Preparation

Write the common themes of tutors’ questions and concerns at the top of the flip chart, one sheet for each theme. Examples of themes include questions and concerns about learners, questions and concerns about difficult problems learners raise, questions and concerns about resources and questions and concerns about expectations. Add an “open-ended” sheet for concerns that don’t fit into a named theme.
Copy handout.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Have tutors write their concerns on sticky notes and place them on the corresponding flip chart paper.
Read off the different concerns and address them as best you can. Draw on the experience of the group to help as needed.
Give tutors the handout Questions Tutors Commonly Ask.

Variation

To reduce the chance of tutors wondering if they are raising a “stupid question or concern,” pairs of tutors can talk about questions they have between them and write their questions on a flip chart sheet. By sharing ideas and questions with one other person, tutors usually receive validation for their concern.

Option 2 Brainwriting for a small group, use of handout
Why choose this option? For a smaller group, you could use this option. Materials and equipment 8½" x 11" sheets of paper Handout 4.5: Questions Tutors Commonly Ask (4 pages) Preparation Write the common themes of tutors’ questions and concerns at the top of sheets of paper, one sheet for each theme. Examples of themes include questions and concerns about learners, questions and concerns about difficult problems learners raise, questions and concerns about resources and questions and concerns about expectations. Add an “open-ended” sheet for concerns that don’t fit into a named theme. Copy handout. STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS Place the pieces of paper in the middle of the table. Tutors sit around the table and pull any one of the sheets to which they add their question under the particular theme written at the top, and then replace that sheet in the middle of the table and take another. Tutors can all be taking sheets and adding questions at the same time. Once tutors have run out of questions, they can take turns reading questions from one of the lists. Address the concerns the best you can, drawing on the experience of the group. Give tutors the handout Questions Tutors Commonly Ask.

Option 2 Brainwriting for a small group, use of handout

Why choose this option?

For a smaller group, you could use this option.

Materials and equipment

8½" x 11" sheets of paper
Handout 4.5: Questions Tutors Commonly Ask (4 pages)

Preparation

Write the common themes of tutors’ questions and concerns at the top of sheets of paper, one sheet for each theme. Examples of themes include questions and concerns about learners, questions and concerns about difficult problems learners raise, questions and concerns about resources and questions and concerns about expectations. Add an “open-ended” sheet for concerns that don’t fit into a named theme.
Copy handout.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Place the pieces of paper in the middle of the table.
Tutors sit around the table and pull any one of the sheets to which they add their question under the particular theme written at the top, and then replace that sheet in the middle of the table and take another. Tutors can all be taking sheets and adding questions at the same time.
Once tutors have run out of questions, they can take turns reading questions from one of the lists. Address the concerns the best you can, drawing on the experience of the group.
Give tutors the handout Questions Tutors Commonly Ask.