1. In planning the scope of the lesson, your goal should be to have the learner leave the lesson with a feeling of accomplishment.
  2. Only promise what you can deliver. Remember, as an adult, your learner may have a history of broken promises and disappointments. Make every effort to show that the learner can have confidence in you.
  3. Be careful not to overwhelm or overburden the learner. Many adult learners are dealing with jobs, families and financial challenges in addition to trying to improve their skills. You will want to decide with the learner whether homework or additional assignments are desirable or feasible.
  4. Form questions so that the learner must give the answers thought and attention. Avoid phrasing questions so that the learner only needs to answer “yes” or “no.” For example, say: tell me about…; what would happen if…; what will you do when…; why do you think….
  5. When playing an educational game with your learner, do not arrange to lose so that he will win. Winning is not the aim of a learning game, and winning is only a victory when it is achieved honestly.
  6. Be patient. Progress is very slow, especially at the beginning. You cannot hope to catch up overnight what the learner has found challenging for years. There may be many difficulties to overcome. The learner will likely be apprehensive, may have job or family worries, may have a learning difficulty, may be intimidated by memories of a poor school experience, may feel insecure and inferior or may have a poor image of his ability to learn. Try to remember a time when you were learning something you found difficult to master.
  7. It is appropriate to be sure you are both clear about the time and place of your meetings. Let your learner know you want him to tell you ahead of time if he needs to cancel a meeting. Set up a procedure for cancellation to avoid the frustration and annoyance of being prepared and ready for a learner who does not arrive.

Red Deer Adult Literacy Program tutor handbook. (n.d.). Red Deer, Alberta: Red Deer Public Library. Adapted with permission.

Handout 2.2