Finding Out More While Tutoring

The examples below of what you can listen for, observe, gather and evaluate will give you ideas about how you can find out more as you work with a learner. Over time, you will be able to add many more ideas to the lists.

LISTEN FOR the following during informal conversations with the learner

• An “I can” or “I can’t” attitude
• “I’m good at…” or “I love to….”
• Comments about feeling stressed or having headaches
• “This works for me” or “This doesn’t work for me” when reading or writing.
• Indications of troubles with daily living skills
• Feelings that he doesn’t learn like everyone else seems to
• Any comments about personal learning history
• Mentioning others in his family who have learning problems
• Difficulties with putting ideas into words
• Conversation breaks caused by lack of understanding
• Trouble in answering “why” questions
• Limited vocabulary
• Humour that is out of context
• Answers or comments that don’t connect with the topic

OBSERVE the learner’s work habits during sessions

• Lesson-pacing preferences
• The need to keep the tutoring session format the same at all times
• Which tasks the learner doesn’t want to do
• Times when tasks seem overwhelming and the learner gets frustrated
• Times when homework isn’t done or is late
• Difficulties concentrating
• Changes in the environment that help learning
• Organizational ability and trouble getting started
• Trouble with verbal or written instructions
• Needing a lot of feedback or the ability to work independently for a while
• The context of successes or difficulties

GATHER AND EVALUATE learner’s work samples

• Evidence of how he handled the task
• Ability to follow the procedures of a specific task and to follow the steps in order
• Trouble applying a known strategy to a new task
• Evidence that the learner has self-correction strategies or tools
• Strategies that work well or poorly for the learner
• Consistent and erratic error patterns
• Fluency that seems to come and go
• The amount of review needed to learn new items well
• Memory difficulties
• Large differences in the level of abilities between different skill areas
• Messy work that may indicate poor visual/spatial or fine motor skill abilities

Handout 10.9