If your learner has already learned a second language, she will already have a variety of language learning strategies that you can ask about and help her use while she learns English.

• How old were you when you started learning English?
• Did your teachers spend a lot of time teaching you reading and writing? (How much?)
• What kind of books did you read? What topics did you write about? This will give you an idea of what the learner is capable of reading and writing. If the topics are fairly simple (i.e. my favorite food), you can assume that the learner can write about basic, familiar topics and may be a beginning or low- intermediate writer.
• Did you get many opportunities to practice speaking and listening in English before coming to Canada? Once again, it will give you an idea of how familiar and comfortable the learner is with spoken language.
• What language do you speak at home? Some learners will speak their mother tongue at home. Knowing this is important. Ensure that, with learners who do not have many opportunities to practice English, you spend additional time doing review during each session.

• Show overhead, Using informal interviews for skills assessment and discuss what other information should be gathered in the interview
• Take a look at the ESLOA: Level Description Grid in the tutor training manual and discuss how this should be used. This will give the trainee an idea of where the learner is at (as it will make materials selection easier). It can also determine what activities would work best.

20 minutes

C: Introducing the Learners

Introducing the learners highlighted in the manual

• Look at Introduction to Hyun-Chu in the tutor training manual and discuss; indicate that different activities used with Hyun-Chu will be discussed in the tutor training manual (Lessons for Hyun-Chu include the r/l pronunciation lesson and the comparative/vocabulary lesson highlighted in Session 8).