Reading: Tutoring

The Three P's For Tutors

 

Today's Snack: Today's focus is P's, so have some popcorn and try an unusual drink - pomegranate juice. Just a few ounces packs a powerful punch!

 

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Today's Supplies:

For background information, get the book,

Why Johnny Can't Read by Rudolf Flesch

 

 

           

It's interesting to note that the same three things that build a friendship can build a really good tutoring relationship. And they all start with the letter "P." The Three P's of Reading Tutors are "Pause," "Prompt," and "Praise."

 

            Pause. In a friendship, one person doesn't do all the talking. You're supposed to balance your listening and your talking. So, about half of the time when you're together, a good friend will pause and stop talking, giving the other friend a chance in the communication spotlight. The same principle works well in the tutoring situation. Don't barge in every time the student stops reading. Give the student at least five seconds to think. The "wait time" gives the student time to think through a mispronunciation, and correct it, or to make connections with other words already read, to come to an understanding of the text's meaning. If you jump in there impatiently, there goes the learning benefit of "figuring it out." Even though it's great that you want to help, rein yourself in . . . and let your student have the first crack at it!

 

            Prompt. Similarly, a good friend will show respect and welcome sharing by "prompting" the other friend with a question or a gesture, to bring out more ideas, experiences and information. "Then what did you do?" is a great way to encourage a friend to tell a story of what happened on the weekend, or on a recent trip. A smart tutor also will send those short, but wise, communication signals - "prompts" - to keep the student engaged and actively communicating. Let's say your student has tried to keep going, but has momentarily given up. There are several ways you can "prompt" the student to try again, slightly differently. For example, ask the student to go back to the beginning of the sentence and read it again; a fresh start often does the trick. Or ask the student to pronounce the first sound in the unfamiliar word, and see if that brings on the flow - the ability to pronounce the next sound, and then the next, so that the whole word flows off the student's tongue. To "prompt" a student doesn't mean solving the problem FOR him or her; it just means setting up the ladder and pointing the way to the first step.

 

            Praise. The third P is only common sense about human nature. We all respond well to praise. Many of us are downright starving for it. We can tell when we're being manipulated by flattery, so in a solid friendship or a good tutoring relationship, the praise has to be sincere and reality-based. But a good friend, like a good tutor, can always find something good that the other person has done, and enjoys remarking on that good news, making sure the other person sees his or her delight, and celebrates that good news by sharing it with others. For every victory or every bit of progress, no matter how small, say, "Great work," or "I like the way you corrected," or "Look what you read!" or "Give me five!" or "I'm impressed!" or "Good thinking." The more you recognize the student's success, the more the student's motivation will increase, and that's a huge help. Besides, it feels good to make another person feel good. The kindness factor is priceless in tutoring, and encouragement is exactly what your student needs.