Tips for Tutoring ESL students
How do you teach English to a struggling private student? What will
you actually do for 60-120 minutes together? How will you make the
lessons meaningful enough that your client feels satisfied and wants
to retain you for future lessons?
First, you must be very clear about the client wants and expects. Some
tutors even present a written contract outlining their rates, the
location and times of meetings, and payment policies. I've never been
that formal, but I have also never been burned the way some tutors
have been. In fact, I've had only very positive experiences with
clients. Why? Perhaps luck; perhaps because I screen potential
clients. I only work with professionals, graduate students, and/or
friends and spouses of friends with a solid foundation in English. Be
explicit about what you want and don't want to teach a client. Be
prepared to provide options for potential clients that you reject.
For students who want to improve their conversation, I strongly
suggest that you select the topic and materials in advance. You can
use newspapers and/or magazines to find appropriate articles to begin
the conversation. (I usually assign the articles a week ahead and give
them my conversation worksheets.) My favorite book - because I wrote
it and it provides 45 self-contained thematic chapters - is Compelling
Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics. The
combination of poignant questions, vocabulary lists, proverbs, and
witty quotations makes your job much easier.
If you have a weaker student looking to improve their speaking skills,
then I would advise using a picture dictionary. There are several fine
ones. You might use the Oxford Picture Dictionary to open
conversations, and I would be tempted to ask the client to bring in
photographs and ads each week. You will need patience and be prepared
to repeat words. Many students will want to work on their
pronunciation. You can also ask/assign them listening activities on
the web. I like Voice of America's Special English programs for
intermediate and advanced students. You will have to direct lower
level to websites to practice their listening and speaking skills with
drills. They will love the work; you might go mad repeating vowel
sounds.
You can also make a good income helping ESL students write college
admission essays, practice TOEFL and GRE essays, and proofreading
papers. There are many fine books you can use. I recommend Keith
Folse's Great Essays and picking any of the standard test preparation
guides published by Barrons or Kaplans. For worse or for better, the
focus is on structure and not content. Spelling, somehow, often
doesn't even officially matter. You might also use the excellent
Cambridge Vocabulary in Use series and Grammar in Use series. You can
also recommend Grammar Troublespots for international students.
Finally, I have had great success sharing insights on adapting to
American culture. My favorite book for this challenging task remains
Checklists for Life: 104 Lists to Help You. Each chapter focuses on a
practical life skill from buying a computer and finding a good
mechanic to organizing your workplace and writing letters of
condolence. Inevitably the readings lend themselves to engaging
conversations and a satisfying exchange of information and insights. I
have also assigned readings from Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, but the
advice offered often seems very idealistic and naive to immigrant
professionals. Still, clients love the idioms and find the perspective
illuminates unknown aspects of American culture - or at least a
segment of American culture.
Finally, the key to tutoring ESL students - or anyone else - remains
respecting the student, meeting their needs, and providing a solid
structure for your lessons. I have found that using a set text,
developing a known routine, and combining conversation, vocabulary,
and writing skills makes for a successful and satisfying experience.
As William Shakespeare noted four centuries ago, "All's well that ends
well". Therefore, you should also have the grace to know when to end
your lessons. Some clients will want to keep working with you. Set a
clear goal for your lessons, and conclude when the students have
reached that goal. You can then become genuine friends and leave money
out of the equation.
Or not. You choose. What are your goals for tutoring students?
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