Training

LVR Provides Initial and Continuing Tutor Training

Initial-Training Workshops

LVR offers comprehensive training workshops on days, evenings, and weekends. As a new volunteer in the workshop, you will learn to teach reading, writing, and English speaking and listening skills to adults. You do not need teaching experience nor do you need to know a second language in order to tutor.

Workshops teach a variety of techniques with heavy emphasis on determining how the student learns best. Training includes practice and demonstration, lesson planning, and goal setting. You will be assigned home practice at each session of the training workshop. The training is standardized and transferable from one Literacy Volunteers affiliate to another. Each workshop consists of twenty-one hours of class time plus home practice of about seven hours.

You'll meet the learner near the end of the workshop series. A final workshop session is held to share experiences and gain additional insights from your colleagues, LVR staff, and other experienced tutors.

Most workshops train you to tutor both types of learners in our program: Adult Basic Education and English for Speakers of Other Languages. So you don't need to decide up front which interests you more.

You must first attend a preview session. Then you may register for a chosen workshop series. Workshop size is limited and places are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be registered to attend. Workshops require a non-refundable registration/materials fee. The cost is $40. If an individual takes the workshop but doesn't work with a registered LVR learner, the cost is $80.

Our calendar shows the current offerings. Volunteers sometimes register for a training session before leaving a preview; otherwise, please contact the office to register.

Tutor training workshops are taught by LVR volunteers. Workshop trainers started as LVR tutors, practiced their skills through tutoring, and now volunteer in this additional role.

Condensed Workshops for Certified Teachers

In 2003 LVR added these workshops, which are offered when there is sufficient interest from teachers who want to join the LVR program. These sessions train certified teachers to teach ESOL and/or Basic Literacy to adults. Generally, there are five workshop sessions.

In-service Training

During the program year, LVR's staff and volunteers will conduct in-service training sessions and/or conferences, for volunteers, on a variety of topics. Past session topics have included computer literacy, math, citizenship, assessment tools, use of the library, and financial literacy.

Periodic Reporting

We'll ask you to complete progress and annual evaluation forms that let us know more about your tutoring experience. And, of course, the Literacy Volunteers office staff and volunteers are always on hand to help if you have a question or problem.