How are tutors and adult learners connected?

After the adult learner has been assessed, staff contacts a potential tutor to determine tutor's availablity, geographic location, and interest in working with a particular adult learner. Staff shares with the tutor the adult learner assessment results, goals, and personal interests. Once the tutor agrees to meet with an adult learner, staff creates a four-week lesson plan based on student abilities and goals. Staff attends the initial meeting to introduce the tutor and the adult learner and to provide instructional materials including a Get Acquainted Packet.

A staff person is available by phone or in person to provide additional resoruces for the tutor as needed.

Where do tutors and adult learners meet?

There are over 25 sites currently in use for tutoring in Lake County. These include our Adult Learning and Technology Center, libraries, churches, hospitals, and businesses all over Lake County. No tutoring takes place in a tutor or adult learner's home.

How often do tutors and adult learners meet?

Generally, meetings are once a week for one and a half to two hours. Flexibility is possible, but consistency is VERY important. Hours met must be reported quarterly for the program to continue receiving funding.

What kind of instructional materials are provided to tutors?

Instructional materials are provided based on the adult learner's abilities and goals. For example, if an adult learner's goal is to earn a driver's license, Illinois Rules of the Road would become one of the instructional tools. Additional materials may include high-low readers, educational games, newspapers, restaurant menus, bus schedules, citizenship information, notebooks, and workbooks.

The Adult Learning and Technoloyg Center holds a number of resources for tutors. These include a variety of student materials at various levels of instruciton, tutor resource manuals and books, and computers and software, with access to the Internet.

What kind of ongoing professional development is available?

Quarterly, the Lake County Adult Learning Connection offers volunteers the opportunity to attend tutor workshops on a variety of topics ranging from hands-on reading instruction to English as a Second Language.