Tutor Tips: WIN Game

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WIN Game

A Fun Technique for Teaching Phonics and Spelling

From Keeping it Fun Workshop, April 20, 2006

(Lucille Cutler, l.cuttler@comcast.net)

Tips From Tutors

At the Tutor Round Table meeting on April 4th, we discussed...

• What to do when learners guess at words when reading or writing, and the words they are guessing are not phonetically similar to the correct word. One suggestion made was to help the learner understand the sound-symbol relationships of the difficult word by working with word patterns. Together build a list of other words containing the same ending sounds, but with different beginning consonants, so that the learner can see the pattern for spelling the sound.
• How to encourage reluctant writers. One of our tutors brought in a fun and helpful book that can assist anyone suffering from writer's block. The title is: The Write Brain Workbook: 366 Exercises to Librarte Your Writing by Bonnie Neubauer. Here's what the publisher has to say: "Provides 366 10-minute exercises to build momentum and turn off the left side of the brain. Helps readers generate work by painlessly leading them into new writing every day. Stimulates creativity with a stunning color package and easy-to-approach prompts." We will try to order a few copies of this title to have on hand in the Project Read office.

Tips From March 7, 2006 Tutor Roundtable

We had a wonderful Tutor Roundtable on March 7, 2006 with tutors Lucille, Alla, Joe, Michele, and Fedra.

Here are some tips that came out of that meeting.

• Don't just teach spelling and grammar rules. Build interesting lessons around the rules.
• NTC’s Easily Confused Words by Deborah K. Williams is a very useful book. It can be found in the Main Library's International collection. Project Read is going to order some copies and will make them available in the office.
• It can be very beneficial to sessions if a tutor keeps things organized and structured.
• Add some variety to your tutoring sessions. Do some different things to keep it interesting.
• Use the SFPL Learning Express online materials. There is a direct link from the Computer Learning Lab Links page.
• It can be an effective writing strategy to do some lessons around writing directions (driving, cooking, using a computer program, or anything that is of interest).
• Don't get discouraged if it seems like progress is slow. It takes time - just keep at it. Practice leads to increased fluency and improved skills.
• If a learner can't meet consistently and / or doesn't have the time to do outside activities that reinforce what is learned in the sessions - then perhaps it is not the right time for that learner to be in our program. He/she can take a break and resume tutoring when his/her schedule can better support ongoing tutoring.
• Request: Could Project Read create some kind of organized method for accessing old and late breaking tutor tips and other resources?
• Response: Yes, we are working on a blog. In fact, here it is. Enjoy!