Course description
This is one of a group of six courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English as a Second Language to Adult ESL Learners. Students in the course learn how to help individual ESL students improve their language skills and increase their academic success through strategy development, language development and cultural awareness. Students in the course participate in seminars on various topics pertinent to ESL tutoring such as assessing students’ needs, structuring tutoring sessions, choosing approaches and techniques, helping ethically and keeping records. A ten-hour tutoring practicum is included in the course.
Course content
- tutoring roles and relationships
- communication skills
- principles of tutoring
- needs assessment strategies
- individual learning plan development
- tutoring techniques
- academic skills (reading, writing, study skills, language learning)
- structuring the tutoring session
- coping with problems
- resources for tutoring
- record keeping
- ethics of tutoring
- developing tutoring skills through reflective practice
Learning activities
- Lecture/demonstration
- Small group/pair discussion
- Role play
- Individual/small group presentations
- Group discussion
- Reading and writing assignments
- Tutoring practicum
Means of assessment
Students are assigned grades according to their level of achievement on a combination of evaluation instruments which may include written assignments, tests, reflective tasks, group projects, tutoring and tutoring simulations.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the successful student can:
- assess ESL students’ needs for tutoring support
- create individual learning plans for ESL learners needing tutoring support
- select and apply tutoring strategies
- assess student progress
- develop tutoring skills through reflective practice
- help ESL students:
- develop effective independent language learning strategies
- develop English fluency and accuracy in writing, reading, listening, speaking and pronunciation
- develop effective study strategies appropriate to Canadian academic culture
- become more comfortable and effective in their academic and social environments
Textbook materials
Students may be required to purchase textbooks.