All learning builds on other learning. We master a skill by starting with a solid foundation and then building layer by layer with plenty of repetition and practice. Washtenaw Literacy tutoring is learner-driven and goal-oriented. But, the learner’s goal is often the top layer achieved through many, many more foundational layers of skills that are stacked or built over time.
As a tutor, it can be hard to break down a goal and recognize the more foundational skills needed to pursue the goal. This is where the Skills Surveys can be your best friends! Starting with the most foundational skills, the surveys give you a list, layer by layer, of the steps needed to master a skill like reading. To help you with the process of breaking down the layers, I’m recommending the Reading Skills Survey 1, Reading Skills Survey 2, and Reading Skills Survey 3 as the featured resources for January.
When you look at the surveys, don’t just think of them as surveys you would ask the learner to complete. Instead, think of them as a checklist for you to use in assessing your learner’s skills and skill gaps. What can they do? What can’t they do? If they can do a task, move to the next one on the survey. When you get to a task they can’t do, you’ve found your starting point! This is where you will want to provide information and practice during your tutoring sessions.
Look to your training materials, coursepacks, text books, or even AI to find strategies and activities to provide practice, practice and more practice. You can also contact staff or a Mentor to brainstorm ideas. As always, explicitly tell the learner how this skill practice relates to their goal so they understand the value of the foundational work. Enjoy!