CC ELA Resource Center
Welcome, welcome, welcome! Hello, hello, hello!
Welcome to your guide to being a Connecting Chicago ELA Tutor! We are thrilled to have you on our team! Please read through the following page to give you a crash course before you get started.
Throughout your time tutoring, we will provide regular opportunities to share what is working and how tutoring could be improved.
If you ever have any questions or encounter something concerning, please contact us right away at info@connectingchicago.org or (312) 772-6064
How does a tutor begin?
When you are paired with a student (or multiple), get started by reaching out to their parent/guardian immediately! This can be done via email, text, or phone call. Schedule a time for the two of you to talk and gather information to plan for tutoring! Here are some things to consider or questions to ask:
What specific time you will be meeting the student for tutoring (set a consistent schedule)
What topics the student is currently learning in school
The level of interest that your student has in learning a language
Any particular interests or skills that the student has, especially that could influence lesson planning
If the student has a learning disability, best strategies to work together
How often you will communicate with each other
Note: It is incredibly important that you stay in touch with the parent on a regular basis!
It is always a good idea to start with a flexible and low-stress plan for the first day of tutoring! Come in to this day with two goals in mind: first, to develop a connection between you and your student. Keep inventory of their interests (like space for example) because in the future, you could find activities that combine their interests with the new language. Second, figure out their skill level! See below for some ideas on how to do that.
Running a diagnostic test early on is critical! Watch the video to find out more :)
What's the Path of an ELA Student?
How do You Find Your Structure or Format?
Planning and presenting all your lessons on one platform or medium can help create consistency and stability. Pick a platform that is easy to follow, allows for creativity, and feels right for you. If you come up with a better way, go for it! Historically, one template that works well is Zoom Screensharing paired with Google Slides. That could be a good place to start. Here's the example presentation:
Best Practices for ELA Tutors:
Reflect often. Be in a smooth, gradual loop of making plans, executing them, and learning from the result to make better plans.
Above all, keep learning engaging! Get to know your student, it's the best part of tutoring.
Take a focused 15 minutes to plan your lessons.
Use the resources on this website!