Overview of Mentor Tutoring Program

A program where an upper grade student works one-on-one with a lower grade student

6th grade-3rd grade 5th grade-2nd grade4th grade-1st grade

Students will spend time working together to increase mastery of reading strategies and skills to help them become better readers

A tutor is an upper grade student that listens to and helps a lower grade student in reading

A tutee is a lower grade student that reads and receives help from an upper grade student

Pre and post testing of the tutor and tutee

Leveled Books

Tutor Training

Tutee Training

Weekly Meeting Day

Celebrations

Books are leveled from A-Z

The tutee’s reading level is determined by their teacher

Tutees need to practice reading lots of books at their “just

right” reading level

If a student is reading a book that is too hard, he/she will

become frustrated and give up

If a book is too easy, they aren’t being challenged

As a tutor, it is your responsibility to help make sure the

tutee is reading just the right level of books so he/she can

make progress each day

Tutors must fully participate in all training sessions and demonstrate readiness and proficiency in using tutoring procedures and strategies to be eligible to tutor

Tutors must make up any missed training sessions

How to follow all tutoring procedures

How to monitor a child’s reading

How to prompt and reinforce good reading strategies

How to help your tutee become an independent reader

How to keep neat and accurate records

Tutoring will last 6 weeks or 24 days

You meet with your tutee 4 days a week for 30 minutes

The 5th day will be a meeting day for tutors

The tutee will read and practice decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency strategies each day

The tutor will listen, prompt, praise and keep all records neatly and accurately

Tutors will meet weekly with the Mentor Tutoring Coordinator or their classroom teacher to: Discuss details of tutoring sessions

Receive ongoing training

Reinforce good tutoring strategies

Voice concerns and brainstorm solutions

Share success stories

Celebrate

Daily Record SheetHome Reading Log & BaggieMentor Tutoring Tips for Parents BookmarkStickersKeys to Good Reading ChartRetell Hands for comprehensionGetting to Know You FormFluency PassagesLeveled Book

Be kind, patient, and respectful

Follow the schedule and tutoring procedures

Listen with your eyes and ears

Give specific prompts that will help the tutee become an independent reader

Give specific praise for good reading

Remember to check for comprehension—retell

Conduct 1 minute fluency timing

Make sure there is a new book in the tutor packet at the end of each day

Be on time for all tutoring sessions

Keep neat and accurate records

Keep the teacher informed of tutee’s progress or concerns that arise

Have fun!

Be kind and respectful Do your best reading Use good reader strategies Give a detailed retell of what you just read Read a short passage to improve fluency Read your homework book, get your reading log signed,

and return both the very next day Make sure there is a new book in the tutor packet at the

end of each tutoring session Be on time for all tutoring sessions Take good care of the books Have fun!

If the number of older students allows for them, student coordinators are helpful.

They may:

Substitute for absent tutors Monitor and observe tutor/tutee

interactions Keep time—announce when time is up Help conduct weekly tutor meetings

1. Tutor greets tutee

2. Find a place to work side-by-side—not by buddies

3. Tutor checks home reading log and gives a sticker

4. Tutee rereads homework book

5. Tutor introduces new book

6. Tutee reads new book while tutor monitors, prompts, and praises

tutee’s reading

7. Tutee retells book read

8. Tutor conducts fluency timing

9. Tutor fills out Daily Record Sheet and Home Reading Log

10. Tutor assists tutee in selecting new book for tomorrow—give a choice of 2

or 3 and place book in folder for tomorrow

11. Tutor and tutee clean up and say good-bye

TUTEES

Increase mastery of reading skills Decoding Vocabulary Comprehension Fluency

Gain confidence and self-esteem

Improve attitudes toward reading

Become independent readers

Build friendships

TUTORS

Increase mastery of reading skills Decoding Vocabulary Comprehension Fluency

Gain confidence and self-esteem

Improve attitudes toward reading

Become positive role models

Build friendships

Introducing a New BookStrategies that Good Readers Use

Selecting a Book for Tomorrow

1. How many days a week will you meet with your tutee?

2. Why is it important for your tutee to read and practice on his/her “just

right” level?

3. Why is it important to greet your tutee?

4. Name two things you will find in the tutor packet.

5. Name one of the jobs you will have as a tutor.

6. Who reads the books?

7. What is the purpose of the weekly tutor meeting day?

8. How many weeks will tutoring last?

9. Why is it important to sit right next to your tutee?

10. How might you as a tutor benefit from working with your tutee?

Beginning readers experience manybenefits from rereading familiar texts!

Helps with decoding and word recognition

Vocabulary is expanded and strengthened

Fluency and expression improves

Boosts comprehension

Increases self-confidence

Less effort…more enjoyment!

1. Read the title and point to the words.Ask the tutee to repeat the title

2. Make prediction—Using the title and cover.“What do you think this book will be about?”

Prompt for more detail if needed

3. Picture walk—Stimulates interest and prepares tutee for a

successful reading.Tutor will scan the text for potential problems the tutee may have

while reading, looking for: Tricky words New vocabulary

4. Clarify or change prediction.

Always let the tutee hold the book as they do a picture walk and read!

Inexperienced readers encounter many challenges as learn to read:

They have to figure out the words on the page. This is called decoding

They have to learn that the words and sentences have meaning.

They have to learn to make connections between what they read and what they already know.

They need to learn to use strategies to help themselves as they read.

What is an error?Anything that is different than the text of the book, such as:

Insertions Skips Substitutions

You must listen with your eyes and ears to catch decoding errors!

When children are having difficulty with reading, a common mistake of teachers, parents, and tutors is to jump in, take control, and make the correction for them. Consequently, young readers come to expect that someone will jump in and help them.

If children are to become independent readers, we must help them learn procedures and strategies that allow them to “have a go” on their own.

(Holdaway, 1980)

Keys to Good Reading Point to the word

Use the beginning sounds

Look at the ending

Say the sounds, blend them together

Look for familiar word families or chunks

Find a part you know

Break the word apart

Spell the word out loud

Always reread the sentence for meaning

You do not need to use every strategy beforehelping your tutee with a word!

Look at these tricky words…

doughenoughthrough

Sometimes you will need to give him/her a strategy ortwo to try and then give them the word.

Characters names are often tricky too!

Help your tutee become an independentreader by not jumping in too fast to help: Give wait time—1, 2, 3, 4, 5 seconds Have your tutee point to the difficult word Wait until your tutee has finished reading the sentence before

stopping them to attend to a missed word—allow your tutee to discover and correct the problem on his/her own. Self-correction is our goal!

Help them use decoding strategies before giving them the word Always have them reread the whole sentence once they have

decoded the word. Recognize and acknowledge when your tutee uses good reading

strategies on their own and/or self-corrects!

Tutor assists tutee in selecting a newbook for tomorrow:Give a choice of 2 or 3 from the box and place in

the folder for tomorrow

The tutor and tutee may not leave the room without having a book ready for the next day

Why is it important to be prepared each day?

ComprehensionRetell

Fluency

1. What are the steps to introducing a new

book?

2. Why is the book introduction so important?

3. Name one type of decoding error.

4. Name a good reader strategy for decoding

tricky words.

5. What is the purpose of the 5 second wait?

Reading is a process of making meaning from text. Experienced readers are able to identify all the words on a page and connect those words to something they already know. We call that comprehension.

Reading depends heavily on accurately identifying all the words on the page. However, ultimately reading is not about reading words, but about understanding what you read!

The-e w-s on-e a fis--rm-n a-d

h-s w-fe w-o liv-d n--r t-e s-a.

--ch -ay --ile -he -------an --nt

---hing, --s --fe --ayed -t --me.

Three things you will do to help yourtutee during reading are:

1. Monitor—Help them learn to monitor themselves as they read

2. Prompt—Using decoding and comprehension strategies

3. Praise—Use specific and sincere praise to encourage and motivate your tutee

Lack of background knowledge

Poor decoding skills

Fail to organize and use information to

understand—does not realize when he/she

fails to understand

Lack of fluency

Not thinking while reading

Tutors can help tutees monitor forcomprehension by: Properly introducing the text—building background

knowledge

Teaching strategies to help them decode unknown words

Explaining the meaning of new vocabulary words

Rephrasing something that may be confusing

Adding information to help the tutee understand what is happening

Asking occasionally about the story and characters or what has happened so far

Inviting the tutee to predict what may happen next

Talking briefly about the pictures and what is happening

Model fluent reading, paying attention to punctuation, using expression, appropriate rate, and phrasing

If tutee needs prompting, use the questions on the “retell hand.”

Ask your tutee to

retell what the book was

about!

A good retell includes: Events in sequence and key facts.

Important details and key vocabulary from the text.

Reference to characters by specific names.

NOT as “he,” “she,” or “it”

NOT as “the boy” or “the dog”

Includes the Who, what, when, where, why and how

Make Connection

What does this story make you think of? Personal experience

Another book

Other media or events

A good non-fiction retell includes: Something you already knew about the topic

Three new things you learned from your reading.

What was the main topic of the book?

Something you wish the author would have told you

about.

Make Connection What does this story make you think of?

Personal experience

Another book

Other media or events

Be specific and sincere when you tell your tutee they are doing great!Let them know he/she has:Worked hardFigured out tricky wordsRead well Used expressionSelf-correctedPaused when something wasn’t rightReread when it didn’t make senseReturned homework book

FluencyRecord Keeping

Procedures for Changing Book Levels

1. Name something you can do during reading to help your tutee monitor for comprehension.

2. How are you going to know your tutee understands what they read?

3. What is included in a good fiction retell?

4. What is included in a good non-fiction retell?

5. What are some things you could praise your tutee for?

Fluency is the ability to read accurately andexpressively, at an appropriate rate thatallows you to think about what you arereading.

Accuracy—Automatic word recognition

Expression—Using pitch and intonation, phrasing,

and punctuation

Rate—Not too fast, not too slow, just right rate for

you to think and comprehend what you have read

What kind of reader is your tutee?

Choppy reader

Monotonous reader

Hasty reader

Remember fast reading is not best reading!

Fluency provides the bridge between word recognition and comprehension.

Two important ways to improve fluency:1.Read and reread “just right” leveled text.2.Measure oral reading fluency regularly.

There are 6 fluency passages—one for each week of tutoring

Tutees will read and reread the same passage for 4 days

At the end of each tutoring session, tutors will conduct a 1 minute fluency timing, keeping track of errors and figuring WCPM (Words Correct Per Minute)

Place a vertical line after the last word read and subtract errors—record total on the Daily Reading Chart

Remember to encourage good quality reading not fast reading

Give your tutee the unknown word after 3 seconds during the timing

2006 Hasbrouck & Tindal Oral Reading Fluency Norms—50th percentile

At the end of each tutoring session, tutors will conduct a 1 minute fluency timing, keeping track of errors and figuring WCPM (Words Correct Per Minute)

Daily Record Sheet

1. Tutee/Tutor First and last names

2. Book Level3. Teacher4. Date5. Title6. 7. NB8. NS9. # of Books Read

Count books read—include the homework book Keep running total

10. WCPM

Home Reading Log

1. Tutee/Tutor First and last names

2. Teacher3. Date4. Title5. Parent Signature6. Sticker for returning

book7. Place book in

homework bag—zip it!

If your tutee forgets to bring his/her book back or get a parent’s signature: Be positive and encourage them to read and bring it back signed

tomorrow

Check the appropriate box on the record sheet—NB or NS

NB—Send an OOPS Slip and record the same book on the next line of the record sheet

NS—Send the same book home recording it on the next line on the record sheet

If a student is absent, put the tutor packet away and see if you can fill in for another tutor that may be absent

Notify the teacher if your tutee has two consecutive days of not returning the book or having no signature

Three indicators your tutee is ready tomove to another level:1. Accurate reading—makes very few errors (1-2) in

whole book.2. Reads fluently—uses expression and reads at an

appropriate rate. 3. Comprehends story—gives perfect retells for each

book read without prompting from the retell hands.

TEACHER PERMISSION IS NECESSARY

The Tutor is an important part in helping to determinethe right reading level for the tutee but the teacher hasthe final say.

If all three indicators are evident: Raise your hand Have the teacher listen to tutee read, check for

comprehension and determine if they are ready to change

Get permission from tutee’s teacher

Then: Change the level on the record sheet Get new book Book Level: H, I

10/18

Wrapping it all up and getting ready for the 1st day of tutoring

1. Why is fluency practice important?

2. Who does the record keeping?

3. What does NB stand for?

4. What does NS stand for?

5. Why do you need to assist the tutee in choosing a book

for the next day?

6. What are the three indicators your tutee is ready to move

up a level?

7. What do you give your tutee for returning the homework

book?

8. What does WCPM mean?

Daily Record SheetHome Reading Log & BaggieMentor Tutoring Tips for Parents BookmarkStickersKeys to Good Reading ChartRetell Hands for comprehensionGetting to Know You FormFluency PassagesLeveled Book

Be kind, patient, and respectful

Follow the schedule and tutoring procedures

Listen with your eyes and ears

Give specific prompts that will help the tutee become an independent reader

Give specific praise for good reading

Remember to check for comprehension—retell

Conduct 1 minute fluency timing

Make sure there is a new book in the tutor packet at the end of each day

Be on time for all tutoring sessions

Keep neat and accurate records

Keep the teacher informed of tutee’s progress or concerns that arise

Have fun!

Be kind and respectful Do your best reading Use good reader strategies Give a detailed retell of what you just read Read a short passage to improve fluency Read your homework book, get your reading log signed,

and return them the very next day Make sure there is a new book in the tutor packet at the

end of each day Be on time for all tutoring sessions Take good care of the books Have fun!

1. Tutor greets tutee

2. Find a place to work side-by-side—not by buddies

3. Tutor checks home reading log and gives a sticker

4. Tutee rereads homework book

5. Tutor introduces new book

6. Tutee reads new book while tutor monitors, prompts, and praises

tutee’s reading

7. Tutee retells book read

8. Tutor conducts fluency timing

9. Tutor fills out Daily Record Sheet and Home Reading Log

10. Tutor assists tutee in selecting new book for tomorrow—give a choice of 2

or 3 and place book in folder for tomorrow

11. Tutor and tutee clean up and say good-bye

Fill out getting to know you form!

A personal commitment even when it gets hard—remember that you set the tone for every tutor session

Be a great role model

Find a way to build confidence and trust

Help your tutee experience success every single day

Share your valuable reading experiences

Be the kind of tutor you would want if you were the

tutee

Have fun with reading