Professional Development Training for Learning Consultants

All Learning Consultants are required to complete the following modules by the specific deadline designated by the Tutoring Coordinator. 

Objectives for Training

• To understand your own learning style and how it compares to the styles of your clients.
• To recognize effective instructional strategies.
• To learn to problem-solve challenging situations.
• To understand diverse groups of learners. 
   

Module 1: Understanding Learning Styles
Index of Learning Styles
by Barbara A. Soloman and Richard M. Felder, North Carolina State University
www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
Please click on the link above and complete the questionnaire.  Then submit it for your results.  Read your results and then click on the Learning Styles Descriptions and the Learning Style links to read more.  Reflect on your learning style and how it is different from the other ones listed.

Module 2: Good Tutoring
Good Teaching: The Top Ten Requirements
by Richard Leblanc, York University, Ontario
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/topten.htm
Please click on this link and read the article.  This article is designed for professors, but the basic concepts are also useful for tutoring sessions.

Module 3: Problem-Solving Challenging Situations
The Tutoring Session
by Lynell Williams, Director of Peer Tutoring, Idaho State University
http://www.oncourseworkshop.com/Responsibility003.htm
Please click on the link above and read the story.  Reflect on how you would handle a situation like this if it happened to you during a tutoring session.  Who do you think is the most responsible?

Module 4: Goal-Setting and Communication
One Minute Teacher Tutoring
This is a summary of the One Minute Teacher strategy outlined in the book by Spencer Johnson, M.D. and Constance Johnson, M.Ed.  It is a helpful strategy that can be applied to teaching, tutoring, management, and parenting.  Please click on the document above to read more.

Module 5: Understanding Adult Learners
Principles of Adult Learners: Treat Learners as Adults
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/adults-1.htm
Some of your clients may be non-traditional students who are juggling careers, family, church activities, and school.  Please click on the link above and read an article to increase your understanding of how to tutor adult learners.  This article was designed for faculty, but the principles apply to tutoring, too.

Module 6: Tutoring Students with Disabilities
Tutoring Students with Disabilities
Some students have disabilities which cause challenges for them academically.  Please click on the document above to learn some tips for tutoring students with disabilities.

Module 7: Understanding English Language Learners (ELL)
http://nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep_action=view&web_id=33549
Some students at Concordia do not speak English at home.  This may cause challenges for them in school. They may have difficulty understanding their professors' lectures, especially if the professor speaks quickly.  They may also have difficulty writing papers. Please click on the link above to learn more about simple strategies to apply when tutoring ELL students.

Thank you!  We hope you learned more about yourself and others through this training!

Please remember to complete the Comprehension Checklist and return it to the Tutoring Coordinator.