ASC 287: Writing Center Assistant Training
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Transcript ASC 287: Writing Center Assistant Training
ASC 282: Peer Tutor
Training
The 12-Step Tutor Cycle:
Beginning Steps (Steps 1-4)
Step 1: Greeting and Climate
Setting
Purpose: Set up the session for
success
Methods:
Warm, genuine greeting
Chair and table arrangement
Eye contact
Positive body language and verbal
choices
Keep your hands off the client’s work!
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 2: Identification of Task
Purpose: Determine the reason for the visit
Methods:
Ask! (kindly, indirectly if necessary: “How is
your biology class coming along?”)
Follow-up questions
Narrow general statements into specific items
Determine what he/she already knows about
the task
Pause, restate, empathize—prompts him/her to
specify further and gives him/her a chance to
agree or disagree
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 2 (continued)
Don’t accept “I want you to correct my
homework”
We don’t do that! You shouldn’t
provide that service to anyone! That
should not be any client’s task for the
tutorial!
More on this later . . .
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 3: Breaking the Task into
Parts
Purpose: Determine how much can be
accomplished in one session and how much time to
spend on each part
Methods:
Restate
“So, you’ve got to write a summary essay and do ten
practice problems and study for a quiz?”
Prompt
“Do you think we can do that in the time we have?”
“Which of those three is most important to you?
Where should we start in case we run out of time?”
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 4: Identifying Thought
Processes that Underlie the Task
Purpose: Help the client learn how to
approach this type of task next time
Methods:
Ask what he/she knows about how to do it (the
studying or learning strategy or technique
involved)
Make course materials (textbook, handouts,
workbooks, lecture notes, etc.) the source of
information, rather than you! Ask client to refer
to them—help him/her get information for
himself/herself
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 4 (continued)
Summary of this step:
What is the process for doing this
type of task, and where is the process
explained?
How can you apply this when the client
asks merely for you to correct or do
his/her work?
What can you do when the client has no
course materials?
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Summary
What message has been in the footer of
each slide?
How does it relate to
Your keeping your hands off the client’s work?
Your asking the client to identify the tasks in the
agenda?
Your referring to course materials rather than
simply providing information yourself?
Your refusing to serve as a correcting or
homework service?
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Summary (continued)
To what extent have you applied
these four steps in the tutorials
you’ve already conducted?
How difficult will it be to implement
them in future tutorials?
Keep in mind how these steps set you
up for success with the next steps in
the tutoring cycle . . .
Promote the Client's
Independence!
ASC 282: Peer Tutor Training
The 12-Step Tutor Cycle:
Task Steps (Steps 5-8)
Step 5: Setting an Agenda for the
Session
Purpose: Accomplish the task
efficiently in the time available
Methods:
Give client a hand in shaping agenda
(e.g., “Well, we have 25 minutes; how
shall we use them?”)
Be explicit about how long to spend on
what
Be flexible if you need less or more time
on a particular item
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 6: Addressing the Task
Purpose: Conduct the business of
tutoring
Method:
Ask questions
Actively listen
Help client find information in course
materials (rather than from you)
Explain occasionally to keep tutorial
moving along
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 7: Client Summary of Content
Purpose: Determine results—what/how
much of the content client understands
Method:
Look/listen for “the light bulb effect” (e.g., “Oh,
I get it now!”)
Ask client to explain what he/she now
understands from the tutorial
Evaluate accuracy of client’s summary
Review areas of misunderstanding or “shallow”
understanding
Prompt him/her
Redirect him/her to course materials
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 8: Client Summary of
Underlying Process
Purpose: Determine results—what/how
much of the process client understands
Method:
Ask client to explain the process (e.g., “If a
friend asked you how to do these problems,
what would you say?” or “How will you solve a
similar problem on the test?”)
Evaluate accuracy of client’s summary
Review areas of misunderstanding or “shallow”
understanding
Prompt him/her
Redirect him/her to course materials
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Summary
Why is “Do you understand?” not a
good way to determine what/how
much the client now understands?
Why is Step 8 (Client Summary of
Underlying Process) so important?
[Consider the message in the footer
of each slide.]
Promote the Client's
Independence!
ASC 282: Peer Tutor Training
The 12-Step Tutor Cycle:
Closing Steps (Steps 9-12)
Step 9: Confirmation
Purpose: Congratulate client on
his/her new understanding
Method:
Reinforce specific accomplishments (not
“Good job!” but “Good job getting all the
variables on the same side of the equals
sign.”)
Direct comments at the client’s work, not
at the client
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 10: What Next?
Purpose: Help client connect the
tutorial to the progress of the course
itself—see “the big picture”
Method:
Ask client to articulate this connection
“Well, where do you go from here in this
course?”
“What will you do next, and how will what
we’ve done help you?”
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 11: Arranging and Planning
the Next Session
Purpose: There are three
Take care of scheduling next appointment while
client is already here
Promote consistency in tutoring to maximize the
client’s gains
Help client anticipate upcoming learning
Method:
Ask, “What would you like to work on next
week?”
Set up a time and date for next appointment
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Step 12: Closing and Goodbye
Purpose: End tutorial session on a
positive note
Method:
Sincere goodbye
Thanks to the client (e.g., “Thanks for
being so well prepared”)
Positive body language and verbal
messages
Promote the Client's
Independence!
Summary
“Evaluating is like perfume; a little goes a long
way, and it’s best to apply it in key spots.”
How can too much praise be overwhelming
for a client?
How can praising a client’s work rather than
the client help promote his/her
independence?
How can you remember the 12 steps until
they become ingrained as habit for you?
Promote the Client's
Independence!