Tutor Toolbox

Welcome to the Tutor Toolbox - your go-to space for tips and resources!

Tutor Support
This form is here to support you in your tutoring journey. Use it to request materials or ask for help with anything related to your tutoring experience. Whether you need specific resources, have questions, or are looking for new ideas, our team will do our best to provide what you need so you can feel prepared and confident in your work with learners.

Meet Your Program Staff:

  • Laurie Hoffman, Program Manager

  • Carol Garcia, Tutor Support Specialist

  • Ambreen Abdullah, Assessment Specialist

  • Annette Barker, Assessment Specialist

  • Ana Aguilera-Duncan, Intake Coordinator

Secretary of State - Adult Volunteer Literacy Grant Reporting Requirements

  • Tutor Time Log - April 1 - June 30 (Quarter 4). We must report all volunteer hours that tutors dedicate to our program each quarter. Please report your hours when requested by our Program Manager.

  • Goal Achievement Progress - We are a life-skills, goal-based program. Each learner sets goals during the intake process, and goal progress is evaluated after 35 hours of instruction. Per our grant agreements, we are required to report on learner progress after each assessment.

  • Post-Tests - We set a goal that 65% of adult learners will receive a post-test after each 35 hours of instruction.

    • If the tutor is unable to attend the post-test, the assessment specialist will contact the learner directly (similar to when they received their pre-test) to schedule their post-test which will be facilitated over Zoom/WhatsApp, unless it is an ABE test that must be delivered in person. Once the post-test is complete, results will be shared with the Tutor Support Specialist who will then contact the tutor to discuss the results and recommended new materials if needed. In order for us to count a learner as making progress in our program, they must be pre-tested and post-tested during the current fiscal year.

Frequently Asked Questions

    • Develop a lesson plan each week.

    • Ground your lessons in your learner’s real-life goals.

    • Emphasize speaking and listening, plus include reading and writing in each lesson.

    • Design your lessons to build on those from previous sessions.

    • Review key topics and lessons from the previous week.

    • Address what the learner should do for the following week.

    • Take notes on what worked well, what needs improvement, and what challenges came to light.

    • Encourage your learner to generate useful materials, such as sight word lists, picture cards, post-its, and experience stories that can be used for study and review.

    • Revisit instructional videos frequently for direction and inspiration.

    • Keep in touch with other tutors and trainers at Literacy DuPage to share ideas and ask questions. description

    View more information in the Tutor Training Resource Center below.

  • In partnership with Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley, we recently presented the workshop "Enhancing Lesson Planning with AI Tools." A recording of the session is available here for those who missed it or would like to revisit the content.

    Watch this video to learn more.

    ChatGPT Overview Video - Part 1

    ChatGPT Overview Video - Part 2

    ChatGPT Workshop Recording and Supporting Slides

    Chat GPT Prompt Template

  • The Oxford Picture Dictionary is a visual learning resource that helps English learners build vocabulary and communication skills through everyday topics and illustrations. It is also a helpful lesson-planning tool for tutors, providing ready-made themes, vocabulary, and conversation ideas that can easily support speaking, listening, reading, and writing activities.

    OPD Resource

    ‍OPD Video 1

    OPD Video 2

  • In volunteer-driven programs, especially with beginners or low-literacy learners, it’s important to prioritize:

    • Comprehension (understanding spoken English)

    • Basic speaking skills (getting needs met, asking/answering questions)

    • Pronunciation is addressed in the service of being understood, not perfection. Too much focus on “perfect” pronunciation can be discouraging.

    Volunteer tutors should aim to support intelligibility and build learner confidence.

  • ‍Our volunteer tutors play a valuable role in helping learners develop the language needed for their naturalization interview by providing direction and practice with citizenship-specific content skills.  Tutors focus on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, as well as reviewing interview questions and responses and conducting mock interviews.

    However, Literacy DuPage and its staff do not assist learners with application services because of legal implications. See the section Legal and N-400 Application Services for legal referral details.  Fortunately, several neighboring libraries and community programs offer free citizenship classes.

    ‍Our volunteer tutors can still play a valuable role in supporting learners by:

    • Practicing Civics Questionsfor the naturalization test.

    • Conducting mock interviews to build confidence in answering interview questions.

    • Improving English language skills — speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

    • Enhancing understanding of U.S. history and government concepts related to the naturalization test.

    ‍ Helpful USCIS links:

    ‍Tutors should not:

    • ‍Assist with completing the N-400 application.

    • Provide legal advice or guidance on immigration status or processes.

    ‍‍For official citizenship assistance, we encourage learners to seek support from accredited immigration organizations or legal professionals.‍ ‍

  • Volunteers and staff should not assist anyone with this process, instead refer them to an immigration lawyer. It is important that trained experts in the fields of immigration law and policy handle our students’ technical questions about immigration and citizenship.

    It is important that you do not ask the status of your learner. As an organization, we do not ask status during the intake process, and it is at their discretion if they share this information with you.

    • Tutor/Learner pairs must meet in a public location. Meetings in private residences are not allowed. 

    • If your learner has expressed concern over continuing with in-person tutoring, offer them other options such as Zoom, What’s App, FaceTime. Respect their decision to discontinue tutoring in-person and inform Laurie Hoffman, Program Manager, lhoffman@literacydupage.org, of any changes. Although our libraries have guidelines in place to protect our community members, we cannot guarantee safety. 

    • If your learner has additional questions, please refer them to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights at 1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY (1-855-435-7693) or World Relief Immigration Legal Services: Aurora (630) 906-9546, Chicago (773) 583-9191, Carol Stream (630) 462-7660.

    Thank you again for all you do to ensure a supportive tutoring environment for you and your learner. 

Are you a current tutor looking for a refresher?
All tutors are welcome to access our training videos anytime through the Learning Library. The Learning Library is password protected. Simply complete this form with your name and email address, and the password will be emailed to you.

Learning Library

Module 1. Who Are Adult Learners?

Module 2. Language Learning and Teaching

Module 3. Cross-Cultural Communication

Module 4. Learner Levels

Module 5. Listening and Speaking

Module 6. Reading and Writing

Module 7. The Match Process

Module 8. Progress and Goal Setting

Module 9. Planning Your First Meeting

Module 10. Lesson Planning Part 1

Module 11. Integrating all 4 Skills

Module 12. Finding Helpful Materials

Module 13. Using Technology

Module 14. Lesson Planning Part 2

Life-Skill Goal Resources

  • Types of Community Goals:

    • Community Member Goals

    • Consumer Goals

      • Shopping & Money Lesson Plan (Levels 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, ABE)

    • Life Skills / Daily Living Goals

  • More information coming soon…

  • Employment Lesson Plans (Levels 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, ABE)

    Types of Employment Goals:

    • Job Seeker Goals

    • Workplace Goals

    • Shopping & Money Lesson Plan (Levels 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, ABE)

  • Additional information coming soon…

  • Health Lesson Plan (Levels 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, ABE)

    Types of Health Goals:

    • Doctor's Office Goals

    • Participation Goals

    • Rx Management Goals

    • Preventive Care Goals

Additional Resources

Printable Resources, Worksheets, or Online Websites

Reference your Learner’s last assessment score to figure out what level resources will fit best.

  • Emergent Learner - Best Plus score 88-400

  • Beginner Learner - Best Plus score 401-438

  • Intermediate Learner - Best Plus score 439-506

  • Advanced Learner - Best Plus score 507+

There is a great deal of overlap across lists with regards to student learning levels. Many resources categorized as “Beginner” can be used very effectively for intermediate and advanced students. Many resources categorized as “Advanced” can be used as a tutor reference for tutors working with beginner students.

Listening & Speaking

Emergent Learners
(Levels 0-1)

Beginner Learners
(Levels 2-3)

Intermediate Learners
(Levels 4-5)

Advanced Learners
(Levels 6-7)

ABE

  • Ann Gianola Books-True Stories, Long Story Short,

  • Reading Basics/Intermediate McGraw Hill

  • Journey To Success

  • Reading Skills 4 Today

Reading & Writing

Emergent Learners
(Levels 0-1)

  • Laubach Ways to Reading Skill Book 1

  • Phonics and Life Skills Reading Book 1

  • Pathways to Literacy

  • LDP Personal Information Forms 1, 2

Beginner Learners
(Levels 2-3)

Intermediate Learners
(Levels 4-5)

Advanced Learners
(Levels 6-7)

Grammar

Emergent Learners
(Levels 0-1)

Beginner Learners
(Levels 2-3)

Intermediate Learners
(Levels 4-5)

Advanced Learners
(Levels 6-7)

Vocabulary

Emergent Learners
(Levels 0-1)

Beginner Learners
(Levels 2-3)

Intermediate Learners
(Levels 4-5)

Advanced Learners
(Levels 6-7)

Technology

Additional Worksheets

Additional Websites

Professional Development Websites
Literacy Works

Tutors can find all volumes of our Tutor Toolbox (formerly Keeping in Touch) eNewsletter.

eNewsletters include resources compiled by our Tutor Support Specialist.