Children's Literacy Publications — Helping Children Achieve Academic Success
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Hello, Wonderful Tutors! This Page Is for You.

Thank you for volunteering your time to help children. You will make a difference.

“Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.”von Goethe

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to build a strong vocabulary!

Why? The size of one’s vocabulary is a strong—if not the strongest—predictor of academic success. You can help a child build a storehouse of words to use in reading, writing, and learning all new things. Your efforts can lead to better reading comprehension, more detailed writing, better grades, and better self-esteem. The Tutoring Guide will make it easy and fun. Be sure to check out the free activities you can print, too.

How? Help the child learn the parts of common objects in everyday life. These are foundational words many children learned at home, but your student may not have. You will guide your student through creating a personal Book of Knowledge notebook filled with the vocabulary you are teaching. I had amazing results doing this with a range of ages. In one school, the Book of Knowledge concept improved student scores so much that it was instrumental in improving the school’s grade from a D to an A in one year. It was amazing!

A tutor working one-on-one with a student

Give the child time to think and talk.

One-on-one tutoring is a wonderful opportunity because it gives a child space to think and talk. Weaker students often do not speak up in class because they are afraid of being wrong or embarrassed. Teachers work to include every child, but a full classroom does not always allow enough time for a student to think through and explain an answer.

The “Think & Talk” questions in Section II of the Tutoring Guide are designed to get the student really thinking about an object: “How is a pitcher different from a vase?” or “Why do you think these are called hand grips?” You can make up questions of your own, too. Give the child time and encouragement to answer, and try not to help too quickly. When the child answers and you affirm that answer, you are building both language and much-needed self-esteem. What an amazing gift you are giving a child.

Everything you need to begin

The Tutoring Guide and free printables make it easy and enjoyable to build foundational vocabulary together.

Now you’re ready to go!

Bring patience, genuine curiosity, and plenty of encouragement.