Beginner Tutor Lesson Plans

Working with a student who is just beginning to learn English.
We all have different personalities and preferred ways of learning. At SAIL you will meet students who are incredibly confident and exuberant, withdrawn and shy, and everywhere in between! Use the first few weeks to get to know your student. It may take a while for both of you to feel comfortable. For a student at a beginners level it is really important that both of you talk as much as possible. Once your student's oral language begins to build up, they will have a firmer basis on which to establish reading and writing skills.

Warmer
Play a game of picture/sound bingo (there is a great set in the library). You could join with another group working near you to play. As each card is drawn, talk about what the picture on the card is, where you might see this thing, etc. See if the student knows any of the letters (and the sounds they make) on the card and say the word slowly.

Get the student to repeat the word. Have a few games! If the student feels confident, give them the chance to be the bingo caller.If you feel comfortable, you could sing some action songs or recite some rhymes. Lots of kids are easily hooked with music and rhyme and it can be a great way to bring them out of their shell.

The lesson
Choose some picture books together and read these books to your student. In the coming weeks, your student may want to choose familiar books and read them over again. This should be as interactive as possible - your aim is to get your student talking - about anything!! It might be the colours, the characters, the setting. Point with your finger to what you are talking about, even if your student doesn't understand every word you say, the picture will help to cue them in to your words.

Drama can be a great way to involve students in the text too! If there is lots of action happening, dramatise scenes as you go along or at the end of the story. (Eg. The Very Hungry Caterpillar - hatch from your egg, eat the different foods, make a cocoon, hatch as a beautiful butterfly.) Get the student to draw their favourite part of the story. Transcribe what this part of the story was about. If they verbalise this for you, write it in their words.

Ending a SAIL session
Finish with a song or a game or playing with some toys. Tell your student how fantastic they have been today!

Your first session with your SAIL student

A good introductory lesson can be to find out about the student, their family and where they live. Make sure that you remember to be sensitive to the students' situation. For some students their family situation may be a painful area. Care needs to be taken that questions are open and the student is free to share as much or as little as they are comfortable with.

Depending on your student's age and level of English in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening; you may need to adjust this plan to suit their needs. Lots of support may be necessary! (You can read and transcribe for them if needed.) Generally students are really interested in your family too. Having a conversation is just as valid as doing lots of reading and writing.

Warmer - Model being an interviewer. Ask the student/s questions about themselves or their family. (You could use a prop such as a microphone to engage your students.) Some examples include: How many people are there in your family? What are their names? What grades are they in? Where does your family live? Where do you go to school? Give all of the students a chance to be the interviewer and be an interviewee yourself.

Making A Book About Me - Use folded worksheets to make A Book About Me. Students have a go at reading the book with your support. Students draw and/or write a response to the statement on each page. Encourage students to have a go at writing and be sure to praise all attempts! Don't get hung up on spelling; the most important thing is that the student is able to convey their message. They may need you to transcribe for them.

Cover: students draw a portrait.
My name is: students write their name. You can ask whether their name has a special meaning, etc. There are ... ... people in my family. Students draw family and/or write their names.
I am in Grade ... ... My school is called... Students draw their school, teacher, grade, etc.
This is where I live. Students can draw their house or write their address if known.
I like... Students write or draw the things they like eg. food, colours, sports, people, etc.

Select some texts to read on the theme of self or family. Again, depending on ability of individual student/s, you may read to or with the student. Introduce the reader to the text by telling them what the story is about or get them to make predictions about the text. Use the illustrations and vocabulary contained in the book in your intro to give the student support for what they will be reading. Give lots of support and praise. Ask questions which compare the student and the content of the text. (What do your family and this family have in common? What is different?)

Play a game
It may be snap or bingo with picture, letter or word cards, scrabble or anything to get the students thinking and talking.

Mix and match elements of the plan to suit where your students ability level. Don't over-plan. Be prepared to be flexible; your student may be more eager to read than write or vice versa.

Most importantly, use this session to find out what your student/s would like to do! The more you can find out, the better able you will be to meet the individual learning needs and desires of the student/s you tutor.

Colours
Students know the names of the colours in their own language/s but it is fundamental that they know and recognise the names of the colours in English. For example, groups and house teams at school often have colour names.

Lay out the coloured cards. Ask the student if they know the names of any of the colours. What is their favourite colour, etc. Point to the name of each colour and say the name. Get the student to repeat the word and continue until it is clearly pronounced, Do this with each colour. Pick up the cards and use them as flashcards to see if the student remembers the name.

Play a game of colour I spy. Say "I spy with my little eye, something that is red" etc. Hold up the appropriate colour card at the same time. The student points or says the names of objects around the room until they find the correct red object. Take turns to choose the object.

Read a picture storybook and talk about the different colours in each of the illustrations. Get the student to name the colours or find particular objects (eg. the red ball)

Use the colour worksheet provided which has the colour names printed and get your student to colour the letters in the correct colours. Take an old magazine from the library for the student to cut pictures and paste them next to the appropriate colour name.

Make a collage of drawings and magazine pictures of the student's favourite colours.