The Tutor's Role:  Basic Dos and Don'ts

Module 3

The tutor will gain an understanding of some strategies to use within the tutoring session.

The tutor will comply with behavioral boundaries.

The tutor will learn the rationale and procedures related to administering tests for students with disabilities.

Being a good tutor includes, but is not limited to, showing up on time and giving the client information.  What's the most effective way to convey a strategy?  How can the client become more involved in the learning process? What are the limits for a tutor? These are some of the questions that cross tutors' minds as they think about the tutoring experience.  Not all of a tutor's questions can be included in a list of "Dos and Don'ts" because frequently decisions are made on an unconscious level based upon common sense and a baseline of university guidelines. However, there are some key behavioral concepts that all tutors should understand.  Please read and think about the following:

Regarding working with a client, a tutor will:

• Listen to ideas and answer questions
• Ask questions to help students clarify and focus their thoughts
• Ask questions to help clients understand the material
• Discuss the material with the clients
• Discuss course content and give examples
• Work with the students to help them identify and correct errors in their work
• Demonstrate techniques students can use to do their own work
• Suggest, demonstrate, or model practices that will improve their work
• Show students how to brainstorm, narrow a topic, and organize their thoughts by asking themselves questions
• Focus the session on a particular topic or activity if this is suggested by an instructor
• Give students honest, but supportive, feedback about their work, pointing out strengths and weaknesses
• Encourage students to take responsibility for their own work
• Show students how to get the most out of their textbooks and introduce students to other resources including websites, student solution manuals, and handouts
• Help students find and correct errors in homework problems
• Work problems like those from the homework as examples
• Ask the client to "talk through" the problem
• Outline steps in solving problems

A tutor will not:

• Violate confidentiality principles
• Rewrite assignments for the students
• Do students' work for them
• Predict students' grades on assignments
• Encourage or support criticism of instructors, assignments, or textbooks
• Allow students to access solution manuals without assistance

Friendly Reminders

The following reminders are offered as a list of procedures to ensure that the LC operates smoothly as a unit.

1. Tutors are expected to tell a graduate assistant if they need to leave the room while they are scheduled to work.

1. Maintain the client's privacy at all times.
2. Do not eat or drink in the Learning Center.
3. Your presentation represents the Learning Center.
4. You may do homework, talk quietly, or do leisure reading.  You should stay alert to assist new clients or the Graduate Assistants.
5. The phone behind each desk should be used for Learning Center calls only.
6. If a department or an instructor needs to be contacted, please notify the coordinator.
7. If they are not, please remind them to do so.
8. Try to keep noise levels in control.
9. If you are sick and cannot work, or need to adjust your schedule, please contact the coordinator as soon as possible.
10. Return materials to the desk (textbooks/answer books) after you are finished with them.  Do not let materials leave the Learning Center.
11. Try to have a positive and respectful attitude while working.  Make your experience here enjoyable for you, your clients, and those around you
12. Conduct yourself in a professional manner.

Tips for Administering Tests to Students with Disabilities

As part of Ball State University's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the university provides for alternate test locations, extended time, test scribes, test readers, and reduced distraction environments for tests.  The Study Strategies Desk works with the Office of Disabled Student Development (DSD) to provide these services free of charge.  Students must first go to DSD to obtain eligibility to take their tests here.  After they have gone to DSD, a letter can be prepared for the student to show to their professors so that they may make the necessary test accommodations.  One such arrangement may be to take the test outside of class.  Another letter is sent to us that gives us permission to allow students to test with us.  Only students who have registered with DSD may get test accommodations.

Our Role:

In the Learning Center we do not see the reports nor do we know the full extent of the students' disabilities, we just service what has been established by DSD.  As you know, there is quite a spectrum of services that we might have for students with disabilities. 

• Extended time: Some students may have trouble retrieving or processing information, in which case they may just need extended time for their tests. 
• Readers:  Some students have vision impairments in which case they may need their tests read or "orally administered." (Additionally, these students may need their tests scribed.)
• Readers, continued: For some students with disabilities an appropriate accommodation may be that we "orally administer" or read the test to them.  This doesn't mean that they can't read but there is a "non apparent" disability that is interfering with their learning.  There could be several reasons why an oral administration is appropriate, but we don't know the specifics. We don't know if the student has had a head injury, a learning disability or a vision impairment. It is possible that their disability interferes with their eyes, their processing, or their learning style but for them when they hear the information it is a more efficient way for them to remember, acknowledge, make associative linkages, produce answers, etc. (Each case is a little different.)
• Scribes: For other students the accommodations may be even more apparent. If there is a mobility impairment the student may need the accommodation of having someone write what he or she dictates. Keep in mind you are only acting in place of their pen or as a typist on a computer.  Do not add words or rephrase things to "sound better."

Other Reminders when Proctoring:

* Don't let the student manipulate you. It has been noted that a couple of our test proctoring clients have asked the test proctors questions or for help on the exams.  If they ask you if the answer is right, don't hesitate to respond:

  "I don't know this subject but if I did, I couldn't say."

  "I'm not allowed to say."

  "I'm not comfortable with your questions. If you continue to ask me for information, I'll have to get a graduate assistant."  Respond in a way that fits you but don't hesitate to say something; we will back you up.

*If you're in the back room and you're proctoring but you need to leave for a minute, collect the test and come out and notify the graduate assistant. 

*If there's a problem with the test, you don't need to continue with the entire test until it is finished to ask a question about it.  Collect the test (and maybe the student if that seems logical) and come out to talk to a graduate assistant or a Coordinator.

*Do not offer services in addition to what their Record Sheet indicates.  For example, if the student is to have a proctor, do not suggest that you read or scribe the test. Do not define, explain, or in any way interpret what a question means.

Procedures:

Students who are eligible for accommodations schedule their exams through the Study Strategies desk.  In order to assure that the service operates smoothly, some procedures are stated as follows:

Before the test-

• Try to arrive a little early as a courtesy.
• Do not chew gum while administering a test.

• Read the test to make sure you are comfortable with the technical terms.  Look for special instructions (use of calculator, open book, etc.) and also, make sure the test is numbered correctly; no pages are missing, etc.
• The graduate assistant will inform you about the appropriate services.  If you are uncertain about the accommodation, ask the GA for clarification.
• Log the beginning time on the Record Sheet.  Put the date of the test on the outside of the folder.
• Meet the test taker at the Study Strategies desk, introduce yourself, and go to the assigned room.

During the test- "Dos and Don'ts"

• Do ask the student if he/she would like an overview of the test so they can have a framework of the test. (This would be especially useful to visually impaired students.) As administrator, you could say, "There are three parts – 25 multiple choice that are worth 2 points each, 10 true/false questions worth…."
• Do clarify instructions or procedures for the test, but if there are any questions regarding the test administration, talk to a GA.
• Do speak clearly if orally administering a test.  Ask the student if the test is being read at a good pace; adjust your reading rate to the response.
• Do respond to questions such as, "Where are we on the outline?"
• Do seek a dictionary prior to returning the test to the GA if you are unsure about your spelling (ex. their/there.)  If the student is writing the exam and asks you how to spell something, tell them to spell it the best they can and that you cannot provide this information.
• Do read exactly what is on the test.
• Do ask the client to repeat him/herself if something is not clear to you.  Be certain you did not misunderstand the client.
• Do provide an opportunity for the test taker to review/revise the test provided the allotted time has not expired.
• Because good essays demand fluency, the scribe's job is to record the test taker's dictation accurately without making the task more complicated. If the test taker had to spell every word and state every comma, it would restrict/impede the production of the essay. On the other hand, do not embellish the content or "upgrade" vocabulary.  The scribe's responsibility is to act in place of the person's hand.  If you are not sure of a technical term, ask the student to spell it for you.  If you are not sure of the spelling of a word you probably should know, check it with a dictionary after the testing session ends.

• Do not offer additional services. (Ex.  Don't read or scribe anything unless a graduate assistant approves it.)
• Do not define any words or restate any questions.  Read only what is on the paper and write only what the student dictates.
• Do not express fatigue during the test.
• Do not prompt the test taker in any way that would result in a better response. ("Do you want to give more examples?" is an inappropriate interaction.)
• The guiding principle is that the administrator should neither help nor penalize the test taker.

After the test-

• When returning the test to the graduate assistant, make sure the paperwork is completed (length of time of test, initials, etc.)
• If anything occurred during the testing session that was unusual, tell a GA and complete a Comments Sheet.

Remember that it is also part of your role as a tutor to communicate with students about the rules of the Learning Center and the expectations we have.  Help students learn when tutoring is available, who the tutors are, how to set an appointment, and how other areas of the Learning Center can assist them.  Support the concept that tutors meet students at whatever level of proficiency they are on and develop skills so they can advance forward; not be a crutch or the "answer person."

For additional support material, see the Tutor Manual. Specific questions should be addressed to the graduate assistants and coordinators; don't hesitate to ask!

Tutor Quiz 3 - L1