Module 5

Communication Skills

The tutor will provide specific praise to the clients.

The tutor will communicate with international students with insight.

The tutor will communicate insightfully with students with disabilities.

The tutor will gain an understanding on the importance of building rapport with clients.

The tutor will communicate with clients and not just talk to clients.

You cannot tutor, mentor, counsel, befriend, or make a difference in a person's life without communicating effectively.  Listening and talking are probably the most important parts of working with people.  It is important to note that though there may be "wrong" ways to communicate, leading to ineffective interactions and a lessened experience for both you and your client, there is no one single "right" way.  Your response in a given situation will undoubtedly be different from someone else's.

What's wrong with saying, "Good job"?

            As a tutor your job will extend beyond providing content.  Assuming mastery has occurred over a chunk of material, what is the best way to provide some positive reinforcement? Since it's a "given" that you know your content, how can you "dress it up" so that the client leaves the session feeling very good? 

Frequently, it's the non-verbal or the auxiliary comments that will make or break your tutoring session.  Nothing is really wrong with saying, "Good job" but comments can be made that are much more meaningful.  Tying specific praise to the content mastered is highly recommended.  Some examples of specific praise might be, "I like the way you organized this part of the paragraph."  "I can tell you listened to the advice about note taking because I can clearly see a difference in your notes."  "You really paid attention when the prof was talking about time lines.  This is a great start. Let's build on it during the lesson."  "Your computations are perfect to this point.  Let's back up to this point, work through this step and then you'll have this nailed."  When you relate their skills to the task at hand, it reinforces the concept and also lets the client know you are truly paying attention to them as an individual.

What are some tips for communicating with international students?

            International students vary greatly but some basic principles can be considered.  Keep in mind that first of all, the student may have a different concept toward personal space.  If you find a client moving too close or backing away this could be a cultural preference.  Just be aware of what is going on and try to adjust accordingly.  If the space issue or personal contact is uncomfortable to you, mention it to the client.

            If you have a difficult time understanding parts of what the client says to you, try to use context to fill in the word(s) that are unclear.  However, it is better to be honest and ask the client to repeat something than to be dishonest about your understanding. 

            Avoid using sarcasm or idiomatic expressions with international students.  It may be confusing or hurtful to them.  You may ask that he write down expressions he hears during the week and bring the list to tutoring so you can discuss them with him. 

            Remember that international students may need the vocabulary simplified and sentences shortened for better understanding, but avoid talking down to them.  Remember that in order to get to come to the United States, they were probably very good students.  They may be feeling insecure about being in a learning center and asking for help so don't make them feel worse by talking "baby talk" to them.  The more you work with the students the more easily you will strike a balance between talking more slowly and simply but still like an adult.

More information will be provided to you on this topic in Module 4 during Level 2 Tutor Training. 

What are some tips for communicating with students with disabilities?

            One of the first things to understand in working with specific populations is a "person first" designation.  The intent of doing so implies that he/she is a person who just happens to have a disability.  For example, it is better to say a "student with a learning disability" rather that saying "a learning disabled student;" or, a "student with epilepsy" rather than saying "an epileptic;" and so on.  This may seem like a small technicality but to the person it is a significant way of showing respect.

            Along these lines, when you tutor a student with a disability remember they are a student first.  You have good tutoring skills and know a variety of approaches.  Keep in mind, "Good instruction is good instruction."  As with all clients, it is good to ask them what their learning preferences are.  They are the experts on this so ask for their opinions and direction as you proceed with your tutoring.

            When talking to a person in a wheelchair, it is polite to sit down. This way you see one another eye to eye and can communicate on more of an equal basis.  The able-bodied person does not come across as being more powerful or authoritarian.

            If you cannot understand someone's speech, use context if possible, but if need be, ask the person to repeat what was said.  This is much better than bluffing your way through and quite possibly not doing so very well.

            You may notice a client may be having some difficulty taking off his coat or putting books in his book bag. It is fine to ask, "May I assist you?"  Using the word "assist" is preferred to "help" but either way, go ahead and ask.

            Don't be concerned if you use a word related to the person's disability.  Sometimes able-bodied people get embarrassed if they ask a student with a visual impairment if they "saw" a movie, person, or TV show.  This verbal reference is very rarely a problem for students with a disability so don't get flustered if it happens to you.  As you get to know the student, you will probably find that he uses similar words in his conversation.

            Establishing Rapport

A student's progress in his or her class is very personal; usually students are hesitant to seek tutoring. Often, self-image is at stake since they are coming for help. Therefore, the most important initial goal of a tutor should be to build rapport. If a good tutor/student relationship is established, the student will feel more comfortable returning. You should always try to make the Learning Center a friendly and relaxed place.

Tutoring is face-to-face interaction and as such requires that both tutor and client are relaxed and confident. The tutor must show an interested concern from the onset if the client is to enter the interaction easily and develop self-confidence as well as confidence in the tutor.

When a student comes to you for tutoring, be sure to introduce yourself in order to establish a personable relationship. Open the conversation with some general questions to help you get to know each other. You may ask questions like these:

What is your name?

What year are you?

How did you enjoy last week's game/concert/play?

Where are you from?

What's your major?

How do you like it here at (name of your school)?

How are your classes going?

You want to take a personal interest in the client and begin to build trust. Start a dialogue, but be careful not to become too sidetracked! 

As a tutor, you have some definite advantages over faculty members. Although your status as a tutor assumes some expertise, students do not necessarily view you as an authority figure as they do their professors. This enables you to help in ways that faculty cannot. Many students are much more comfortable with their peers, and they are more willing to seek help. Again, you play a very important role as a tutor.

Are You Talking or Communicating?

Communicating effectively means getting on the same wavelength with the person with whom you are tutoring.  This requires skills in listening and observing.  The tutor needs to use effective verbal listening, which includes techniques like paraphrasing, listening beyond the words, listening for requests and being honest.  Part of tutoring is allowing your clients to speak.  Be sure to following the suggestions below:

Stay Out of the Way

Staying out of the way is based on the premise as being quiet.  Not only does it empower the student, it helps them shift the knowledge from short-term memory to long-term memory.

            Provide Opportunity

As the student explains the information, it is important for you to not interrupt.  This allows you to correct any errors in their logic as they are explaining a concept to you.  You want to ensure that the student has learned the correct information.  Allowing them the opportunity to explain it will allow you to assess their understanding.

            The Fake Light Bulb Effect

Some clients may be embarrassed to admit they are not ‘getting it' and do not want to appear stupid.  It is your job to make sure they do get it.  One technique again is to once again, be quiet.  The client may then offer more explanation or ask for clarification.  If the client does not say anything, then another technique is to ask a question that would have the client explain the information.

Additional training about active listening and paraphrasing will occur in Module 6. 

Checking for the client's understanding also requires observing the client.  The client may be sending many non-verbal messages, such as no eye contact because the client is embarrassed, or he may clinch his fists because he is frustrated.  As the tutor you want to use all possible means to assess your client's understanding and use this assessment to determine how the session is conducted.

When tutoring, be sure to communicate at the same level as the student.  It is crucial that you talk to your client as a peer, not another professor.  A tutor should not explain content above the comprehension ability of the client just because the tutor wants to appear highly intellectual.  This does not serve your client's needs and will result in a bad experience for the client.  We rely on clients to publicize the Learning Center to their friends and these bad experiences can hurt the reputation of our center.

Tutor Quiz 5 - L1