Personalized Course Outline
· Department: English
· Name of course: Reading Tutor 120
· Name of teacher: John Yerxa Resource & Methods
· Course Description (Provincial Department of Education)
Prerequisite: English 111 or 112
This course presents a unique opportunity for grade 12 students with high academic achievement and good communication skills to become
reading tutors. Under the guidance of the teacher, tutors work on a one-to-one basis with students who are seeking to increase their reading
level and to improve their writing skills. Tutors are first trained in basic reading theory and teaching techniques, and are then assigned one
student to work with for the term. This is a chance to make a positive contribution to our school, to
acquire leadership skills, and to experience a real-life-teaching situation. Especially recommended for those planning careers in education,
guidance, or the social services.
Reading Tutor 120 pairs senior student tutors with younger struggling readers. The tutors receive a course
credit while the readers receive assistance meeting the outcomes for English Language Arts. The teachers of
this course coordinate the program, provide the tutor training, oversee the activities of the partners and offer
support to both the tutors and readers. The tutors select the reading materials and plan and implement the
daily activities for their readers. Readers who take the course improve their reading and writing skills and
often increase their motivation and interest in school while the tutors acquire valuable reading/writing
tutoring skills and develop useful interpersonal, organizational, planning and problem solving skills.
· Teaching Methods:
- Will involve 12 grade 12-0 English students and 24 grade 9 students who have reading
deficiencies.
- They will be paired on a 1-1 ratio and follow a provincial curriculum.
- Reading Tutors are first trained in basic reading theory and teaching techniques in a one week training session that includes
lecture, video and guest speaker presentations. (R&M MR.Yerxa)
- Tutors must commit to being present each and every day and to preparing daily
tutoring activities.
- Reading Tutor is a provincially approved credit course for the grade 12 tutors.
- The grade 9 students will spend either 1/2 (period 4) or 1/5 (period 5) of a semester
with their tutor.
- This will allow a maximum of 24 grade 9 students to get crucial 1-1 reading tutoring
for either 8 or 10 weeks depending on their rotation in the grade 9 elective cluster.
- Having both period 4 and 5 as Reading Tutor options also allows the grade 12 students
some flexibility with their schedule as they will have to drop a course they are currently
enrolled in to become reading tutors.
- This could become a valuable training ground for students who may want to enter the
teaching field.
- Completion of this credit should also be valuable for the grade 12 students, as it is a
unique course requiring teamwork, leadership, patience, and strong interpersonal skills.
- The benefits are obvious for the grade 9 students as 40 + hours of reading tutoring
should make a significant impact on their ability to read at grade level.
- Reading Tutors must apply and be accepted (Mr. Yerxa) in order to take Reading
Tutor
· Tests, Assignments and Assessment for Tutors
- Two written web based assignments involving research on reading and adolescents will
be required. ( 3-5 pages)
- A test on phonemic awareness and reading comprehension strategies will be required
after the first week training period. This test is a mastery test and will be re-written until
the Tutor has scored above 85%.
- There will be no final exam but rather a self assessment of the course and the students performance.(3 pages)
- Tutors will be evaluated on their attendance, lesson plans and reader portfolio of work.