Online Resources - Academic Support/Tutoring
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To view many of these online resources, you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software which, if your computer does not already have it, can be downloaded from the Adobe site at: www.adobe.com/acrobat/readstep.html.
- YouthFriends Volunteer Reading Guide
This new guide is for volunteers who want to foster reading enjoyment by helping students improve their literacy and comprehension skills. It includes background information on how students learn to read as well as how volunteers can enhance this fundamental endeavor so crucial to a student’s future success. Information is drawn from the America Reads Initiative, LEARNS, National Service Resource Center, Bank Street College of Education, the National Reading Panel and the experiences of thousands of YouthFriends reading volunteers.
download in PDF format (1.02MB): http://youthfriends.org/YF/documents/ReadingGuide2006.pdf - LEARNS Web-based Tutor Training (produced by LEARNS)
This excellent self-teaching tool for tutors offers separate modules related to reading comprehension, reading in English, and providing homework help during out-of-school-time settings. It also offers a number of handy worksheets and reference materials, and even allows tutors to build a custom "tote bag" of tutoring tips, strategies, and ideas.
Sign up at: http://nationalserviceresources.org/online-courses - Outcomes and Research, and Out-of-School Time Program Design (published by Philadelphia's Best Practices Institute)
This publication focuses on research around effective practices in afterschool and out-of-school time programs. This document can help ED grantees structure their site-based mentoring services along established best practices. Especially useful is the section detailing desired outcomes, appropriate strategies to match those outcomes, and data that can be collected to show progress towards those goals. Direct link to the PDF file: www.niost.org/publications/Outcomes.pdf - The Tutor Newsletter (published by LEARNS)
This quarterly newsletter, designed for tutors working on national service projects, offers tips not only for tutors themselves, but for program coordinators as well. The latest issue deals with volunteers learning about, and effectively interacting within, the climate of a school.
Archive of web-based issues: http://nationalserviceresources.org/learns/tutor - Tips for Reading Tutors (produced by the US Department of Education)
This one-page brochure offers some simple guidelines for tutors and other volunteers, such as mentors, who will be helping boost academic results. A nice handout for mentor training sessions. Direct link to the PDF file: www.ed.gov/teachers/how/read/readingtutors.pdf - Critical Hours: Afterschool Programs and Educational Success
This research-based resource should be beneficial to ED grantees, especially those that are offering their mentoring services as part of an afterschool setting. It explores the connection between academic success and the quality of afterschool programming. Mentoring efforts can learn a great deal about program structure and design from the lessons learned in this research. Available in a PDF file at: www.nmefdn.org/CriticalHours.htm - Tips on Tutoring (produced by San Francisco School Volunteers)
This brief collection of tutor tips should come in handy for any adult working with youth to improve academics.
Web version: www.sfsv.org/tutor.html - How Afterschool Programs Can Most Effectively Promote Positive Youth Development as a Support to Academic Achievement (published by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time)
This report, Commissioned by the Boston After-School for All Partnership, explores how afterschool programs can structure themselves to promote youth development with the intention of increasing academic outcomes. While the research and examples are all local to the Boston area, the report does provide plenty of theory on the connection between youth development and learning, as well as examples of local and national programs utilizing positive strategies. Direct link to the PDF file: www.niost.org/WCW3.pdf - Students Teaching Students: A Handbook for Cross-Age Tutoring (published by also Partners in School Innovation)
Although written for programs serving elementary-aged youth, this publication should be helpful to the ED grantees in serving slightly older youth, especially those programs that are using a peer mentoring model. The guidebook offers an overview of what cross-age tutoring is, a real-life example of program development and implementation, and a collection of practical ideas, activities, and examples for tutor training, reflection, and recognition. Direct link to the PDF file: www.nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/download/589/sts.pdf - Keeping Cross-age Tutoring Alive: Growing and Sustaining a School-Wide Tutoring Program (published by Partners in School Innovation)
This is another peer-mentoring/tutoring resource that should help ED grantees. Especially useful is the third chapter which focuses on ways of helping develop the relationships between tutors and youth. Direct link to the PDF file: www.nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/download/610/XAT.pdf - America Learns Strategy of the Month (produced by America Learns)
This webpage offers a monthly tutoring tip submitted by a volunteer program somewhere in the US. Visitors may also sign up for a free monthly email for future tips (there is also a database of archived tutoring tips that visitors can access with permission).
Web version: www.americalearns.net/strategy.htm
