Population Served:
32,688 Project Contact: Maria Buhl Project Title: New Connections @ the Guilderland Public Library: Linking ESL Tutors and Students Project Description: We’re partnering with Literacy Volunteers—Mohawk/Hudson, Inc. to lead an ESOL tutor-training session that will train 24 new ESOL tutors – an infusion of new talent that will help ease LV-Mohawk/Hudson’s long waiting list of ESOL students. The new and veteran ESOL tutors will also attend two “in-service” programs on Workplace and Health Literacy, two areas of particular interest for the Literacy Volunteers affiliates in New York State. Additionally, we’re purchasing new materials to supplement our ESOL collection in the Library. |
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Notable accomplishment, promising practices, or human interest stories: We are in the fourth week of the tutor-training module and tutors are just now being matched with students. The tutors are very excited to meet their students, and we hope to have a human-interest story to share soon!
Key lessons learned: Planning programs takes a lot more time than you’ve probably budgeted for yourself! There are a lot of details involved – technology needs for the presenters, last-minute changes to the program, photocopying and/or purchasing of items needed for handouts. Be realistic and expect to spend two hours when you thought one hour was enough!
People love giveaways! When we held our tutor-training sessions, we gave away wipe-off boards and nice bound journals for the ESOL tutors to use in lessons with their students. They loved them!
We wish we could have funded two tutor-training sessions, since the response to our call for volunteers was so great.
If you’re holding a series of programs that meets in regular sequence, consider adding a “make-up” day for those folks who’ve missed a program. This is a real show of support to people who are volunteering their own time and effort.
Advice for other libraries serving adult English language learners: If there is a local Literacy Volunteers affiliate or other non-profit organization offering help to English-language learners , find some meaningful ways to partner with them! Offer your library meeting room space for training sessions; collaborate with them on collection development – they have so much expertise on materials that are great for ESOL students, and can make some great purchase recommendations; let them know if your Library has study rooms for tutors to meet with students; ask your Friends of the Library group if they’d be willing to underwrite the cost of an ESOL tutor-training session; coordinate efforts between Youth and Adult Services so the Library can provide supportive programs to the whole family.