Module 1 of the Loft Tutor Training Intensive
BASIC TUTORING PEDAGOGY
Course Outcomes
 You will be able to:
 Define the meanings of tutor and tutoring
 Explain the difference between editing and tutoring
 Comprehend the political difference between a peer
tutor and a professional tutor
 Identify higher order versus lower order concerns in a
tutoring session
 Understand the difference between directive and
non-directive tutoring techniques
 React to common issues and misconceptions about
tutoring
Definition of Tutor
 Tutor (noun): Someone who instructs an
individual or small group of students in a
specific subject.
 Tutor (Verb): To give somebody individual
tuition in a specialized skill.
A More Personalized
Definition
 The previous definitions are very basic.
 Can you list three qualities or traits that
define a tutor?
 What should a tutor know?
 What should s/he act like?
 What are his or her values?
 What kind of skills should s/he possess?
Personal Characteristics of a
Successful Tutor
Listening
Creativity
Kindness
Compassion
Humility
Intuition
Humor
Flexibility
Expertise
A Brief Overview of the Tutorial Session
The Tutoring Cycle
Tutoring Cycle Overview
 Greet Student
 Ask student how you can help him/her today
 Question the student about the purpose of the
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assignment
Read the instructor’s assignment instructions
Agree on an agenda for the session
Tutor student based on agreed agenda
Close session
Ask student if he/she has any further questions
Encourage him/her to see a tutor again
Assignments and Activities
Students will request help on the following kinds of
assignments:
 Essays
 Research papers
 Homework
 College admission essays
 Grammar Practice
And the following kinds of activities:
 Conversation
 Pronunciation
Tutoring is Not Editing or
Proofreading
 Many students come into the Writing Center
and ask tutors to “edit” or “proofread” their
texts.
 Remember: tutoring is not proofreading or
editing.
 Use events like this as teaching opportunities
to educate students about the difference
between proofreading and tutoring.
Tutoring Vs. Editing
Editing or Proofreading
Tutoring
 Identifies mistakes
 Teaches student to identify
 Fixes mistakes
 Marks up paper with a big,

red pen
 Has authority over paper
 Focuses on product
 Text is the primary concern
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mistakes
Helps student fix mistakes
Writes sparingly on paper
Does not have authority
over paper
Focuses on process
Writer is the primary
concern
The Car Wash Metaphor
 Student: Can you fix the grammar in my paper?
 Tutor: Well…Think about that question like this.
If you had a car whose engine was smoking and
dying every five minutes on the highway, would
you take it to the car wash?
 Student: No. I’d take it to the mechanic.
 Tutor: Exactly. Lets worry about the higher order
concerns first, like whether the paper works or
not, before worrying about lower order concerns
like grammar.
Higher & Lower Order Concerns
Higher
Lower
 Thesis & Focus
 Grammar
 Audience and Purpose
 Spelling
 Organization &
 Punctuation
Development
 Composition Strategies
 Support
 Critical Thinking
 Sentence Structure
 Word Choice
 Format
Comments from Our Students
Watch this video and
see if you can identify
any themes about how
to work with students.
Be prepared to discuss.