Our Structured Tutoring Session
Our structured tutoring session is the bread and butter of our program and reflects a synthesis of over 25 years of literacy tutoring infused with research on effective practice refined through ongoing rigorous evaluation and continuous improvement. Since its inception, Experience Corps has trained and deployed tens of thousands of adult volunteers to tutor hundreds of thousands of K-3 students across the country to help them reach grade-level reading proficiency. Experience Corps’ theory of change posits that by providing K-3 students who are below grade-level reading with sustained, structured tutoring sessions focusing on developing fluency and pre-fluency skills delivered by well-trained volunteers 50 and older, K-3 students will accelerate their literacy achievement toward the goal of reaching grade level reading by the end of third grade. In addition, students will also improve in critical social-emotional learning indicators given the strong bonds they form with their tutors over the course of the school year.
Increasing reading fluency requires children to have the opportunity to experience fun and engaging reading activities that help students focus on reading meaningful phrases. Fluency skill-building is the core focus of the tutoring session. At the end of each tutoring session, the volunteer reads a selection of text aloud to model fluent reading. Timothy Rasinski (2005), a key researcher in fluency instruction, noted that students should have the opportunity to listen to an adult read to hear what fluent reading sounds like. Children not only benefit from hearing an adult model good fluency during the read-aloud but are able to see critical thinking skills modeled and expose children to quality vocabulary words—all particularly important activities that can aid in increasing reading achievement. Experience Corps’ structured sessions integrate “quality talk,” through which the tutor asks questions related to reaching comprehension to stimulate further integration of the text. All our programs use our tutoring session structure, which is designed to promote fluency building, comprehension and social-emotional learning. While this manual is devoted to providing you an overview of your experience as a volunteer, you will learn the ins-and-outs of the structured tutoring session during your pre-service training and via our Structured Tutoring Session Guide.
Virtual Tutoring
Virtual tutoring allows AARP Foundation Experience Corps to reach more students and engage more volunteers through various online platforms. Virtual tutoring follows the same session structure as our in-person model, as described in the Structured Tutoring Session In-Person and Virtual Guide. Tutors use physical or digital version of the Reading A-Z books or another approved leveled reading system.
In addition to the policies outlined in our session guides for in-person and virtual tutoring, volunteers will follow all relevant school and district policies. Virtual tutoring will take place through platforms utilized by your local program, school district, schools, sites, and the guardians of the students being tutored. All virtual tutoring will comply with the Volunteer and Youth Protection Policy.
Additional Tutoring Support
The work of your local program staff is to ensure volunteers receive support, training, coaching and feedback to assist you in successfully acquiring the core competencies to support the mission, vision, and goals of the program.
Volunteers can expect to receive support from program staff to ensure they are delivering an impactful tutoring session that adheres to the fidelity of the Experience Corps model. Program staff will observe sessions with the intention of providing constructive, useful feedback. Observations can also provide useful information on identifying any trends or issues that can be addressed through coaching or training. Volunteers will also receive a twice-a-year review. The assessment is designed to provide volunteers with a review of their work, call out any improvements, and celebrate competencies. These reviews will be scheduled with local program staff and are a requirement of the Foundation.
Previous Page
Volunteer Policies