What to expect at a tutoring session

Tutors should:

• Introduce themselves
• have students begin to fill out the tutor log
• determine deadlines for the assignment as well as probable length of the current session
• ask for the teacher's instructions
• read the instructions thoroughly, interpret and review the assignment, and ask students to explain what the assignment calls for and what they  want to get out of the tutoring session
• ask students to read their paper aloud, or have their paper read aloud, in order to give students  a chance to gain perspective on their writing
• discuss teacher's comments, if any, on the writing
• begin by talking about positive qualities in the writing
• identify and communicate the nature of the writing issue(s), taking care to avoid tackling everything at once (in the case of a great many issues) but rather isolate patterns of error and model appropriate solutions
• establish with students a manageable goal
• encourage students to begin writing (or rewriting) during the session
• complete the tutor log and discuss the possibility of a  follow-up session, if necessary
• ask for feedback by having students complete a questionnaire.