Tutor Resources
For New Tutors
Explore below for more information about becoming a literacy tutor with TALC. Questions are always welcome at tacoma.literacy@gmail.com.
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Our next training for new tutors will take place in September and October of 2025. It will be a hybrid of two Saturdays in-person in University Place, and six evenings online using Zoom. You will need a good internet connection and familiarity with Zoom to attend the evening sessions.
More information, including specific dates and times, will be posted here as it becomes available.
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At a minimum, TALC requires that volunteers commit to:
Meet with their learner 1.5-2 hours per week. Meetings may be in person or virtual or some combination of both, with scheduling determined jointly by the tutor and learner.
Make a lesson plan for each tutoring session.
Meet with a learner for at least 6 months, and preferably longer.
Keep TALC informed of progress or problems by submitting online monthly activity reports.
Attend Continuing Education events.
Additional opportunities for engagement are also available and encouraged, including (but not
limited to):
Assist with a TALC group class
Become a tutor mentor
Become a member of the Advisory Board
Assist at TALC tutor trainings
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Tacoma Area Literacy Council helps each learner with their individual literacy goals. Our learners’ goals often include:
Reading and/or writing proficiency
Pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar
GED preparation
Citizenship exam preparation
Obtaining Driver's License
Taking a test or getting a promotion at work
TALC maintains a library of resources (in person and online) to help you get started with a new learner. Your assigned TALC mentor can also help you find suitable materials that your learner will find useful and engaging.
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TALC tutors must meet the following requirements:
Be at least 18 years old and have a high school or GED diploma.
Be able to pass a Washington State Patrol background check.
Sign a waiver of liability.
Agree to follow the TALC Tutor Ethics Contract
Possess and maintain personal medical insurance.
Commit to completing TALC tutor training and tutoring an adult in English Language Learning or Adult Basic Education for at least six months.
Have compassion, patience, and a sense of humor.
Be sensitive to cultures other than your own.
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To become a TALC tutor, you must meet the minimum requirements (see above) and you must complete TALC’s training (also above). Training consists of in person instruction by existing TALC members, as well as a live online portion conducted by Portland Literacy Council.
During the in person training, you will meet new and existing tutors, learn about the “each one teach one” method that makes TALC so successful for so many learners, become familiar with TALC’s library of resources, be matched with a learner with compatible interests and schedule, and be matched with a mentor within TALC.
During the online training, you will learn about methods of teaching, literacy programs in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, utilizing great online resources for online tutoring, working with your learner to overcome obstacles, and much more.
After training is completed, you will contact your learner and start your journey as a one-to-one tutor. Your mentor and other experienced TALC tutors can provide advice and support.
Check out the latest Tutor Training Schedule above for more information.
Be prepared to make a lot of new friends and to make a big difference in people’s lives!
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To get started, complete an application, sign the waiver, and review our code of ethics below. We will contact you once we receive your application.
If you have questions, please contact us at tacoma.literacy@gmail.com for assistance.
For Existing Tutors
Monthly Activities Report - It’s very important to us that you let us know how things are going with your learner. We also need this information to keep track of all of our volunteers’ effort.
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Meeting a new learner can be overwhelming! The documents below are intended to help you be prepared to tutor a new learner, assess their abilities, and make the most of your time together.
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You are always welcome to ask questions by emailing tacoma.literacy@gmail.com. You can also check out the common questions below to see if your question has already been answered.
Where do I find out more about what's going on with TALC?
The website and the quarterly news letter, JOTS, are the best places to find out the latest. You'll find schedules for classes and meetings, articles about literacy, and notes from various TALC Members and Administrators. You can also ask any further questions by emailing tacoma.literacy@gmail.com.
How can I get some experience tutoring people before I get matched with a learner?
Helping out with a class is a fantastic way to meet some existing learners and tutors, gain some experience and confidence, and see how TALC operates. We can always use help with our growing classes!
I feel like I need to speak my English language learner's native language to even get started, how do I communicate with them?
Start with basic introductions and tell your learner a little about yourself. Use everyday words and ideas, speak slowly, and use repetition. We pick up on patterns when we are learning a language, and it gives your learner a way to start to participate. Start with "I am..." and "I have..." and share some fun things about yourself, then ask your learner about the same things. Learning a language takes time, and every little bit helps!
I've found a really great resource that I'd like to share with my learner, can TALC buy this book?
TALC maintains a library of trusted print resources, but can sometimes buy new materials that seem useful. Talk to our Librarian to see if we already have the resource. If not, we can look into getting it!
My learner is not responding to emails, calls, etc. What do I do?
Sometimes learners get overwhelmed and life happens, and it's tough not to take it personally as a tutor. If several attempts to contact go unanswered, you can politely let the learner know that they can contact the main TALC email if they wish to resume tutoring in the future. You can then contact our Placement Coordinator if you would like to be matched with a new learner. We usually have a waiting list of people who would love to work with you!
TALC Chats Podcast - A podcast by TALC tutors for TALC learners! Listen to English speakers talk informally about all sorts of subjects, learning English grammar and vocabulary along the way. Past topics have included the weather, holidays, and shopping.
External Links and Resources
Washington Connection - A listing of community resources that may be of use to our learners, and directions describing how to access those resources
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ProLiteracy: Education Network - The Education Network established by ProLiteracy includes a wealth of videos and lesson ideas for individual and group learning, including how to use best use online platforms like Zoom. (Focus on ESL/EFL and GED)
New Readers Press - An industry leader in adult literacy teaching materials for all skill levels. We also have a lot of their resources in our library!
USA Learns - Free and extensive collection of videos and exercises that can be used on their own or as a supplement to a current set of tutoring materials. (Focus on ESL/EFL and GED)
Hope Link - Check out Hope Link’s “Lesson & Form Lists” for lesson plan ideas. (Focus on ESL/EFL and GED)
Read Write Think - Lots of lesson plans, designed for K-12 but many lessons can be adapted to adult learners (Focus on GED)
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News For You Online - Current, global news on all subjects, but written for the English learner in mind. Great for reading together, and for learners to explore on their own, because the site will read words and sentences for the learner. This site requires a password for full access. TALC tutors may email tacoma.literacy@gmail.com for the password.
The Color Vowel Chart - A comprehensive chart that organizes all the vowel sounds in relation to each other, showing where the sounds are made in the mouth when speaking English.
ellii (formerly ESL Library) - Comprehensive lessons that can also be used as supplemental materials (some features require a paid account). They also have an extensive collection of videos on their YouTube channel.
Sounds American YouTube Channel - Lots of videos that teach about different sounds in American English using the International Phonetic Alphabet and helpful anatomy diagrams.
Grammar and Word Games - Online games that learners can play, on their own or in a group, to practice different parts of English grammar.
ReadWorks - Articles designed for K-12 learners that can also be used for adult learners
Dave's ESL Cafe - Check out the Resources tab for ideas on everything from grammar lessons to idioms and slang.
Rong-Chang’s Idioms - An extensive collection of idioms and slang
Daily ESL - Listening exercises organized by category, with associated lesson suggestions
7ESL - A 7-part program designed for independent learning of English, this site breaks down English language concepts into different categories that can be learned or taught in consecutive lessons.
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Citizenship - US Citizenship and Immigration Services government site
The 100 Citizenship Test Questions - Learners working towards becoming a citizen of the United States will need to be able to understand and answer these questions in English as part of the process of becoming a naturalized US citizen. Each question includes an audio file so that learners can hear how the words sound when spoken. Learners can also go here to find the questions in their native language for assistance in understanding the concepts.
EL Civics - Civics lessons and worksheets for home life and work.
iCivics - Civics lessons intended for K-12 but that adults find fun and informational.
Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill” - The classic animated video that explains how a bill becomes a law.
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ProLiteracy - The umbrella organization with which TALC operates. We use a lot of their resources!
Literacy Minnesota - A leader in literacy for adult learners with a lot of great information.
Portland Literacy Council - Serving the Portland area, but with programming that is relevant to a wide audience.
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Schoolhouse Rock - several videos are available for free, including classics like how a bill becomes a law and how conjunctions work.
The Tacoma Area Literacy Council (TALC) is an all-volunteer, 501 (c)(3) organization that provides FREE one-to-one English literacy tutoring to adults in Pierce County. Our program is designed to meet the needs and goals of adults by providing the reading and comprehension skills necessary to deal with everyday life. The relationship between the tutor and adult learner constitutes the heart of our program. Many of our learners have had great difficulty in standard classroom situations, yet are motivated and willing to work. A commitment to one-to-one tutoring can produce amazing results and open doors to success for our learners, perhaps for the first time in their lives. Training is provided to adult volunteers who want to help others gain the literacy skills necessary to function successfully in our complex society. No previous teaching experience is necessary.