Tutors

To Volunteer

Public libraries in Southern California provide FREE literacy services to English-speaking adults who want to improve basic reading and writing skills. As a volunteer, you have the rare opportunity to share the excitement and joy of helping someone read for the first time and to create a learning environment that promotes self-esteem and helps adult learners participate more fully in their community. You can help an adult:

• Develop basic reading skills
• Improve spelling and writing
• Gain general knowledge
• Apply literacy skills to daily life
• Become more confident and independent

Successful volunteer tutors:

• Read and write comfortably in English
• At least 18 years old
• Previous teaching or tutoring experience is not required
• Have patience and empathy
• Have good listening skills
• Flexible and nonjudgmental
• Able to learn and use a variety of teaching methods

Typical commitment of a volunteer tutor:

• 2 tutoring sessions per week
• Each session is 1 1/2 hours
• Minimum 6 months of tutoring
• A combination of Orientations, Tutor Workshops, and In-Service workshops
• One-to-one tutoring and/or Small Groups