Learner Stories as reported by tutors

• My learner thinks he understands about 50% more of the English spoken to and around him than he did 1 year ago when this match began.  He has mastered days of the week and months of the year and has improved pronunciation and spelling. His use of the "First 100 Words Most Commonly Used in English" (a resource we use) has improved. With approximately 90% accuracy, he pronounces and identifies parts of the body.

• My learner can now send an attachment with an e-mail, and complete a job resume on a computer.  At first, the goal was to be able to follow along with the tutor as she read.  Then, he and the tutor alternated reading.   Eventually, over several months with the same text or texts of similar difficulty, the student was able to read more on his own.  Now close to 100% independent reading by the learner.

• My learner is using English subtitles of movies to learn spelling and finds it helps a lot.​

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• My learner is working toward being able to obtain a better job and complete the GED.  I have used pictures of occupations, transportation, and places of business.  Through use of these pictures, she has progressed in learning the related vocabulary and generated short sentences about the pictures.

 

• My learner, who is at a pre-literacy level, is becoming more familiar with the alphabet:  recognizing letters, writing the letters, and memorizing the alphabet.

 

• My learner's goal was to be able to attend her children’s school programs and understand what is going on as well as to converse with other mothers and teachers.  She was able to achieve the “converse with other mothers” part this past May.

 

• My learner works in a restaurant, and now feels confident enough in English to begin taking orders for take-out over the phone.

 

• My learner's task at work is to place certain items in several specific bins.  She needed co-workers to read labels on the bins, but now can read the labels by herself and completes the task independently.

 

• Previously, my learner needed a translator at medical appointments, but now is confident to speak with his doctor without a translator.

 

• My learner can write the words for numbers up to 100, so he is now able to begin writing checks.

 

• My learner is improving her skills to ask questions at work and understand the replies.  Now she is able to speak on the phone in English much better.  She advanced to a supervisory position at work because her English improved and she gained confidence.