We need you!

We hope you will consider becoming a volunteer tutor for the Sauk Prairie Area Literacy Council.  Tutors are on the front lines in improving our community and often say that volunteering with SPALC has enriched their lives. You can join them!  

We are continually seeking new volunteers because learners are continually reaching out for someone to assist them. We supply what's needed - Teacher Workbooks, Learner Workbooks and other materials - at no cost whatsoever to the tutors or learners.  No experience is required to become a tutor and it is not necessary to speak another language. Tutors meet with their learners in public places, such as public libraries or coffee shops. The typical time commitment to be a tutor is 1 to 2-hours per week.

We provide ongoing support for our tutors.  We require all first-time tutors attend a Tutor Preparation Workshop prior to being matched with a learner.  New tutors can request to  "shadow" an experienced tutor (observe an actual tutor/learner session with the permission of the learner) before, during or after training, to see how a class might go.  

Both the Ruth Culver Community Library in Prairie du Sac and the George Culver Community Library in Sauk City have English language materials available for the tutor and the learner to check out.  SPALC holds "in-service" type tutor gatherings, called "Tutor Idea Exchanges" (TIEs), featuring a topic of interest to continue tutor training, and also share stories of successes or discuss and resolve any challenges they may be encountering.  

We have some tutors who choose to develop their own "curriculum" and course materials, based on the needs of their learner and with the many resources available in our libraries and on the web. While this can be time-consuming, it also can be nicely custom-tailored to the needs and goals of the learner.  

Others prefer to use the Curriculum developed by Intercambio.  Many tutors have found this series extremely helpful in guiding them through a logical progression of lessons. Intercambio materials are provided by SPALC free of charge to tutors and learners. This short video describes the curriculum.

Tutor Registration Form

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Requirements and Commitment

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• Tutors must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or a GED.
• All tutors must complete a Tutor Preparation Workshop before being matched with a student. This workshop provides an overview of the Tutor Handbook designed for SPALC tutors. 
• We ask at least a 6-9 month commitment from new tutors.
• Most tutors are matched with one learner.
• The amount of class time varies according to goals and availability, but must be at least one-hour per week.  
• Tutors submit a Monthly Tutor Report to document the hours spent preparing and teaching learners, and to report the successes and difficulties that are encountered to help us monitor how we're doing as an organization is accomplishing our mission.

You do NOT have to....

• Speak a foreign language
• Have experience as a teacher