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. They often say that volunteering with SPALC has enriched their lives. You can join them!  We are seeking new volunteers because students are waiting now for someone to assist them.  No experience is required to become a tutor and it is not necessary to speak another language. Tutors meet with their students in public places, such as public libraries or coffee shops.  The typical time commitment to be a tutor is 1 to 2 contact hours per week.

We provide continuous support for our tutors.  We require that all first-time tutors attend a Tutor Preparation Workshop (3-4 two-hour sessions) prior to being matched with a student. There is no cost for Workshop materials. New tutors can request to  "shadow" an experienced tutor 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 student to check out.  Several times a year, 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 difficulties and successes.

Some tutors choose to develop their own "curriculum" and course materials, based on the many resources available in our libraries and on the web. While this can be time-consuming, it also can be custom tailored to the needs and goals of the student.  
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 students. This short video describes the curriculum.

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 student.
  • The amount of class time varies according to goals and availability, but must be at least one hour per week.  
  • Tutors must file a Tutor Monthly Report to document the hours spent teaching students, and to report the successes and difficulties that are encountered.
You do NOT have to....
  • Speak a foreign language
  • Have experience as a teacher
Photo used under Creative Commons from poppet with a camera