Resources for Literacy Tutors and Volunteers

Energize, Inc. – The Energize website “empowers and inspires leaders of volunteers worldwide. Our specialty is creating and selecting the most relevant, innovative resources in volunteer management.” The Volunteer Management Resource library provides free access to volunteer management articles, e-books, links to research, and websites – organized by subject. The “Volunteer Management Skill Area” contains book excerpts, articles, and web resources on common topics such as volunteer recruitment, retention, interviewing, screening, and support, in addition to issues like fundraising, event planning, and program evaluation and assessment.

Thinkfinityorg - The Verizon Literacy Network contains self-paced free online courses not only for volunteers but also for literacy program managers. Download or browse the Verizon Literacy Network Free Online Course Catalog for complete descriptions of all the offerings. While none of the teaching-related courses is intended to substitute for the experience of a group preservice training, some courses could be used as screening and orientation material to help prospective volunteers get a clearer picture of tutoring before committing to your organization. Other courses could easily be adapted to use in a group in-service workshop or recommended to active tutors for self-study.

Literacy Minnesota Volunteer Trainings - Literacy Minnesota's online courses are interactive and self-paced. Most courses offer Continuing Education Units (CEU's) for teacher re-licensure. One signs up for an online course. Online Courses offered to include:

Volunteer in the Adults ESL Classroom - This training prepares new volunteers to work in an Adult ESL classroom, and provides ongoing development for experienced classroom volunteers. Topics covered include volunteer roles, culture, and cultural awareness, responding to errors, and effective floating in the ESL classroom.
Tutoring Basics - Tutoring Basics will provide you with core strategies for structuring a tutoring session that is intentional and skill-based. If you’re new to tutoring K-12 students, this workshop is a great place to start!
Foundations of Intercultural Development - Introductory course that provides a foundation for further learning. Appropriate for those who work with public school students and their managers/supervisors.
Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness - This course is for Adult Basic Education practitioners to learn strategies to reduce the stigma of mental illness. This course offers 3 Continuing Education Units (CEU's).
Citizenship Tutor Training - The Citizenship Tutor Training educates teachers and tutors to assist students in preparing for United States Citizenship through naturalization. This course offers 3 Continuing Education Units (CEU's).
Computer Literacy Curriculum Planning - This course will provide resources and tools for planning and implementing a computer literacy course for adult learners. This course offers 6 Continuing Education Units (CEU's).

Office of Illinois - Adult Literacy Volunteer Tutor Resources - this is a 13 Lesson course by the Illinois State Library that is free for anyone to take on their website. While the first lesson does focus on Illinois state policies and procedures, the rest of the lessons are full of information that any adult literacy volunteer tutor can use to train themselves to be better tutors for adult students