FAQs

A major purpose of Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. (LVA) is to train and support volunteers to be effective tutors of adults, thus mobilizing the talents of people who can make a significant impact in creating a more literate society.

LVA uses a learner-centered, whole language approach in its individualized tutoring of reading and writing, both in one-to-one and small group instruction.

This approach recognizes that people use their life experience and knowledge of what makes sense when learning to read and write. It focuses on material tied to the learner's goals and interests and stresses the use of literature and everyday materials such as newspapers or work manuals. Another source of authentic reading material is language experience in which students dictate or write paragraphs based on their own experience, using their own vocabulary and sentence structure. A stimulating collaborative learning climate is achieved when students share their stories with one another.

In a learner-centered environment, each student learns to read and write in a print context that has meaning for him or her. This context includes scope for discussion, so that an interactive relationship among the communication channels (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking) is stimulated both in one-to-one and small group tutoring sessions. This approach integrates such holistic activities as assisted reading and process writing and more skilled-based activities such as sight word identification, cloze exercises, and sound-symbol, word analysis (or phonics) exercises as needed.

In its English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, LVA supports a communicative approach which stresses authentic communication as the main route to effective second language acquisition. LVA's objective in its ESOL program is to help students to move from controlled activities and responses to spontaneous situations that provide opportunities for real communication and self-expression. This includes the use of drills and other skill-based activity, as supplemental to the primary work of stimulating "real life" communication in one-to-one and small group tutoring sessions. LVA promotes a balanced approach in its ESOL program that gives students practice in listening and speaking, as well as in reading and writing.

In both programs, the use of computer assisted instruction and other technologies is encouraged.

It is imperative when using learner-centered approaches that tutors be trained to assess the students� reading and writing levels, interests, and goals. This is done primarily through use of READ (Reading Evaluation Adult Diagnosis), ESOLOA (English Second Language Oral Assessment), reading inventories, interview techniques, listening skills, observation, and portfolio assessment as appropriate. Tutors are also familiarized with lesson planning techniques as well as adult interest books.

LVA�s flexible approaches to tutoring are designed to help individual learners in a manner appropriate to their learning styles, goals, and literacy proficiencies.

The ultimate aim of LVA's learner-centered program is to help people become independent readers, writers, and speakers of English.