Responses

1. I was thinking about why there was no improvement with the student after so many years. I feel that the reading student does not use the skills he has learned outside of tutoring. He can get through life quite well not reading and when he leaves the classroom he does not need to read. Whole language activities to make the student want to read outside the class may help. For example, use junk mail in the class and encourage the adult to bring some in from home or use materials the adult might see daily like labels on clothes and ask that this be checked at home.
   Jeri@mail.wsu.edu">

2. I think you should talk to the Director of your program. If the student is not making progress, another approach might help. You sound like you need a change. I think this is a good idea.

3. I have been working in adult education for about 4 years now. I have faced this same dilemma, a few times myself. I fee like you have to be sure that you separate ,how you, the instructor ,gauge success and how your student gauges success. Apparently he still feels like his reading is a priority because he is taking the time in his busy adult life to attend twice a week.

   I find that by bringing WRITING and reading into my tutoring sessions , my students make so much more progress. Have you tried that? When I first became an adult education instructor , I was surprised at how much my students needed to come to class, for reasons other than academic. We need to recognize the importance of the social aspects of our sessions.
   landr32@aol.com

4. I truly believe the reading student should continue coming to the sessions. He obviously enjoys the sessions, and probably takes more with him than you are think. He may not know how to actually utilize the strategies being taught once he leaves the sessions. The whole language approach suggested earlier may be effective. Also, encourage the student to identify one or two goals he wants to achieve. Have him bring in things that he encounters on a daily basis that require reading. Read the comics, movie reviews, anything entertaining.
   hudsonk@ mindspring.com