So-- What's a Tutor to Do?
Most volunteer tutors are skilled readers who want to share this skill with someone else.  But what does it take to be an effective tutor?  Can tutors teach children to read?  Cathy M. Roller argues in her introduction to "So... What's a Tutor to Do?" that the goal of having every child read by the end of third grade can be realized only if tutors are trained properly.  The author who designed this book to complement her 1996 book about  teaching struggling readers,  "Variability Not Disability", describes best practices based on her own years of tutoring experience.Calling for tutor training programs to "do it right," Roller outlines research in reading and writing development as a basis for the tutoring session.  Her concise description of the tutoring session and the principles of good tutoring will guide even the most inexperienced volunteer.  She also provides specific suggestions and strategies for each segment of the session and reassures volunteer tutors at every stop.  In addition,  a section at the end of each chapter titled "For the Supervisor" explains how trainers best can teach tutors to use the strategies.  The concluding chapter, also designed for tutoring supervisors, describes how to establish a tutoring program locally.This accessible text, full of solid information and tips for tutoring, will appeal to volunteer tutors and the reading specialists who train them.