Do the FWS students hired as reading tutors of children need to be trained?
Yes; students should be well-trained before they tutor. When FWS students receive training from a reading specialist, or expert, for sufficient duration and intensity, they are more likely to be successful with the child they are helping learn to read. In addition, tutor training should emphasize the importance of the reading tutor communicating with the regular classroom teacher to maximize effectiveness. For example, it is important for FWS reading tutors to be trained in a way that builds on the child’s in-class reading program. The amount and type of training for reading tutors will often vary depending on the child being tutored; for example, a preschool-age child will have needs different from a third-grader; a child with a disability will have different needs from a child without a disability.
