During Alma’s second year as a literacy tutor for Battle Creek Public Schools (BCPS), her boss asked her to do something new. SLD Read was coming to BCPS, and Alma was to be trained to tutor with its curriculum.

So, this summer Alma and two other literacy tutors for BCPS, Rita and Danesha, found themselves in Valley View Elementary School library with a big instructional binder, multisensory learning tools, and a cheerful instructor. They learned what they needed to pilot the SLD Read Language Links program in BCPS in a week. Now, they each deliver individualized, 1:1 tutoring to students in BCPS summer school.
Alma took well to the change. She always knew she liked working with kids, especially getting them to understand something new. “I love when something clicks with them,” she said. There is a feeling of pride and accomplishment for her. “When they finally get it, they want to learn more.”

Although Alma has been a literacy tutor for a few years, she noticed a difference between the SLD Read curriculum and her previous methods. Before, she pulled kids out in groups. “In a group,” she said, “You have to see where everyone is and go in the middle. It’s too easy for some of them and too difficult for others.” The 1:1 tutoring she does now side-steps this issue: “You really get to focus on what that child struggles with.”

Alma and her coworkers underwent training–prospective SLD Read tutors receive one week of training and 12 sessions working directly with a master tutor before they lead lessons on their own. Alma felt that she had all the resources and support she needed. “With a lot of [tutoring] places,” she said, “you’re just thrown in. Here, whatever you need, I know it’s somewhere in that binder.”

To those considering becoming a tutor, Alma says to do it. “It’s only challenging for a little while, then it gets a lot easier. If you’re willing to learn it, it will click.”

The program in BCPS will continue into the 2023-24 school year. BCPS plans to have SLD Read train up to ten additional tutors to give students even more support.