Partners in Reading

I’ve been tutoring an Iranian man who came to the United States via a green card he won in the lottery system for a month. He’s only been in this country for nine months, but it would make me happy to help him learn English proficiently so he can get a good job here. I meet him once a week. He speaks beginning English, and not knowing any Farsi, I find myself using Google Translate for direct translations. I mostly do reading comprehension practice with him when I meet him each week in the library each week. The difference between tutoring a native speaker and non-​native speaker of English is night and day. If you would tutor English to a non-​native speaker, you’re just matched with whomever needs your help. You don’t get to choose. And yes, it is harder if you don’t speak their native language. I just help my learner go through the material provided to me by Ellen from the MLK office and give periodical progress reports. All you have to do is teach your learner English. Your responsibility isn’t a social worker.

I, too, am a tutor in the San Jose Library’s Partners in Reading Program PAR). I waited until I retired to join the program and started in March of this year. My student is a young man from China who had studied English in school. He signed up with the program to improve his reading, comprehension and conversation skills.
I was a bit «gun-​shy» at first, but the staff at the PAR offices quickly eased my fears. The two day training covered all the bases and I left with materials to study and ready to begin. My student and I met at the PAR offices in the Martin Luther King Library and at the coffee shop near his home.
The office keeps a ready supply of materials for students and tutors on-​hand at all times. In addition, there is a Yahoo group for tutors and a website to help us find new avenues of teaching and learning opportunities. The PAR Facebook page is also a tremendous resource for both teacher and learners.
Over the past months my students’ skills in all areas has greatly improved. He is more confident in conversation and in reading. I can honestly say that being a PAR tutor has been one of the most valuable and rewarding experiences I’ve had in a long time. I highly recommend this volunteer opportunity as one that will benefit you and your student. Check out the PAR website at
. and please think about joining this winning team in 2012.

I have been a volunteer computer skills tutor at PARTNERS IN READING (PAR) for the last three months and it has been a tremendously rewarding experience for me. The program is located in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr library in downtown San Jose. Parking can be found across the street at Fourth Street Parking Garage or on the street. From their web site
«The mission of Partners in Reading is to enrich the lives of adults through reading, writing, technology, life skills, critical thinking, as well as English language learning; equipping them to achieve their goals and participate more fully and with greater confidence in all areas of their lives.»
The PAR staff is friendly, supportive, and wonderful to work with. They provide excellent training and will pair you with a learner based on your availability. This has been such a personally enriching experience for me. Please see their web site
or call (408) 808‑2361 for more information and to get started. PAR is truly a great way to give back to the community!