Learning Center Tutor Training
West Los Angeles College
C.Selby
New Tutors/Student Tutor I/Level 1 Certified Tutor (CRLA)
Modules/Topics
1 Getting Started as a Tutor (Definition
of Tutoring & Responsibilities, Basic
Tutoring Guidelines/Tutoring Dos &
Don’ts, Setting Expectations, Policies
& Procedures)
2 Holding a Successful Tutoring Session
(Beginning and Ending a Session,
Having a Student-Driven Agenda,
Active Learning, Summary, Planning
for Follow Up)
3 How We Learn & Learning Styles
(Learning Theory, Multiple
Intelligence Theories, VARK, 8 Modes
of Intelligences, Adult Learners)
4 Effective Communication, Emotional
Intelligence, Communication Skills,
Non-verbal Communication,
Cultural/Gender Differences in
Communication, Active Listening, and
Paraphrasing
5 Role Modeling (Modeling Problem
Solving, Assessing or Changing Study
Behaviors, Role Modeling, Critical
Thinking Skills)
Assignments/Activities
Define tutoring/role of tutor in
own words, distinguish
differences in tutoring, teaching,
supplemental instruction, develop
tutoring philosophy and personal
values, appropriate actions &
behavior role-play/identification
Assign beginning, middle, and
end to various “parts” of a
tutoring session, tutors shadow
experience tutor and write
breakdown/report, establish bank
of welcoming phrases to open
and encouraging phrases to close
with, role-play scenarios
Describe/identify preferences of
each learning style and describe
attributes, explore individual
learning style/preference and
strategies, explain principles of
Knowles’ theory of andragogy
and apply to our center/students
Observe mock tutoring session,
identify and explain why certain
behaviors are ineffective for
communication in scenarios,
role-playing scenario with
different student types
Tutor-created handout or mind
map that explains the SQ3R
method, mock email creation
requesting specific issues such as
clarification on assignment,
extension, or to request a meeting
 6 Assisting Difficult Students, Dealing
with Difficult Tutoring Situations, De-
escalation
7 Test Anxiety, Information Overload,
and Memory Principles/ Mnemonics
9 Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
and Title IX, Establishing a Safe
Workplace Environment, Reporting
Harassment, Supporting Survivors,
Championing Gender Diversity and
Awareness, Providing Resources
Returning Tutors/Student Tutor II/Level 2 Advanced Certified Tutor (CRLA)
1 Review of Level 1 (Certified Tutor)
Topics
2 Understanding Group Process,
Facilitating Group Sessions
Small group role play,
observation of staged interactions
to discuss strategies, matching
difficult behaviors to remedies or
solutions, identifying larger
issues or barriers that may be
contributing to student’s attitude
and knowing resources to direct
them to
Review and identify effective
study methods, order sample of
tasks according to importance
and need, practice time-blocking
and time management (for study
and for tests), responding to
sample student scenarios with
reassuring and positive language
Respond to sample student
scenarios with best practices
keeping survivor safe and in
driver’s seat, choose effective
and appropriate language and
responses, identify resources on
and off campus
Supervisor observation and
evaluation to ensure tutor is
carrying out all of the skills,
attitudes, and behaviors included
in the Level 1 training, formal
written assessment covering
Level 1 topics (score of at least
85%)
Identify behaviors that would
both negatively and positively
impact group sessions, resolve
and mediate sample conflicts,
delegating/assigning work during
a sample task, defining

3 Equity Mindset (Being a Warm
Demander, Cultural Awareness,
Intercultural Communication,
Diversity, & Special Needs Students,
Culture as a Resource, Safe to Fail
Environments)
4 Brain Dominance Theory
(Lateralization of Brain Function),
Self-regulated Learning, and Memory
5 Deficit vs. Asset-Based Thinking -
Promoting Strength-Based Thinking
(Tara Yosso’s Community Cultural
Wealth Model, Focusing on Potential
and Strengths, Challenging Deficit-
Based Narrative)
6 Probing Questions (Socratic Method)
compassionate leadership
qualities and best practices
Define culture and explaining
how culture influences learning
and tutoring, defining of terms
related to cultural diversity
(prejudice, stereotype, privilege,
etc.), tutor reflects on their own
cultural norms and how this
might impact a tutoring
relationship, mock tutoring
session using culturally
appropriate language that
encourages diverse viewpoints
Create additional tutoring
activities to compare and contrast
characteristics of right/left brain
learning, develop and deliver
tutoring activities that address
specific brain-dominant traits,
suggests additional tools to help
learner adapt and obtain deeper
understanding of content
Choose appropriate language and
responses for mock tutoring
session (open, middle, close),
define Yosso’s concepts, identify
and discuss power of language
and how it shapes interactions
Explain the difference between
clarifying and probing questions
(identifying the two), turn
clarifying question into a probing
question, small group exercise to
ask five different questions:
clarifying, probing, open-ended,
close-ended, and Socratic
Method
Returning Tutors/Student Tutor III/Level 3 Master Certified Tutor (CRLA)
1 Review of Levels 1 & 2 (Certified
Tutor) Topics
The Role of the Learning Center on the
Campus, The Role of Learning Centers
in Higher Education
2 How to Identify and Tutor Target
Populations
3 Training and Mentoring Other Tutors
in the Learning Center (Supervisory
Skills)
4 Advanced Group Management Skills
(Group Interaction and Group
Dynamics)
Supervisor observation and
evaluation to ensure tutor is
carrying out all of the skills,
attitudes, and behaviors included
in the Level 1 and 2 training,
formal written assessment
(including assessing case studies)
covering Level 1 and 2 topics
(score of at least 85%)
Create population-specific
materials to use during sessions,
discuss list of prescribed
behaviors or linguistic cues
during role play (without
prompting), reflection on tutoring
session with target population,
identify available campus
resources and makes appropriate
referrals
Develop plans, deliver trainings
on topics appropriate for Levels 1
and 2, models appropriate
behaviors for junior tutors in
mock sessions and on tutoring
floor, explain evaluation process
and cycle and can recommend
specific corrective action, watch
recorded tutoring session and
correctly complete evaluation of
the session (strengths and areas
of opportunity)
Develop relevant materials
(interview questionnaires,
rubrics, promotional materials),
assess effectiveness and
contributions of group members
and their impact on learning
community, identify group
members roles and how each is
essential to the group