English education and tutoring for speakers of other languages (e.g., ELL, ESL, ESOL, EFL) have become popular. There are a variety of options available in the form of classes and tutoring that are offered in-person and online.
Basic: Introduction to English that often includes vowels, consonants, vocabulary, and sentence structure.
Intermediate: Focuses on holding conversations with other English speakers, including listening and speaking skills.
Advanced: Focuses on communicating effectively in the workplace and community, including reading and writing skills.
American Accent training: Designed to help those with advanced skills to speak with an American accent.
Conversation tutoring: Focuses on improving the ability to discuss any topic that comes up in everyday life. This often includes appropriate use of pronouns, verb tenses, and building a robust vocabulary. Listening and speaking skills are emphasized.
If you look at advertisements for tutoring you often see three categories: basic, intermediate, and advanced. The truth is there are an infinite number of students and each student has unique needs. I have learned a great deal from my students, including the importance of meeting with the students, asking them what they want and need, then using my knowledge and expertise to create a customized tutoring plan for each student. It's a lot like watching a moving train and trying to figure out when to jump on the train without slowing it down. Tutors need to understand where the students have been in their learning journey, how quickly they have been able to learn the language so far, and which direction they are heading. It is up to the tutor to facilitate the process without redirecting the train or causing it to jump the tracks.
Based on your experience, what type of English tutoring is most needed in the United States today for speakers of other languages? Please share the reasons for your response in the comments section.
