English Language Learner-1st Grade

by Erin F.
(Riverside, CA)

I am a first grade teacher. For my Masters in Education with a Concentration in Reading, I had to tutor an English Language Learner for the semester. One of my 1st grade students was struggling so I asked her parents if I could tutor her one-on-one after school. I began tutoring her on Mondays. Prior to beginning tutoring Melissa** she was very timid. She would become easily frustrated with reading and begin to cry. I began our lessons with simple games and read alouds. She slowly became more confident and would ask me daily if we were going to do tutoring. She stopped crying and began volunteering to answer and read aloud in class. By the end of our sessions, Melissa was 2 levels above where she began. I recently spoke to her 2nd grade teacher and she told me that she reads very well and is up to grade level! (**Name has been changed)