The UBC Okanagan Library is pleased to announce a community partnership that will enable Project Literacy Kelowna to bring their One to One Tutoring Program for English language acquisition to the campus community.
Providing these services in an on-campus location will be particularly beneficial for the many talented UBC students with language backgrounds other than English.
Shirley Hutchinson, vice-president of the Project Literacy Kelowna Board and psychology lecturer with the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, is delighted that the program will be able to accept up to 20 student volunteer tutors. These volunteers will have the unique opportunity to meet new friends and receive training and ongoing support from Project Literacy’s education coordinator.
Amanda Brobbel, manager of Writing and Research Services, is particularly excited that students will be able to benefit from an on-campus meeting with a Project Literacy education coordinator, who will organize up to 20 tutor-learner matches near the beginning of each winter term in September and January. The coordinator will help to determine each learner’s goals and objectives, as well as assess their baseline literacy skills.
“This type of assessment and support would normally not be affordable for most students and we welcome the opportunity to support the program that complements the academic writing services offered through the Writing and Research Centre in the UBC Okanagan Library,” says Brobbel.
“Our office sees requests each year for additional tutoring, specifically related to English language acquisition. We often have had to refer students to private tutors or Kelowna-based resources, which may not always provide the academic emphasis that they are looking for,” says Kirsten Bennett, manager of the English Foundation Program.
Project Literacy-trained tutors will begin to meet with their assigned learners in October in the Writing and Research Centre (room LIB 237).
Tutor recruitment will start on September 12 at the campus Club Expo day. Students interested in becoming a volunteer tutor can sign up at the Project Literacy Booth. Those interested in volunteering or becoming a learner should email: Katia Bois, education coordinator with Project Literacy Kelowna, at: katia@projectliteracykelowna.org
