For Tutors

We are always looking for new tutors! Thank you for your interest in volunteering. Please take a look at the information below and fill out the form to move forward. If you have questions, please contact Allison Smith, Assistant Library Director at aasmith@minlib.net.


Volunteer Requirements

No teaching experience is necessary and you do not need to be a Franklin resident. 
We do ask that volunteers:

  • are at least 18 years of age
  • have a high school diploma or equivalent
  • speak English clearly
  • commit to meeting with your student for 1 hour each week

Training

Although no previous teaching experience is necessary, there are best practices that you will find useful as a tutor. The library aims to hold 90 minute, in-person tutor trainings every few months to give volunteers confidence and a good baseline to work from. If you don't see a training coming up on our Events Calendar, the Literacy Works ESL Tutor Essentials program linked below is another option. Attending a training and/or completing the Literacy Works course is not a requirement for volunteering, but you may find the tools they offer helpful in becoming the best tutor you can be! Feel free to browse the Literacy Works course modules as well as our list of ESOL Resources on the main ESOL page for lesson plans, worksheets, and other tutoring tips. The library also has an ESOL collection of textbooks, workbooks, flashcards, etc. that you can browse in our catalog or in person on the second floor, just past the reference desk.

Another resource for tutors is our Tutor Roundtable, held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 11am. This is completely optional, but it is a good opportunity to swap resources with your fellow volunteers, bring questions, and share successes. A copy of notes from each meeting will be sent to all tutors.

Literacy Works ESL Tutor Essentials

1. Visit Literacy Works and follow the directions to create an account. Where it asks for an organization, you can either enter 'Franklin Public Library' or 'self'.
2. You'll receive a confirmation email with a link to enroll in a course. Click the link and select the Tutor Essentials: ESL (Members Only) Free version.
3. Once you've selected the course, click view product. On this page, you can scroll to view all of the modules or lessons available in the training. You can go through lesson by lesson or pick and choose the topics that feel most helpful to you. Each lesson includes a short presentation and the slides and additional worksheets are available to download for easy revisiting.

If you have any questions or trouble accessing the program, please contact Allison at aasmith@minlib.net.