PT: towards eliminating struggles with English!

PT: towards eliminating struggles with English!

Dhufra Al-Kharousi

College of Education, English

For passionate learners' sake, the Tutorial Centre (TC) applies its very innovative and unique Peer Tutoring Program. The TC is a part of Student Support Unit (SSU) whihc is located in the language centre (LC) in Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). It is run by a team of active faculty members with a goal of easing the difficulties for English learners.

Tutorials' system

The TC is aimed particularly at helping foundation program students to pass their courses and improve their English by offering them individualized tutoring sessions. The significance of the program is that all tutoring is done by undergraduates, junior and senior, English Specialist Students (ESS). Each session lasts for 30 minutes. Tutees in a tutorial follow a reading and vocabulary course and are offered the opportunity to ask general questions and seek assistance. A student who is interested in being tutored just needs to pay a visit to the TC and book a weekly appointment to meet one of the peer tutors. Sessions are booked according to the student's timetable to ensure that tutorial sessions do not clash with the students lecture time. A maximum of 1 hour, 2 sessions, is available for each student per week.

Peer Tutor (PT): characters and roles

Peer tutors are strictly selected by testing their competence in language and communication skills. Those who are admitted to be tutors go through training workshops and continued supervision by SQU teachers. PTs generally have to be characterized with punctuality, knowledge, patience, responsibility and all the other virtues that apply to good teachers. Their main role is to assist students and facilitate learning by running relaxed and comfortable sessions. Upon accomplishment of their duties, PTs receive a certificate of experience and a proper wage for their acknowledgeable effort.

Tutees duties

Tutees, on the opposite bank, need to be punctual as well; be on time and attend all their booked sessions. They need to be hard-workers, too, in order to gain a maximum level of benefit from the TC. They should do work assigned to them by PTs and come prepared with questions and inquiries.

Accessibility to materials

The TC tutoring rooms are well-organized and prepared with sufficient materials that can be helpful to both students and PTs. A variety of resources like books, exercises, exams, computers and web accessibility are available. Printing and copying services are offered in the TC for peer tutors to make the teaching and learning process easy and dynamic.

Towards independent learners

Students seeking help from the TC are more likely to be independent learners as they are usually sent to the LC library and computer labs to do extra work. PTs guide and encourage students to do activities of their own; and they are more than welcome to bring their work to the TC to be reviewed and discussed.

PT program, harvests admiration!

The Tutorial Centre has proved its success through the huge number of students seeking help recently. Students find it more comfortable and desirable to be tutored by other students. Mrs. Alexandra Craig, who is in charge of the TC, pointed out that students get a lot of benefits from being peer tutored, because the tutors were once in the same situation. As a result they give practical help based on their experience, knowledge and training. The tutor also uses both Arabic and English to help reinforce the language as well as study skills. Ahmed Al-Bahlooli, a tutee, admits, “I like the TC because it prepares me for my exams.” Also, peer tutors can gain experience which prepares them for a prosperous career future! Iman Al Husaini explained that being a PT taught her to be responsive and cooperative with others. Umaima Al Kiyomi, another PT, says, “It is a gift from God as it gave me the opportunity to help others who are struggling with their academic issues.”