International Languages

Starting the second week of the semester, students who are interested in working with a language tutor can meet with a tutor on a drop-in basis according to the schedule listed above. All tutoring takes place in the CTLR in Davis Family Library. 

Yes, language tutors only work with students that are currently enrolled in a language course. If you are not currently enrolled in a course, one resource to practice language is Language Tables. You can also contact the department of the language you are interested in to find other opportunities.

Language tutors can help students with a variety of assignments and learning goals related to a language course that they are currently taking.

Language tutors do the following:

• Explain concepts that students have difficulty understanding
• Use alternate methods and examples to explain content and help students understand
• Help students identify patterns in their speaking and writing
• Share successful study strategies based on experience and training
• Help students become more independent as they go along

Language tutors do not do the following:

• Complete assignments for students
• Simply “edit” a student’s work (vs. helping them to see areas of improvement)
• Assist in take-home exams
• Grade assignments or discuss assigned grades
• Attempt to judge the acceptability of work from the instructor’s point of view
• Comment on an instructor’s grading policy, teaching style, or personality
• Discuss a client’s achievements or abilities with other students

• Set specific goals and inform the tutor about your needs and experiences: The more explicit you are about what you’d like to  work on with a tutor, the more that tutor can help you toward meeting those goals.  A goal could be to work on a particular assignment or project, to review and clarify grammar or other language points from class, to prepare for a test or presentation, etc.
• Be aware of what tutors can and can’t do: The goal of tutoring is to facilitate long-term learning and independence. This means, for example, that a tutor will not ‘line edit’ your work—i.e. correct all errors. Rather, the tutor will help you identify most important errors, and to learn the rules and patterns that will allow you to correct and prevent those errors on your own. 
• Share with us about your experience: At any point you can share your thoughts with Diane DeBella, the language tutoring coordinator, at ddebella@middlebury.edu.

Students become language tutors via faculty referral, usually at the beginning of the fall semester. Students need to have completed a course in the language department to be hired as a tutor. Hiring is done based on CTLR needs and demand for tutoring within each specific department.You may contact the CTLR to find out whether there is any need for new tutors. Once students are selected as tutors, they are required to complete extensive training (paid) before they can begin working.

NOTE: Contact Diane DeBella at ddebella@middlebury.edu for more information.