first of all, I would like to wish everyone the very best for 2013!

Secondly, my problem... I �ve just started tutoring a 15-year-old boy (whose mothertongue is Dutch). I didn �t know this boy before, but I was a bit shocked by the level of his English. Actually, I fear I must say that there is no level. Even basic English (sometimes, maybe, ...) is not his cup of tea. I �m really at loss here and have no idea how to tackle this so his marks improve. We looked at the unit that he is about to study in class so that at least he knows what his teacher is talking about. I told him we would do this every tutorial and when that is done, go back to the basics... Any ideas would be very welcome. Has anyone else had experience with this?

Many thanks in advance!

 

Karina

I often have such kids. I just a new student who is 17 and can �t even say "I play soccer every Saturday". so I know how you are feeling ;).

however, i always speak honest to the students and their parents and trying to be respectful and not hurting their feeling (thinking inside .. why on earth did you not come earlier?!). I explain to them that their level is way below where it should be and that it will take time to get where they should be - time and effort. And that there will be no miracle in a few weeks as some parents or students sometimes expect. 

I explain to the parents that you can �t teach algebra to somebody who doesn �t know that 1+1=2. and in English it is the same thing. i can �t teach somebody the future perfect tense if he doesn �t even know how to build a proper sentence. 
I actually usuall do the contrary to what you said you proposed. first of all I ask them what their aim is ... to become better in the longrun and to be able to really read, write and speak and get good marks at the end .. or to just gain 1 or 2 more points in their next classtest. Most of them would opt for the first. Then I tell them that I will not look too much into the things that they are doing now, but that I must begin with the basics and start to rebuild what is missing. And that is what I really do. I restart with the basic grammar - especially sentence structure since that is where many have problems with (at least in my area), tenses etc and very important also to build up their vocab. either with games or books, internet .. whatever I can find. And I often give homework, which I normally don �t do, but i let them know that a lot of work lies ahead of them and that also means work at home and not just that 1 or 2 hours they come to me during the week. Because some really think that it �s enough when they come to you and they will write the best marks after 4 weeks ...

while I build up the basics i normally put aside what they are doing at the moment, just on some occasions I ask them what �s the topic at the moment and if they need any help. Then I explain and give them some work for home maybe which i may check the next lesson, but i �m not focussing on that during my lessons.
The sooner the kid regains the basics, the sooner he will get to the level of the others and you can start with the tutoring of the topics that they have at the moment. And eventually he can stand on his own 2 feet.

But that is just my 2 cents and experience, others might do better than me ;)
I hope to hear other �s opinions and how they do as well :)

Have a nice afternoon

sara :)