Meet a Tutoring Match

Elizabeth and Carla sharing their experience working together at the volunteer appreciation party in May, 2023. 

It might seem difficult to pair a tutor and a student, but it’s really not. When tutors and
students meet, both provide good feedback. The Program is careful in matching students and
tutors. Because of this, our pairs work well far more often than not. Different criteria, such as
education, professional experience, common interests, schedules, and so on. Because this
done manually, it can take a while.
A good example is Elizabeth (tutor) and Carla (student). They have met at both Framingham
Libraries, at some local cafes, and in some other places. Their first meeting was on July, 28th ,
2021, at the Main Library. Carla wasn’t able to express herself in English. The only contact she
had with English was with cashiers in stores. The most important thing to happen that day was
when Elizabeth asked Carla what would like to do and know besides English. What hobbies did
she have? And whether she was interested in learning about American culture.
They faced many challenges together while working together. Fear of the unknown, how
much to cover in a lesson without overwhelming either student or tutor, all that while avoiding
boredom and tedium.

Some tips they give us:

- Be consistent
- Go to tutorials
- Do "homework"
- Stay immersed
- Look for series or movies that you use to practice listening.
- Take advantage of this opportunity
- Believe in yourself
- These opportunities not only improve your English, they make it possible to be more at
ease in your local community
- Don't worry if it takes a while to get used to English word order and informal
conversation

They said the most enjoy:

1. Learning: English, pronunciation, New England culture, hobbies, local references.
2. The Relationship: having a safe place to express themselves, have a conversation, and
have a good laugh.
3. Going for boba tea and walks

If you were to ask Carla and Elizabeth: what they learned from this experience, and whether
they connected in more ways besides ELS lesson, no doubt, they would answer YES and also
explain how their lessons changed their lives.
Good luck, join us in the program and learn English in a unique and personal way.