Introduction
Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful K–12 tutoring. In a Sapience learning center, a tutor’s ability to connect with a student often outweighs even content knowledge in importance (openoregon.pressbooks.pub). Strong tutor-student communication builds trust, eases student anxieties, and creates a supportive learning environment where students feel safe to share struggles. Research shows that when educators use effective communication strategies, it significantly boosts student engagement, motivation, and even academic achievement (files.eric.ed.gov). This self-paced module focuses exclusively on communication strategies for tutors during academic sessions with students (not parents or colleagues). We will explore evidence-based techniques – active listening, open-ended questioning, nonverbal communication awareness, and constructive feedback – that help tutors foster understanding and growth. By the end, you’ll have practical skills and scenarios to apply these strategies, enhancing your tutoring sessions and student outcomes.
Objectives
By completing this module, Sapience tutors will be able to:
- Identify and define key communication strategies (active listening, open-ended questioning, nonverbal cues, and constructive feedback) and explain why they are effective in K–12 tutoring sessions (files.eric.ed.gov and researchgate.net).
- Apply active listening techniques (e.g. paraphrasing, validating feelings) to build rapport and understanding with students during tutoring sessions (files.eric.ed.gov and innovativeeducators.org).
- Use open-ended questions to encourage student thinking and participation, rather than relying on yes/no questions, thereby promoting higher-order thinking and autonomy (researchgate.net).
- Demonstrate awareness of nonverbal communication, using positive body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice to create a welcoming, engaged learning atmosphere (researchgate.net).
- Provide constructive, growth-oriented feedback on student work in a timely, specific, and respectful manner that guides improvement without discouraging the learner (edutopia.org and researchgate.net).
- Reflect on and self-assess their own communication behaviors in tutoring sessions, identifying strengths and areas for continual improvement.
(This module is self-contained; no prior training modules are required.)