Beyond Reading and Writing: How Volunteer Tutors Develop Their Practice with Learners in Adult Literacy Programs in Ontario

Although volunteers account for a considerable portion of the instructors and tutors delivering adult literacy programs, volunteers are rarely the focus of research. Focusing specifically on the narratives of volunteers, this study fills this research gap by examining what the volunteers do in the tutoring sessions as well as their experience as volunteers. This study uses Bourdieuâ s theory of practice as the theoretical framework to gain a deeper understanding of the rationale behind the volunteersâ role as policy actors in the policy process. Three volunteers from an adult literacy program in Ontario shared their experiences in this study from which four composite stories emerged: before and after volunteering; what happened during the tutoring sessions; relationships between tutors and learners; and contrasts. These composite stories highlight the dynamics between agency and structure, the importance of perspective in understanding the relationships and the potential for social and policy change through reflexive practice.M.A