Challenges Encountered by Adult ESL Tutors in the Classroom: A Study of ESL Resources at Jubilee House

Adult literacy and ESL programs face unique challenges that K-12 or higher education settings do not encounter. ESL programs often have a limited budget and are run by community organizations that have volunteer teachers with little to no experience or training in teaching a language and literacy class or other pedagogical content knowledge. Jubilee House provides English literacy and social integration services to Hartford residents, especially immigrants and refugees. Through these programs, Jubilee House is able to help its students become active citizens and sustain their independence. Given the amount of preparation Jubilee tutors receive and the limited resources offered, my research question focused on the following: What kinds of ESL resources currently exist at Jubilee House and what do tutors find most helpful and useful about them? What kinds of additional resources do new tutors want? To answer this question, I conducted interviews with both incoming tutors and experienced ESL tutors on what resources they currently use in their teaching and what type of resources they would like, but can’t easily access. Additionally, I analyzed the characteristics of each type of resource to determine what components they share and/or how they differ. I provide recommendations on how my findings can be used to develop a tutor orientation packet for new tutors with Jubilee House’s ESL program