Involve the learner in lesson planning. Ask her which skills she would like to work on next, and why. Needs and interests checklists can come in handy. Remember to use timelines, e.g. “this week I would like to be able to _________; next month I would like to be able to _________”. Keep it manageable – suggest that the learner focus on one or two new skills at a time. When discussing skills, remember to relate them to the ability to DO something.

Ask the learner to think about the short-term goal(s) she included in her personal training plan. Discuss how the recent lesson(s) relate to the achievement of those goals. What are the next steps towards reaching the goal? Keeping the short-term goal(s) in mind helps keep the learning relevant and learner-centred. You might want to think about using charts or some visual representation to help show progress. (Note: if the learner’s goals seem to have changed, be sure to let a staff member know so that the training plan can be updated if necessary).

Sometimes, learners will have a hard time identifying progress. Help them recognize new skills by asking what they can do now that they couldn’t do one month ago. You can also ask if friends or relatives have noticed anything. Give suggestions if appropriate. Show the learner a sample of the work she did on the first day you met and compare it with the work she is doing now. And don’t forget to point out the changes you have noticed!

Encourage the learner to keep a record of his progress. If he is not yet comfortable writing, he can dictate his successes to you. Even if he is willing to write, it is still helpful to discuss it first. This exercise can help the learner be more comfortable in talking about the skills he has mastered. A portfolio, or even a file box, is a good way to help keep things organized.

Some learners may be reluctant to discuss their progress – they might think that if they say they don’t like something, they are criticizing you, the tutor. Help them realize that they are critiquing the learning activity, not you.

Remind the learner that progress does not only include reading and writing skills, or math skills. There are a number of “self-management/self-direction” skills that are just as important. Ask the learner to think about how he is doing as a learner. To learn more about these skills, take a look at the Level Descriptions or Working with Learning Outcomes documents.

Help the learner to identify and focus on her strengths, not weaknesses. Build on those strengths.

Celebrate successes!