INSTRUCTION AND INFORMAL, ongoing assessment are part of the learning cycle. As Isserlis stated, they are continuous, inseparable activities. They also form the basis of the volunteer’s role in the assessment process (see the chapter “Role of the Volunteer”). This process is constant and cyclical — both the learner and tutor will reflect on the work they are doing and then make changes to the lesson plan based on their observations.(43)

This combination of teaching and observing starts before the very first tutoring session. Program staff will need to share the results of the initial assessment with the volunteer tutor so that he will have an idea of where to start. After all, the tutor will need to be aware of the learner’s objectives before he can assess anything! In ongoing assessment, the focus will be on monitoring and reporting on:

• Knowledge and understanding;

• Skills and strategies; and

• Attitudes and values.

The training plan can help the volunteer and the learner identify specifically what they will be working on in these three areas. Ideally, they should have easy access at all times to a copy of the training plan.

Whatever resources and topics the staff and/or tutor choose to include in the first lesson, they will be focused on the learner’s expressed needs (as identified during the initial assessment phase and then recorded on the training plan). The actual instruction that takes place in that first lesson will reveal further information that should be used to develop and/or refine plans for future lessons.(44)

Ongoing assessment involves more than just the observation of learning, however. It is also helpful if the volunteer tutor is aware of other factors that might affect the learner’s progress. For example, if the tutor notices that the learner is having difficulty reading small print, a referral for an eye examination might be appropriate. Or, if it necessary to continually repeat instructions or to speak in a louder voice, perhaps the learner could benefit from a hearing assessment.