Hello...I am currently tutoring a 7 year old boy who is chinese and speaks very little English. I have tutored him for the past 2 years. Last year I worked primarily with him as a volunteer in a project which is a tutoring/mentoring project in reading. This year I have been asked to work with him much more extensively on the curriculum the teacher has to follow. He is having great difficulty although he is making strides. He is communicating with me and has become quite inquisitive but the curriculum itself is not at his level of understanding at the moment. The school district apparently does not have an ESL specialist available to them. I've been putting in approximately 20 hours per week as a volunteer with him including the time I spend with him in class and one on one, the daily and weekly reports I prepare and the research I do on my own at home. At the present time he is not on an IEP and not receiving any additional services from the school district. He does not have any support at home as there are no english speaking members in the family except for an 8th grade brother. Therefore because of this homework assignments are not returned or any paperwork sent home from the parents. In fact, I have been working on his homework as part of my time spent with him as well as giving him his reading and spelling tests weekly
An appointment has been scheduled to meet (hopefully) with the parents regarding what services the school should be providing. My feeling is that he needs an aid both in class and to work with him one on one. We are also to have a teachers meeting prior to the meeting with the parents to brain storm ideas. My question is, what should I do to prepare for these meetings? I do intend to make copies of all my notes and reports regarding what I have been doing with him to provide at the meetings. Please keep in mind my background is not education, however, I have worked for the past 30 years with the state with an agency who assists folks with all kinds of disabilities.

I really want to help him. I'm not sure what the school has to provide exactly in terms of additional services. I know money is an issue and they will probably only provide bare minimum services.

I have a great rapport with this student and he is comfortable with me. He responds to me and things are beginning to click. I could do so much more with him if I was given the go ahead to do so. I'm hoping administration can see that during these meetings. That is why I need to know the best way I can prepare for this.

Thank you for any ideas or information any of you can provide.

Jana