The Tutoring Book - California State University, Sacramento

• Hand gestures. Students who are visual learners might benefit from the use of hand gestures or
signs in order to communicate praise. For instance, try using a simple thumbs-up, “ok” sign or
even “snaps” to show readers that you like what you are reading. These simple alternative to oral
forms of praise not only are great because they are just as effective, but they also allow you to
engage with students in a highly demonstrative and tactile manner. In addition, hand gestures
allow you to extend praise even to hearing-impaired students.
• Use of space. The less distance between you and the writer, the more intimate and informal the
relationship. Arranging yourself in a manner that increases the distance between you and the
writer only increases the student’s impression that you are unapproachable. By arranging your
chair in closer proximity, you not only let the student know that you are not afraid to get closer to
them spatially, but also personally. This will go far in showing students that you are eager to
work with them and therefore make praise all the more genuine.
While these suggestions are not exhaustive and may not account for all student types and situations,
they should aid you in developing habits of praise that truly communicate to students that you value them
as a person and as a writer. After all, the job of a good tutor should not be to merely reinforce what
students have already heard from their teachers regarding their writing, but really to give them the tools
and confidence to become members of the academic writing community. However, in order to achieve
this goal, we must be willing to praise and praise often.
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