From reading and writing basics likes phonics and spelling to advice on motivating the student to develop and improve writing skills, this handbook contains everything a person needs to get involved and to be effective as a tutor. The handbook tells readers what to expect, how to prepare, and, most important, how to begin. It explains the challenges of working with students at risk and students learning English as a new language, and it dispels common misconceptions about students with learning differences. The handbook contains 41 reproducible masters to help the tutor keep his/her student interested and engaged. Following an introduction, the handbook is divided into 10 chapters: (1) You Can Help; (2) Getting Started; (3) Challenges in Learning to Read and Write; (4) Planning the Tutoring Experience; (5) The First Meeting with Your New Student; (6) Shared Reading; (7) Meeting Special Reading Needs; (8) Meeting Special Writing Needs; (9) Making Your Tutoring Sessions Lively; and (10) Evaluating and Troubleshooting. An appendix contains "instant sight words" and printing and cursive charts for writing. A glossary of relevant terms is also included. (NKA)