The Trinity Tutorial is one of the most significant and important components of the instructional program.  The Trinity Tutorial provides a daily opportunity for each student in grades 2-8 to be in a small group (3-4 students) that meets with a teacher for 45-50 minutes.  The long term goal (3-5 years) is each student to meet one-on-one with a teacher daily for 45-50 minutes.

The Trinity Tutorial is the primary vehicle for remediation and/or enrichment in the areas of language and math.

Trinity Tutorial Curriculum

Each student receives a tutorial as the primary component of the instructional program. This tutorial addresses instructional goals in the following areas:

Reading

Literacy profiles of Trinity students lie along a wide spectrum of development, and no single approach to reading instruction meets the needs of all students. Following formal and informal evaluation of pre-literate, literacy and comprehension skills, an individualized reading program is constructed for each student. Students who demonstrate a severe phonologically-based reading disability are provided alphabetic phonics, an intensive training in development of phonological and phonemic awareness, direct instruction in decoding skills emphasizing the alphabetic code, and direct instruction in the structure of the English writing system. As students acquire basic decoding skills, emphasis is placed on fluency and enhancing visual memory for sight words. The study of root words, addition of morphological endings (prefixes and suffixes), and syllabication are emphasized. For students decoding at or above grade level, improvement of rate and fluency is stressed, as well as advanced syllabication and word attack skills (unaccented syllable, minor phonetic patterns). Reading instruction is direct, sequential, and hierarchical; tutors employ a multisensory approach involving auditory, visual, and tactile-kinesthetic techniques.

Comprehension

Comprehension is developed concurrently with oral reading from fundamental reading levels through the most advanced. An appreciation for literature of quality is emphasized throughout all tutorials, incorporating literal, figurative and interpretive levels of language as appropriate. All students have a reading selection and use literature as a basis for developing vocabulary and comprehension. Students are taught to recognize and retain specific details, draw conclusions, detect and relate sequence, locate information, and determine the main idea of selections. Related skills such as critical analysis are presented as students progress to more advanced reading levels.

Study Skills

The initial focus of study skills instruction is on organization of assignments and materials, recognition of main ideas, note taking, paraphrasing, and summarizing. The use of an assignment notebook is required and reinforced throughout all classes. Once basic skills are presented, students are taught to apply them to tasks such as text analysis, test-taking, and oral presentations. Research and report-writing skills may also be incorporated into tutorial. Students are encouraged to develop an understanding of their individual learning styles in order to acquire new information efficiently and promote self-advocacy.  In the upper school, the notebook organization system will be monitored and overseen in the tutorial setting.

Spelling

Spelling instruction follows an ordered progression of patterns closely paralleling oral reading. Basic skills such as application of sound-symbol relationships and awareness of common syllable types are taught until automatized. More advanced patterns, multisyllabic words, and suffix addition rules are introduced, with an emphasis on linguistic principles rather than rote knowledge. Sight words and common sequences (days, months, and numbers) in frequent use are practiced throughout the program.

Composition

Instruction in oral and written composition serves the dual purpose of reinforcing language structure while fostering meaningful, creative expression. The level of tutorial instruction in this area varies with the needs of the individual student. Oral composition is used to develop and maintain correct usage as a first step for students with minimal writing ability. Written composition emphasizes the mechanics of grammar and syntax using common paragraph or multiparagraph subtypes such as narrative, sequential, descriptive, comparison-contrast or persuasive.

Handwriting

All students are strongly encouraged to utilize cursive handwriting in all work.

Instruction is provided in basic writing strokes and correct formation of upper and lower case cursive alphabets. Fluid, legible handwriting is emphasized as a component of correct spelling and written expression, as well as a vocational skill. In addition to handwriting skills, students are instructed in a school-wide keyboarding program. Once students achieve proficiency in their keyboarding skills, certain assignments may be completed using word processing.

Mathematics

Mathematics remediation/enrichment may also be addressed in the tutorial group setting.  Some tutorial groups may consist of students mainly needing remediation in math while others may consist of students needing remediation in language and math.

Demystification

Another component of the tutorial system involves helping students learn who they are as learners, recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and develop skills to be self advocates.  Students in grades 5-8 use Dr. Mel Levine’s The Mind That’s Mine curriculum.  Younger students use Dr. Levine’s All Kinds of Minds or other appropriate curricula.

Enrichment

The Trinity Tutorial provides an opportunity to extend and enrich the student in areas of strength or special prowess.

Mentor Teacher

Each tutorial group is facilitated and led by a mentor teacher.  This teacher serves as teacher, coach, and case manager for the students in the tutorial.  Aside from delivery of instructional services, the mentor teacher is the contact person for faculty, administration, and parents in serving the needs of individual children.  The mentor teacher is the point person in setting up and establishing parent teacher conferences, staffing on children, etc.