Peer Tutors & Tutees

If students want to become peer tutors, they must have a GPA of at least 3.0  and a minimum grade of B+ in the specific subject they want to tutor. After submitting their application and required documents (please refer below for the required documents check list) at the Section of Writing and Language Support, they will be scheduled for an interview.

To be a language peer tutor, students should have an IELTS score of 6.5, and the IELTS certificate must be submitted to the language specialist along with a completed peer tutor application form. There is no need for applicants to submit essays. Selected applicants will be called for a 30-minute face-to-face interview. Successful applicants will need to attend training every semester.

The writing lab interview is one hour long and consists of two parts: a face-to-face interview and writing a diagnostic argumentative essay. Applicants are usually informed of the interview results within a week. If the students are accepted, they will have to undergo rigorous monthly training in addition to a special training given by an NTA(National Tutoring Association) certified tutor. Peer tutors will receive a certificate signed by the Association in the US after they complete a 10-hour workshop (divided into 2 sessions) and 50 hours of practical tutoring in the Writing Lab.

The required checklist for peer tutoring:

1. Completed Peer Tutor Application Form (provided by the Writing Support Facilitator)
2. An unofficial copy of student transcripts
3. Attendance of monthly training and special NTA training

After being accepted you need to provide us with:

• Signed “Writing Lab Contract“ (has to be signed every semester)
• A copy of your QU ID
• Availability Sheet
• A copy of your class schedule

Please email the Section of Writing and Language Support at  writinglab@qu.edu.qa with any queries regarding this position or required forms.

 You will be paid according to the number of hours you tutor.  The maximum wage is QR40/hr.

• New peer tutors: QR 35/hour
• Returning peer tutors: QR 40/hour

You can only work a maximum of 5 hours per day or 20 hours per week.

In order to receive payment for your sessions, you must:

1. Record every tutoring session in the WL Record Sheet (provided by the Writing Support Facilitator)
2. Every day, fill in the number of hours worked  in the online  Employment System

If you cannot give an appointment, you should call/email the Writing Support Facilitator to see if another peer tutor can take your session. Treat every tutee with respect and keep your tutoring sessions professional.

1. A tutee’s confidentiality is imperative to our program, so make sure you don’t, under any condition, share a tutee’s personal information or details of a session with anybody else other than the tutee herself/himself.
2. Refer any issue with the tutee to your supervisor at the Writing Lab.
3. Help students become more skilled in a particular area, but don’t solve their homework or write their assignment for them.

Advice for Peer Tutors

1. First Session: 

Ask the tutee what his/ her areas of concern are. Make sure the tutee has understood the assignment given by the instructor. Give an outline of what you are going to work on before you start the session.

1. Make sure to:

• Start on time.
• Greet the student and thank him/her for coming to the session.
• Ask the tutee about his/her areas of concern.
• Ask the tutee if s/he knows what the assignment means.
• Summarize the session and the areas that you covered for the tutee.
• Advise the tutee to come for more sessions and write down the things s/he needs to do at home for the follow up session(s). It is a good idea for both the tutor and the tutee to have a clear idea of what will be discussed in each session.
• End on time. If tutees see some improvement right from the first session, they will be more likely to return, so try to accomplish something major. Remember that sometimes one session is enough, but there are cases where follow-up sessions would be needed to ensure that your tutee fully benefits from our services.
• Please contact your respective supervisor, the Writing Specialist or faculty on site for extra support and/or study suggestions. Check periodically with your tutees to make sure you are meeting their requirements. Don't be afraid to ask them about that.
• If you don't know the answers to your tutee›s questions, tell him/her and then try the following:
  a) Ask the Writing specialists/Faculty who are on site. 
  b) Re-direct the tutee to their instructor.
• Fill in the provided excel record sheet with information about the session. Make sure to enter the student's correct information(name, QU ID, major, level) as well as a summary of what you covered in the session

It is expected that you attend your tutoring session on time and help maintain the peace and quiet of the Tutoring Lab. The tutor is not a substitute for your own efforts and class attendance; they are just here to help you understand your assignments and help you understand how to proofread your own work. They will not do your homework or assignments for you.

1. While in your regular lectures, mark/highlight the areas you don’t understand and think you need more assistance with.
2. Keep an “error log.” In a small notebook, record all the areas of weakness that your teacher has indicated or has marked wrong on your paper, and bring that to your tutoring session.
3. Fill out the “Reason of Visit” section in the Writing Lab Appointment System with which areas you want her/him to help you with.
4. Remember that one session is not enough if you want to work on improving your writing skills. It is advised that you make follow-up sessions to make sure you fully benefit from our services.
5. After each session, write the summary of what you learnt on a separate piece of paper and make a “to-do” list for what your tutor asks you to do for the follow-up session.
6. Bring hard copies of your writing assignments to your appointments.