Tutoring students who are deaf or hard of hearing is an art that requires
knowledge of technique. The most effective tutors in English are those
familiar with the structure of visuo-spatial languages. They are able to
make meaningful comparisons and contrasts for students, helping them to
understand how elements realized simultaneously in sign are expressed
linearly in English. Effective tutors realize that until the student
understands how simultaneous expressed elements of American Sign Language
are realized linearly in English, they cannot use linear English to explain
linear English. Given this understanding, it becomes quite obvious that
English and reading tutors who work with deaf and hard of hearing students
require specialized training and preparation prior to tutoring. This
article describes the tutoring program sponsored by the College of
Humanities and the National Center on Deafness at California State
University, Northridge.