Perhaps the most important skill for a tutor is to be able to listen carefully to what your tutees discuss without feeling the need to leap in and provide advice or solutions. It is beneficial to adopt an active listening approach to your consultations with tutees. Active listening involves a combination of attentive listening coupled with the asking of relevant and useful questions to facilitate discussion. Remember that listening is not the same as hearing. Listening involves concentration and being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. It requires the listener to pay attention to what is being said, how it is said, the use of language and voice, and the body language of the other person.
The following sections provide some basic advice on listening and questioning skills that you can apply in your interactions with tutees. More in-depth guidance on developing listening skills and active listening can readily found on the Internet.