If you're considering tutoring for the ACT, you're probably already familiar with the test format. If not, take time to learn about it so that you can advise your students accordingly. Knowing what to expect on test day plays a significant role in how well a student performs. For example, if you're tutoring for the math section, you need to know that the test always has 60 questions and the time allotted for that section is 60 minutes. Helping your students develop test-taking strategies is an important part of ACT tutoring. Detailed information about all aspects of the test is available at ACT.org, the website of the organization that governs the ACT.
Before teaching concepts and refining skills, you need to know your student's strengths and weaknesses. You don't want to waste time on material a student already knows and you don't want to omit concepts a student needs to learn. Some students know what they need to learn, but others aren't so sure. A good way to assess the level of your students is to administer a practice test to identify strengths and weaknesses. You can print a free practice test from the ACT.org website.
How you spend your time during a tutoring session depends on the level of your students and their goals. For example, a student who has already taken the ACT and scored a 29 or 30 may be using a tutor to try to get a higher score. This type of student is already very knowledgeable and probably doesn't need you to teach concepts. Instead, you'll want to work on refining skills and strategies. On the other hand, a student preparing to take the ACT for the first time will likely need to learn concepts and have you demonstrate techniques.
You'll need good practice materials to use during your tutoring sessions. There are several good online resources for free materials, including ACTstudent.org, ACTexampracticetests.com and 4tests.com. Links to these sites are in the Resources section of this article.