Language Lab and LRC tutoring Center

Many students are unaware of the many learning resources that Saddleback provides on the second floor of the LRC. The LRC is open Monday through Friday.

The Language Lab is a place for Foreign Language students to sign-in and practice language immersing via various media resources. Students may check out foreign films from the vast selection located at reference desk in such languages as Spanish, French, German and more. Students may watch these videos at a work station where further educational supplements are provided. Language programs at each computer offer further help in grammar and conjugation practice for each language.

In the Learning Resource Center, which is separate from the Language Lab, students may receive free personal tutoring Monday through Friday. For any subject, two 30 minute tutoring session appointments are offered twice a week per student. For math and science, tutoring is unlimited and no appointment is necessary.

Romeo, a Tutor and Saddleback Alumni, works part-time Monday through Friday. He tutored as a student in 2004 before transferring to UCI for Bio Chemistry and coming back as a staff a few years ago. He explained that the math and science section of the LRC works on a white-board system where students write their names and wait a turn for help which may last up to 15 minutes per turn.

The Director of the LRC Patti Weekes shared some great background on the program dating back to 1970’s. Patti began as a Tutor herself and moved up until becoming Director, she has overseen the tutoring program for 26 years. She was first turned on to tutoring when she herself came in for assistance for French. Her tutor was “so wonderful” that she was inspired to get a degree in English and French, which she did before getting another credential at Pepperdine University.

The Library has recently been reopened after years of renovation; the result is vastly different from its original design over four decades prior. Patti explains, “This building was built to be like barracks in the 70’s when there were many riots. There were no windows and now there are many windows.” Tutoring began in 1978 and in a single, then 3 rooms and now almost half of an entire floor. Ninety percent are paid tutors, hand chosen by faculty and supervised from 8am to 8pm. The LRC broke all records for student use last semester.