Peer & Teacher Tutoring

Peer & Teacher Tutoring

DEFINITIONS

Peer Tutoring:  is an educational approach where students support each other’s learning, typically in pairs or small groups. This method can take various forms, including fixed-role tutoring, where one student (the tutor) helps another (the tutee), and reciprocal tutoring, where students alternate roles. The core idea is that learners take responsibility for teaching and assessing their peers’ understanding of the material.

Peer Tutoring Benefits:

• academic gains

• fosters social skills

• enhances self-confidence

• improves motivation among students

• collaboration and communication skills

• creates a supportive learning environment where students feel more comfortable asking questions compared to traditional classroom settings

Peer Tutoring Challenges:

• the need for careful planning and organization by educators

• can be reluctance among some students to take on tutoring roles

• inappropriate behavior during sessions can undermine the effectiveness of the program

Professional (Teacher) Tutoring:

Tutoring is a structured academic support service designed to help students enhance their understanding of subjects and improve their overall educational performance. It typically involves personalized instruction, often in one-on-one or small group settings, allowing tutors to tailor their teaching methods to meet individual learning needs. This supplemental assistance can take various forms, including in-person or virtual sessions, and may focus on specific subjects or broader academic skills. When conducted by a teacher, there is much greater impact for students vs. adjunct aide.

Professional Tutoring Benefits:

• Personalized Learning: Tutoring provides individualized attention that is often lacking in traditional classroom settings.

• Pace: This tailored approach helps identify and address specific learning challenges, allowing students to progress at their own pace.

• Academic Improvement: Research indicates that students who participate in tutoring programs generally experience substantial gains in academic performance.

• Confidence and Motivation: Beyond academic gains, tutoring can enhance students’ confidence and motivation. The personalized support fosters a positive learning environment where students feel safe to ask questions and engage deeply with the material.

• Mitigating Learning Loss: Tutoring has also been highlighted as a crucial tool in addressing learning loss, particularly during periods of extended school closures or breaks.

DATA

• 20 meta-analysis reviews

• 930 research studies

• 81,000 students in studies

Hattie (2023) p. 350

QUOTES

“Not all tutoring is the same, and not all tutoring is effective. A tutor’s goal should be to deliver high-quality instruction which not only improves their students’ comprehension of the subject matter at hand, but also empowers them with the vital underlying learning and life skills so that the students can continue to succeed once tutoring is complete. Rather than being a crutch, a quality tutor is more of a coach, guiding their student on the path of learning.” link

A 2016 review of nearly 200 studies found that high-impact tutoring, when provided more than three days per week or at least 50 hours over 36 weeks, produced significant, positive effects on students’ math and reading outcomes.2 Many other studies have reached comparable conclusions. link