Peer Tutoring

 Peer Tutoring

Peer Tutoring is a flexible peer mediated strategy that involves students serving as academic tutors and tutees. It is an instructional arrangement in which students teach their peers. Usually. a higher performing student is paired with a lower performing student to teach academic concepts. The student who is rendering tutoring is called the tutor and the student receiving information is called the tutee. The tutor will be a member of the same class or another class who is having the same age as the tutee or an age difference of few years. The tutor will be an expert having greater information or competence as compared to the tutee and tutee is a student having difficulties in learning situation. It can be widely practiced among students of different age levels, grade levels and subject areas. It allows students to receive one-to-one assistance and provides increased opportunities to, respond in smaller groups. It promotes academic and social development for both the tutor and tutee. Peer tutoring increases self-confidence and self-efficacy. Peer Tutoring also go by the names of Peer Education, Peer Learning, Child-Teach-Child, Learning Through Teaching and Mutual instruction.

Types of Peer tutoring :

1.Class wide Peer tutoring (CWPT):  involves dividing entire class into groups of two to five students with differing ability levels. Students then act as tutors, tutees, or both tutors and tutees.

2.Cross-age Peer Tutoring:  Older students are paired with younger students to teach or review a skill. The positions of tutor and tutee do not change. The older student serves as the tutor and the younger student is the tutee.

3. Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) PALS is  a version of the CWPT model, involves a teacher pairing students who need additional  instruction or help with a peer who can assist. Groups are flexible and change across a variety of subject areas or skills

4. Reciprocal Peer Tutoring (RPT): Two or more students alternate between acting as the tutor and tutee during each session, with equitable time in each role. Often, higher performing students are paired with lower performing students.

5. Same-age Peer Tutoring: Peers who are within one or two years of age are paired to review key concepts. Students may have similar ability levels or a more advanced student can be paired with a less advanced student. Students who have similar abilities should have an equal understanding of the content material and concepts.

Implementation / Steps of Peer Tutoring:

1. Clarify the specific objectives: Teacher must clarify the specific objectives (both academic and social objectives) of the tutoring programme and lists them in a form that can be easily measured.

2. Choose tutoring partners: Teachers select the tutoring pairs by considering the ranking of the students on the basis of their competency in the particular subject. Other considerations include the compatibility of the tutoring pair. Teachers should find pairs who will work together well. Teacher should also encourage pairing students who are different in gender, race, or socioeconomic status whenever possible, and not exclusively support established groupings.

 

3. Establish rules and procedures for the tutoring program:These rules should include how students are to interact with each other, and specify the type of interactions that are not acceptable. Procedures should specify the times and dates of tutoring, the materials to be used, and he specific activities to be undertaken.

4. Implement the tutoring program: In this step, the tutoring program is implemented, monitored carefully, and checked whether it is in consistent with the established rules and procedures. If needed, the rules and procedures can be modified. Depending on the subject area and model selected, 30 to 45-minute sessions can be devoted to teaching and modeling. Students should master each step of the mode! selected before learning additional skills. A teacher will need to closely monitor student progress to ensure that established procedures are followed, students utilize interpersonal skills. and content is covered.

S. Evaluate the programme: The implemented programme  must be evaluated frequently. and do not wait till the end of the programme. Collect information throughout the programme and predict whether it will be successful. If progress is not being made, modify the programme.

Role of peer tutor:

1. Carefully monitor own and partner’s progress

2. Practice social skills needed throughout peer tutoring

3.  Provide feedback for correct and incorrect peer responses, including  praise

4. Share ideas

Role of Teacher in Peer tutoring

1.Define and develop procedures for social skills students may need throughout peer tutoring (i.e.. sharing, taking turns, using respectful language, and accepting criticism).

2. Define and develop procedures for moving into peer tutoring groups quickly and quietly.

3. Explain and model peer tutoring and allow students to practice prior to the first peer tutoring session. Consider using a prepared script for practicing interactions.  

4.Train students how to provide feedback for correct and incorrect peer responses. Including praise.

5. Teach students how to carefully monitor their own and their partner' s progress

6. Provide direct, systematic instruction for the peer tutoring process selected.

7. Consider providing cue cards summarizing procedures.

8. Model error correction procedures.

9. Chart, and consider posting, student or gróup progress.

10. Praise use of tutoring procedures in addition to correct responses.

Advantages:

1. It allows students to receive one-1o-one assistance and provides increased opportunities to respond in smaller groups.

2. It promotes academic and social development for both the tutor and tutee.

3. Peer tutoring increases self confidence and self efficacy.

4.Increase participation

 5.Increase student involvement.

6. Encourages a student centred approach

7. Encourages deep understanding and deep learning

8. Facilitates collaborative work for  groups

9. Provides records of interactions and discussions

Disadvantages:

1. Encouraging active participation of students may be difficult

2. Managing large volume of discussion can be time consuming.

 

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