Cross-age Tutoring Research Articles

How does peer tutoring contribute to the development of reading comprehension? Evidence from ten years of practice

This study investigates the development of reading comprehension in primary school students who took part in a peer tutoring programme. Data were collected from 8,128 students (aged 6–12) from 58 schools that participated in the programme between 2012 and 2022. Adopting a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, two research aims are addressed: (1) to detect changes in reading comprehension in a pretest-posttest, and (2) to analyse the interaction of a subsample of pairs to explain these changes. Pretest-posttest subgroup analyses show a significant improvement in reading comprehension for all levels, tutoring options, and roles (i.e., same-age tutors and tutees, same-age reciprocal role, cross-age tutors and tutees) (.43 ≤ ES ≤ .97). A linear mixed model shows that grade level and the interaction between this variable and tutoring option may moderate the increase in reading comprehension, after controlling for initial score. Interaction analysis points to key elements that can explain this improvement, mainly students’ explicit use of strategies for reading comprehension, repeated episodes of reading the text aloud, and joint construction of answers. Overall, these findings support the use of peer tutoring for the development of reading comprehension throughout primary education. Limitations of the study as well as implications for research and practice are discussed.

Students Facilitators Involvement in a University-Based Community Service: How It Benefits Them

This paper explores tertiary students’ perception on their involvement in a university-based cross-age tutoring community service project known as Edutainment. The project which received an industrial grant by KHIND Starfish Foundation was organized by Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Cawangan Johor Malaysia. The project involved thirty UiTM students who acted as the facilitators as well as five lecturers who were the advisors for the project. The project was carried out for eight weeks among underprivileged one hundred Standard Four and Five primary school students who were provided with special learning modules which focused on providing learning tips and motivation particularly in learning the English Language, Bahasa Melayu (Malay language), Mathematics and Science. After the project ended, the facilitators were asked to answer a set of questionnaires to analyse their perception regarding their involvement in the community service project and how it benefits them. The findings revealed that they perceived the project provides positive impacts towards their communication skill as well as motivation in community service volunteerism.

Cross-Age Tutoring: Experimental Evidence from Kenya

Tailoring teaching to students’ learning levels can improve learning outcomes in low-income countries. Cross-age tutoring, where older students tutor younger students, is a potential alternative for providing personalized instruction to younger students, though it comes at the cost of the older students’ time. We present results from a large experiment in Kenya in which schools were randomly assigned to implement either an English or a math tutoring program. Students in grades 3–7 tutored students in grades 1 and 2 and preschool. Math tutoring relative to English tutoring had a small positive effect (.063σ; p-value of .068) on math test scores. These results do not hold for English tutoring: relative to math tutoring, it had no positive effect on English test scores (we can rule out an effect greater than .074σ with 95% confidence). There is heterogeneity by students’ baseline learning levels: the effect was largest for students in the middle of the ability distribution (.13σ for students in the third quintile; p-value of .042), while the effect was close to zero for students with either very low or very high baseline learning levels. We do not find any effect (positive or negative) on tutors.

Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders as Tutors

Teachers implementing tutoring programs in which their students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) serve as cross-age tutors (CAT-EBD) for younger students in need of additional instruction have reported improvements in academic, social-emotional, and behavioral skills for both tutees and tutors. This practitioner-lead article features firsthand experiences and insights from a special educator implementing such a program. In addition to identifying the perceived strengths, challenges, and overall outcomes of a CAT-EBD program, the experiences within the case study highlight connections and recommendations for effective planning, training, supervising, and supporting of students with EBD as tutors. Practical strategies are provided in support of the challenges identified in implementing and sustaining a CAT-EBD program.

Training, Supervising, and Supporting Students With Emotional–Behavioral Disorders as Cross-Age Tutors

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are frequently on the receiving end of intervention models (e.g., social skills training) in which targeted skills are modeled and practiced in unnatural arrangements (i.e., teacher-led). Special educators consistently report a need for effective interventions and instructional arrangements that promote social-behavioral skills of students with EBD in natural learning environments (i.e., with peers). When students with EBD are provided the opportunity to serve in the role of tutor (i.e., on the instructional delivery end of the model), increases in academic and behavioral skills have been found for both tutors and tutees. This article provides an overview of effective procedures and considerations for training, supervising, and supporting students with EBD as cross-age tutors.

Effects of Cross-Age Tutors With EBD for Kindergarteners At Risk of Mathematics Difficulties

Challenges with numerical proficiency at an early age can lead to substantial gaps in learning and are associated with detrimental long-term outcomes. In addition, students with emotional–behavioral disorders (EBD) can have some of the most challenging behavioral and academic needs to address. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects and collateral outcomes of utilizing cross-age tutors (i.e., older students) with/at risk of EBD to deliver a number line board game intervention to kindergarten students at risk of mathematics disabilities. A multiple baseline design across participants was utilized to evaluate the following research questions: (a) What are the effects of a number line game delivered by a cross-age tutor with EBD on the mathematics performance of kindergarten students with mathematics difficulties? (b) Can students with EBD implement tutoring procedures with fidelity? (c) What are the effects of the cross-age tutoring training and implementation on the tutors’ classroom behaviors and risk-status for EBD? Tutoring sessions took place for 25–30 min, 3 times per week, over 10 weeks. Results suggest cross-age tutoring to be an effective and feasible model for improving mathematics performance of at-risk kindergarteners and, to a lesser extent, the behavioral performance of students with EBD.

Peer tutoring and mathematics in secondary education: literature review, effect sizes, moderators, and implications for practice

A literature review was undertaken to compile all data on peer tutoring in secondary education (7th to 12th grade) mathematics from existing articles. Data from 42 independent studies were included in this research. All data regarding participants' roles (fixed vs. reciprocal), participants' ages (same-age vs. cross-age), the methodological approach taken (quantitative or qualitative), the type of design for those studies that involved a quantitative approach, the variables analyzed, and the organizational matters (number of participants, duration of the program, sessions per week, and duration of the sessions) are included in the article. The effect sizes of the 42 studies were calculated and examined. The main goal of the study was to determine those variables that were moderators of effect size, that is, the variables that significantly influenced students' academic achievement outcomes. Inferential statistical analyses (Student's t-test and ANOVAs) were carried out for the variables. Of the 42 studies examined, 88% showed positive effect sizes with the means being close to medium (Cohen's d = 0.38). Conclusions suggest the implementation of same-age over cross-age tutoring, during programs of fewer than 8 weeks, in sessions of less than 30 minutes is optimal for improving students' academic outcomes. Inclusion of control groups in similar future studies is recommended so effect sizes are not overestimated.

Peer Tutoring as a Model for Language and Reading Skills Development for Students who are English Language Learners

With the rapid change in cultural demographics across the globe, an argument is constructed suggesting that school psychologists implement peer tutoring strategies as a means to help dual language students and English language learners. Literature supporting the use of peer tutoring in mastery of second languages is reviewed. Specific focus is on reciprocal peer tutoring and cross-age tutoring and the identifiable advantages these programs might present as compared with traditional teacher–led methods. Recommendations for school psychologists to implement peer tutoring for dual language and English learner students are discussed.

Students With Emotional–Behavioral Disorders as Cross-Age Tutors: A Synthesis of the Literature

The purpose of this quantitative synthesis was to evaluate the effectiveness and related outcomes of the cross-age tutoring model when students with or at risk for emotional–behavioral disorders (EBD) serve as tutors. Research questions were posed to identify the shared and unique components (e.g., dosage, tutor training) of the cross-age tutoring model; the extent to which students with EBD can effectively serve as cross-age tutors (i.e., fidelity of implementation and tutees’ improvement); the extent to which the model was effective in promoting desired academic and/or social–emotional–behavioral outcomes for tutees and tutors with EBD; the generalization, maintenance, and social validity of the effects; and the overall methodological quality and rigor of the included studies. Findings showed common training and instructional components across interventions and that tutors with EBD can implement cross-age tutoring procedures with fidelity. The cross-age model was shown to be effective in promoting academic and social–behavioral skills for the tutees as well as the tutors. Evidence for effectiveness in improving self-concept and attitude of the tutor with EBD was inconsistent. Implications and future research considerations are discussed.

Tutoring and Social Psychology

The implications of social psychological theory and research, particularly in the area of social influence, are examined in an attempt to provide a theoretical foundation for cross-age tutoring programs. Areas discussed include the relative effectiveness of adults and peers as sources of social influence, the desirability and effect liveness of various bases of social influence, and the effects of tutoring programs on students, tutors and teachers. A set of hypotheses that merit empirical testing is outlined. The potential benefits of utilizing social psychological theory in the development, implementation, and analysis of cross-age tutoring are examined.

Cross-age tutoring: how to promote tutees’ active knowledge-building

Cross-age tutoring is characterised by status and age differences between tutors and tutees. Tutees are often inactive in this setting, because responsibility for effective learning is transferred to the more experienced tutors. This study focused on improving the outcomes of cross-age tutoring for tutees by providing tutors with a tutor training session that emphasised knowledge-building instead of knowledge-telling. The tutors learned to encourage tutees’ autonomy, competence and active knowledge construction. In a quasi-experimental design, an experimental group of 74 tutors, who were 8th-grade secondary school students, received the tutor training in knowledge-building, and a control group of 82 tutors received no training. The students in both groups subsequently tutored 583 3rd-grade primary school students in small groups on elementary aspects of electric circuits. The tutoring process was videotaped and coded. Trained tutors showed more knowledge-building and less knowledge-telling behaviour. In the tutoring interaction with trained tutors, tutees showed more active behaviour and tutors showed more restrained behaviour. Tutees coached by trained tutors reported more experiences of autonomy, competence, and intrinsic motivation and learned more than tutees instructed by untrained tutors. The study showed that cross-age tutoring can be improved by providing tutors with training that focused on knowledge-building.

THE EVALUATION OF PEER AND CROSS-AGE LEARNING MODEL AT IAIN SURAKARTA (EVALUASI MODEL PEMBELAJARAN PEER DAN CROSS-AGE DI IAIN SURAKARTA)

This article is aimed at describing the differences of tutoring process and the responses of tutees related to the tutors classified as peer and cross age The research underlying this article applies descriptive-qualitative method. The data were obtained from observation, document analysis and interview. The findings show that there are advantages and disadvantages of both models. Peer tutors were more familiar to the tutee. It built better communication and high motivation in the classes. Meanwhile, cross-age tutors tended to be respected by tutee that made them easier in organizing the classes. On the other hand, peer tutors looked less serious and were often ignored by tutees. Similarly, cross-age tutors faced difficulties in preserving their attittudes since they were taken as the models by their tutees.

An evaluation of Crescent School vLearning – an online peer-tutoring program

Abstract Tutoring is often a useful supplement to traditional classroom teaching in Canada. Cross-age tutoring, which involves a tutor a few years older than a tutee, has been reported to be more effective than same-age tutoring, as it promotes responsibility, empowerment and academic performance. However, the current same-age classroom teaching may act as a barrier to cross-age tutoring because the latter requires plenty of coordination, preparation and organization. At Crescent School, an all-boys independent school in Toronto, Canada, a pilot online cross-age peer-tutoring program was launched in September 2014, named Crescent School vLearning. The purpose of this study was to formally assess the program, and quantitatively gauge its success. Thirty-six questions were randomly selected from the vLearning website, examined for response time and response quality as assessed by students and teachers. The fast response times as well as the high-quality of responses have resulted in the program gaining traction in the school. As vLearning continues to catch-on with students, the team of Upper School tutors will soon need to be expanded to accommodate the increasing volume of questions.

Meningkatkan HAsil Belajar Aljabar Siswa dengan Menggunakan Metode Tutor Sebaya di SMP Negeri 175 Jakarta

<p>This study presents a research report on improving students’ Knowledge on <br />learning Aljabar through Cross Age Tutoring. The objective was to find out whether students’ knowledge improved taught by Cross Age Tutoring. It was conducted using classroom action research method. The subject of the study was the Grade VIII students of State Junior High School 175, Jakarta. One class from eight parallel classes was taken as the subject of this research namely the grade VIII.3. The numbers of the students were 36. They were taught Aljabar using Cross Age Tutoring technique. The instruments used were test. In analyzing the data, the mean of the students’ score for the pre-test was 4.1, <br />for progressing- test1 was 4.7, for progressing-test2 (Post Test for first Cycle) was 5,6, for progressing-test3 was 6,6 and the post-test (Second Cycle) was 7,2 and the total percentage of the improvement from the pre-test to post-test was 75,6%. The conclusion is that the Cross Age Tutoring can improve the students’ knowledge on learning algebra. It is suggested that teachers should apply Cross Age Tutoring technique as one of the strategies to improve students’ knowledge on learning algebra. <br /> <br /><br /></p>

A pilot project of an online cross-age tutoring program: crescent school virtual learning (vLearning).

Traditional classroom teaching is the standard of education. However, there may be some students who feel uncomfortable approaching their teachers and may feel more at ease if they ask for assistance from their peers. There are two types of student-to-student tutoring methods that are supplements to classroom learning: peer tutoring between same-age students and cross-age tutoring between different-age children. Cross-age tutoring programs in which the tutor is 2-3 years older than the tutee have been reported to be more effective than those between same-age students in promoting student responsibility, empowerment and academic performance. A pilot online cross-age tutoring program was launched in September 2014 at Crescent School. A new website was designed, created and implemented with the permission and regular monitoring of the Student Services faculty for the online program - Crescent School Virtual Learning (vLearning). The program was well received and will undergo evaluation in the future.

Cross-age tutoring in kindergarten and elementary school settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review summarizes effects of peer tutoring delivered to children between 5 and 11 years old by non-professional tutors, such as classmates, older children and adult community peer volunteers. Inclusion criteria for the review included tutoring studies with a randomized controlled trial design, reliable measures of academic outcomes, and duration of at least 12 weeks. Searches of electronic databases, previous reviews, and contacts with researchers yielded 11,564 titles. After screening, 15 studies were included in the analysis. Cross-age tutoring showed small significant effects for tutees on the composite measure of reading (g=0.18, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.27, N=8251), decoding skills (g=0.29, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.44, N=7081), and reading comprehension (g=0.11, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.21, N=6945). No significant effects were detected for other reading sub-skills or for mathematics. The benefits to tutees of non-professional cross-age peer tutoring can be given a positive, but weak recommendation. Effect Sizes were modest and in the range −0.02 to 0.29. Questions regarding study limitations, lack of cost information, heterogeneity of effects, and the relatively small number of studies that have used a randomized controlled trial design means that the evidence base is not as strong as it could be. Subgroup analyses of included studies indicated that highly-structured reading programmes were of more benefit than those that were loosely-structured. Large-scale replication trials using factorial designs, reliable outcome measures, process evaluations and logic models are needed to better understand under what conditions, and for whom, cross-age non-professional peer tutoring may be most effective.

Effects of Fourth and Second Graders’ Cross-Age Tutoring on Students’ Spelling

A quasi-experimental study examined some effects of cross-age tutoring on fourth grade tutors' and second grade tutees' ability to spell accurately and correct errors on their own rough drafts. Half of the participating tutors were trained in tutoring skills; half were not. All participants were given pre- and post-assessments. On dictated writing assessments, second graders improved significantly, although fourth graders did not. On a free writing assessment, both second and fourth graders had significant gain scores. Observations during tutoring sessions showed benefits for both tutors and tutees.

The Curtin Coaches: Benefits of an outreach tutoring program for first year pre-service teachers. A Practice Report

The Curtin Coaches program represents a dynamic outreach opportunity for pre-service teachers enrolled in their first year of study at Curtin University to engage with school-aged students as classroom tutors. Research has shown that cross-age tutoring experiences in schools can benefit both the students receiving support and those who tutor, particularly in settings where individuals are engaging in community support work. According to program feedback, participants were able to develop a range of profession-related skills such as relationship building and gain new knowledge such as understanding how students learn. These competencies are salient as they align with the newly implemented standards for graduate teachers. Understanding the benefits such outreach programs bring pre-service teachers is vital as the future of HEPPP funded programs such as the Curtin Coaches is uncertain but the importance of Work Integrated Learning is increasing.

Direct and Collateral Effects of Peer Tutoring on Social and Behavioral Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Research

.This meta-analysis examined the direct (primary) and collateral (secondary) effects of peer tutoring on social and behavioral outcomes for 128 participants in prekindergarten through grade 12 across 20 studies using SCR designs. The overall TauU weighted effect size across studies was 0.62 (95% CI [0.58, 0.66]), indicating that a small to moderate effect on behavioral and social outcomes can be attributed to peer tutoring. Moderator analyses indicated that cross-age tutoring, peer tutoring interventions that did not use reward contingencies, and interventions that measured direct effects yielded higher effect sizes. The direct effect of peer tutoring on behavioral and social outcomes was moderately large (ES = 0.75), whereas the collateral effect was relatively small (ES = 0.43). Furthermore, peer tutoring had a greater effect on improving social skills and social interactions (ES = 0.69) and reducing disruptive and off-task behaviors (ES = 0.60) than academic engagement (ES = 0.38).

Cross-Age Peer Tutoring in Physics: Tutors, Tutees, and Achievement in Electricity

International comparisons reveal that lower-secondary-level students in Austria perform below the OECD mean in science. Guided by the search for remedies and improvements in science teaching, this study investigates whether cross-age peer tutoring is an appropriate method for teaching physics. A modern and concise definition of peer tutoring is available from the review of previous findings which focus on tutors as well as on tutees. This clarification leads to an experimental setup mostly in tutor–tutee dyads where a sample of n = 172 students from grades 5 to 8 underwent a cross-age peer tutoring process dealing with different topics within the context of electricity. The overall achievement in electricity for this age group was examined in a pretest–posttest design, using test items about electricity. Additionally, analyses were carried out in order to investigate whether or not there is a correlation between the possible roles within the process (active tutors–passive tutees) and the overall achievement. The results indicate that the active role is a crucial one for the achievement. Finally, a multiple linear regression model is presented which summarizes the research results and estimates the posttest scores based on the relevant parameters: the pretest score, the active role within the tutoring process, and the first language.