It is a cognitive apprenticeship between peers. Tutoring is usually done between Adult and child; expert and Novice. Individual tutoring is an effective strategy that benefits many students, especially those who are not doing well in a subject.
Class room Aides/ Volunteers/Mentors
Teacher can utilize them to give individual attention to week students. One to One tutoring can be done for this end that a teacher cant give. (Parents, College students, retired hands were also be utilized as mentors).
Fellow students can be effective tutors. One student teaches another. In cross sectional peer tutoring one peer is older. Same age peers tutoring- peer is a class mate of same age. Cross age is better. Same age also lead to negative social comparison.
Peer tutoring Enhances students achievement. Benefit both- tutor and tutee especially when older tutor is a low achiever. Teaching something to some one is one of the best ways to learn.
Peer Assisted Learning Strategy is also peer tutoring. (A program conducted in USA).
Suggestions for peer tutoring
- Use cross age tutoring rather than same age tutoring when possible
- Give specific time and specific learning task
- Let students participate both tutor and tutee roles
- Both help and being helped
- Pairing of best friends is not a good strategy ( They do not always focused on learning assignments)
- Dont let tutors give tests to tutees ( It reduce Co operation)
- Spend time for training tutors
- Discuss competent peer tutoring strategies
- Demonstrate how scaffolding works
- Give the tutor clear organized instruction and invite them to ask questions about their assignments
- Divide group of peers tutors in to pairs
- Let them practice what teacher had demonstrated
- Let them alternatively be tutor and tutee
- Dont overuse peer tutoring. (High achievers should get ample opportunity in challenging intellectual task for them selves)Let parents know that their child will be involved in peer tutoring
- Explain the advantage of this strategy and invite them to visit the class room to observe how the peer tutoring works.