With the advent of Common Core-based assessments, and resulting concerns about academic achievement, more and more students may require the level of instructional intensity tutoring affords. The extent of knowledge regarding the discourse that occurs within the tutoring context is, however, limited. As a result, it is difficult to envision and…

This case study describes the ways in which Sam, an English learner with weak comprehension, grew as a reader, student, and friend during his fourth grade year. Using the Interactive Model of Reading (Dis)ability and the RAND model of comprehension as a frame, Sam's experience in a Tier 2/3 tutorial program is examined. Over time, Sam (1) engaged…