Argues that peer-assisted learning is a good option for teachers concerned with providing as much individual help as possible to their students. Describes one such peer tutoring program. (FL)

Although over 15 years have passed since Witt (1990) noted that no empirical evidence exists to support the contention that a collaborative approach to consultation leads to more positive outcomes than a hierarchical or expert driven approach, this issue generally remains unaddressed (Schulte & Osborne, 2003). While the literature documenting…

Studies 10 undergraduate university students who were given intensive instruction in metacognitive strategies, which highlighted metacognition and executive control in the reading process. Finds the students (1) understood and applied metacognitive strategies in their personal reading; but (2) applied little of these strategies in tutoring and…

Trained volunteers tutored youth and adults who were reading below fifth grade level. Pre- and posttest measures of reading, verbal language, listening comprehension, and locus of control were taken. Experimental subjects, but not controls, made significant gains in general reading and discrete reading subskills. Trained volunteers can ameliorate…

Results of a Canadian study show that students with mild to medium reading disabilities benefited from tutorial remediation and continued to make normal progress the next nine months. (Author/RL)

Focuses on one elementary school/university partnership as a successful example of an America Reads partnership for a variety of reasons. Notes that this partnership exemplified much more than an "business as usual" attitude. Explores the types of "best practices" occurring on a daily basis, especially as they related to…

This review examines non-North American ideas about reading difficulties. Noted is the success of such tutorial programs as Reading Recovery, used in Australia, the United States, and New Zealand. The potential of a Vygotskian perspective on assessment and teaching for children experiencing reading difficulties is outlined. (Author/DB)

Finds that at-risk first and second graders made statistically significant gains in instructional reading level that was attributable to tutoring by minimally trained America Reads Challenge college students. Finds that the greatest impact was in affecting children's ability to read words, and that most of their growth occurred during the second…

Describes a college developmental reading laboratory model using peer tutors to provide training in comprehension study skills. Reports the results of a study evaluating the impact of training on student performance from the perspective of the participants. (MM)

Reviews 16 studies of 5 1-to-one tutoring models (Reading Recovery, Success for All, Prevention of Learning Disabilities, the Wallach Tutoring Program, and Programmed Tutorial Reading) used with at-risk first graders. Finds (1) substantial positive effects of tutoring; (2) effects of tutoring are generally lasting; and (3) results were more…

Describes a cross-age reading program called Storymates, which connected school and home literacy experiences of 9-, 10-, and 11-year olds through storybook reading to younger siblings, relatives, and neighborhood friends. Discusses exploring story structure in the classroom; reading storybooks in school and at home; how retellings improved; and…

Reports the results of a survey of 82 schools in South Australia and 40 schools in the United States concerning their use of paraprofessionals in their reading/tutoring programs. (FL)

Reports that at the first grade level, parental tutoring appeared to produce significant increases in student reading, language arts, and math achievement, while at the second grade level there were no significant differences on posttest measures between groups receiving tutoring from their parents and those not. (FL)