One-to-one tutoring programs, such as peer and cross-age tutoring, can result in emotional and learning benefits for the tutor and the tutee. Peer tutoring involves two students of the same age. In cross-age tutoring, the tutor is older than the tutee. The Willamette High School Peer Tutoring Program in Eugene, Oregon; the Coca-Cola Valued Youth…

Answering a variety of questions about cross-age and peer tutoring, this digest provides information on how tutoring programs are organized, how to start programs, why tutoring programs are effective, and what the critical ingredients of peer programs are. The digest briefly discusses two examples of effective programs recognized by the National…

The literature on peer tutoring indicates that gains for tutors often outdistance those of the students receiving help. Learning through teaching is a significant mechanism that provides an opportunity to reformulate and extend the use of peer tutoring. This digest discusses a new tutor-centered, peer tutoring model being designed at the Peer…

Peer tutoring refers to the process of having learners help each other on a one-to-one basis. Two types of peer tutoring are found in adult literacy and basic education: "near peer" tutoring in which one learner is more advanced than the other and "co-peer" tutoring in which the learners are fairly well matched in skill level.…

This digest discusses using scaffolding instruction to optimize student learning by providing a supportive environment while facilitating student independence. It begins by identifying the following eight essential elements of scaffolding instruction that teachers can use as general guidelines: (1) pre-engagement with the student and the…

Writing instruction reflects a growing appreciation of the value of talk. By implementing peer writing groups, teachers encourage students to give, seek, and react to oral feedback among themselves as they write, in addition to reacting to the teacher's traditional comments on finished papers. Collaboration in writing groups provides writers with…

This digest summarizes research on methods of student grouping in reading instruction other than whole-class instruction and ability grouping. Peer tutoring and reciprocal-role tutoring have been demonstrated to be effective for students with learning disabilities because they are allowed to be either tutors or tutees. Cross-age tutoring has been…

An elementary school program in which older children teach English literacy skills to younger children is described. The Literacy Club program, a regular class activity, matches older students whose native language is other than English (Rapid Readers) with younger students with the same native language (Little Readers) and involves the Rapid…

Two factors contributing to the change in writing instruction have been (1) the research investigating the way writing is taught and (2) the computer. Proponents of the various writing models endorse writing as an ongoing, multi-stage process, with equal emphasis given to each of the stages. Educational computing has undergone a change of focus…

Research has shown that students and teachers can benefit from structured in-school helping relationships in which peers assume formal roles as tutors. For the student in need of academic help, peer tutoring programs provide an opportunity to learn in a more nonthreatening environment than the classroom. Immediate feedback and clarification of…

Reflective practice can be beneficial to preservice and inservice teacher professional development. This digest reviews the concept, levels, techniques for, and benefits of reflective practice. Donald Schon introduced the concept in 1987, and since then, many schools, colleges, and departments of education have begun designing teacher education…