The establishment of a peer tutoring program for mentally retarded individuals by an agency or institution can serve as an effective method to assist with their learning and vocational skill development. (Author/JYC)

In response to the number of young children taking care of themselves after school, the state of California has developed "Safety Pals," a program that teaches children how to take care of themselves when they do not have adult supervision. (MD)

The Lake Washington School District (WA) has developed a successful peer tutoring program for elementary and secondary students. Identifies the characteristics of successful tutoring programs, how to start a program, recruitment and scheduling needs, selection of tutors and learners, and how to maintain tutor involvement. Includes a table and…

A study of 211 students during their first- and second-grade school years showed that peer tutoring and teacher instructional procedures were both effective in increasing spelling performance above pretest levels. Peer tutoring produced statistically greater gains relative to the teachers' procedures for both low- and high-achieving groups.…

Richard J. Mahaffy, II, the only deaf student at Trinity College, and a senior who can hear are teaching a course called "Understanding Deafness." They have covered topics such as the causes of deafness, the advantages of sign language over oral communication, and the psychological implications of being deaf. (MLW)

Pilot-tested health promotion delivery system using peer leadership and social networking model in elderly population. Participants took lessons on fiber intake, dietary change, and peer leadership. Qualified peer leaders then recruited second generation of participants and taught them. Model appeared to be feasible, suggesting that peer leaders…

Using a peer nomination sociometric tool, the study measured the degree of social status change with high and low status nonhandicapped elementary grade children who participated in a peer initiation intervention with severely handicapped children. Nonhandicapped students who participated in the peer initiation program gained in social status.…

A fifth grade student with a mentally retarded sibling reports on a followup study on the effectiveness of a classroom lesson she taught to improve second grader attitudes toward mental retardation. Positive attitudes were maintained one year later. Other third graders receiving instruction by the author or her friends also showed improved…

Cooperative learning focuses group activity on preparing all members to succeed on individual assessments. Research findings show significantly greater achievement for the cooperatively taught class. Describes the elements of two comprehensive cooperative methods and proposes a model of a cooperative elementary school. (MLF)

Addresses the need for a theoretical analysis of the peer tutoring process by discussing: definitions of the process, the psychological and educational processes in peer tutoring as a learning and teaching experience, and the conceptualization of peer tutoring as a cooperative social system and a group reward structure. (Author/ABB)

In 1983 the Far West Laboratory's instructional management program established Peer-Assisted Leadership (PAL), a unique professional development program for principals. No longer isolated, principals help each other develop analytical and other skills to become better instructional leaders. MLH)

When one student tutors another, both gain. This article (1) recounts the origins of peer tutoring; (2) summarizes the relevant research; and (3) describes three programs around the country where tutoring is applied to computer education, hands-on science lessons, and basic skills instruction. (LHW)

Describes a 1982 program at Sarasota County School System (Florida) that trained teachers as student advisors when five junior high schools became middle schools. Explains measures to overcome teacher resistance to advisement sessions, the benefits of developing teacher-trainers, and resultant gains in teachers' self-confidence. (MLH)

To eliminate the lack of systematic feedback in cooperative learning, this study used a 2 x 2 (Student Teams x Mastery Learning) factorial design to investigate the effects of student teams using mastery learning strategies on mathematics achievement of fifth-grade children. The results and their implications are discussed. (Author/MT)

A review of 17 studies on tutoring behaviorally disordered students revealed that tutoring can have a positive effect on both the tutor's and the tutee's academic achievement and can increase social relations of the tutoring dyad as well as attitudes toward content area. However, ancedotal reports of improved general social functioning, are not…