A survey of 133 British college students serving as tutors in local schools found that for most the primary motive was to improve job prospects. A small cohort was primarily motivated by community service. (SK)

In our rapidly aging society, the support of older adults is critical for public education. Older taxpayers are not as racially diverse as the school children affected by their votes. Although a few districts have recognized senior citizens as rich, untapped resources and implemented systematic intergenerational programs, most efforts are…

Describes the experiences and the effective instructional practices of one college student who over a three-year period was a literacy tutor in a university America Reads program. Describes his two distinctive tutoring roles. Examines social interactions, activities he used to scaffold instruction for at-risk emergent readers, and the impact of…

Describes programs designed to help foster children by expediting and advocating for appropriate school placement, academic tutoring, counseling, coordination of services, and guidance toward independent living. These programs have been found effective in prompt placement, facilitation of academic progress, and successful completion of high…

Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) is a book and reading program for children in kindergarten through second grade in 13 Oregon counties. The program aims to create a relaxed and safe environment in which children can practice their skills, one-on-one, with caring adult volunteers. A volunteer tutor recounts her experiences with the program. (SAS)

A survey of 23 establishments found 16 were still very active in using the Makaton peer tutoring method and reported that the method had not only contributed to an increase in communication and the effectiveness of interactions, but had also resulted in increased self-esteem, confidence, and assertiveness. (Contains references.) (CR)

Described perceptions of the effective teaching dynamics of adolescents placed in the role of science teacher for young children in an after-school program. Data from observations, instructor portfolios, focus groups, and interviews with children identified five perceived reasons for adolescent effectiveness. The nature of child science was…

Discusses partnerships between libraries and literacy programs to help promote lifelong learning. Topics include understanding the adult learner; communication between tutors, literacy program staff, and library staff; tutoring accommodations, including privacy and quiet; a supportive library collection; library services, including computer…

Many learning and instructional approaches that manipulate the environment in which learners work and cooperate with each other have illustrated growth in cognitive, intellectual, social, and affective areas. To date, however, uncertainty still exists as to the mechanism by which various types of peer tutoring facilitate learning. This study seeks…

This paper is an investigation of understandings of critical thinking from two teaching perspectives: academic staff and tutors. It explores critical thinking as situated within an assessment task in introductory macroeconomics. This study found that while the two academic staff conceptualized critical thinking as a set of concrete cognitive…

A cross-sectional evaluation of case-based teaching (CBT), a novel physiology learning environment for medical undergraduates, revealed that second, third, and fourth year students, together with their tutors, valued CBT as an experience that met its three major aims. The initiative not only integrated physiology with related basic sciences and…

This article describes the development and field-testing of an observational tool, the Volunteer Tutor Instructional Practices Checklist. It is an example of action research in a clinical setting and will be of interest to all educators, including special education and reading center directors, in the training and ongoing supervision of community…

Machine Learning algorithms fed with data sets which include information such as attendance data, test scores and other student information can provide tutors with powerful tools for decision-making. Until now, much of the research has been limited to the relation between single variables and student performance. Combining multiple variables as…

School-based coaching for literacy teachers has taken on an important role in school reform in recent years. Although the literature contains numerous and compelling descriptions of the perceived, positive effects of mentoring, reviews of the literature base on mentoring and/or coaching over the past 20 years have consistently identified the need…

Three California districts took different approaches to funding literacy coaches in the schools, but agreed the effort and resources were worthwhile. School-based literacy coaches, a growing national trend, helped create a more collaborative culture, greater receptivity to change, a focus on treating students more equitably, and a built-in source…