- Title: Examining the Academic Effects of Cross-age Tutoring
- Authors: A. Chang, E. Mauer, J. Wanzek, S. Kim, N. Scammacca & E. Swanson
- Access the original paper here
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Paper summary
This meta-analysis synthesized findings from 32 studies to evaluate the academic impact of cross-age tutoring, where older students or adults tutor younger students. The research indicates that this tutoring approach yields small to moderate positive effects on academic outcomes for both the tutors and the tutees across various subjects like reading and math. Notably, the benefits appear consistent regardless of the tutor type (older student versus adult volunteer), session frequency, or the tutee’s risk status (typically developing versus at-risk). While the study acknowledges some limitations like the number of included studies and heterogeneity, it concludes that cross-age tutoring is a broadly applicable and economically sensible strategy for enhancing academic performance in educational settings.
What are the key implications for teachers in the classroom?
Based on the provided source, the key implications for teachers in the classroom include:
- Cross-age tutoring can be a valuable and effective supplementary instructional strategy to enhance academic outcomes for both tutors and tutees. The meta-analysis found a small to moderate positive effect on academic outcomes for both groups, with an overall effect size of 0.34. This suggests that teachers can use cross-age tutoring as a way to provide additional support and learning opportunities for their students.
- Older students can serve as effective tutors, which can be particularly beneficial in resource-limited settings. The study found similar effectiveness between older student tutors and adult volunteer tutors. This provides teachers with a cost-effective way to implement tutoring programs within their schools by leveraging the abilities of their older students.
- The theoretical basis of cross-age tutoring aligns with social constructivist learning theories, such as Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Teachers can structure cross-age tutoring activities to facilitate peer-mediated learning, where tutors provide scaffolding to help tutees accomplish tasks they cannot yet do independently.
- Cross-age tutoring benefits tutors as well as tutees. Tutors engage in self-explanation and verbalization, which helps them convert implicit knowledge into explicit knowledge, enhancing their own comprehension and retention. Teachers should recognize and leverage these dual benefits when implementing such programs.
- Cross-age tutoring can be applied across different subject areas, notably reading and mathematics. The meta-analysis found positive effects in both areas, suggesting that teachers can use this model to support learning in various parts of the curriculum.
- The effectiveness of cross-age tutoring appears to be broadly applicable, showing benefits for both typically developing students and those at risk for learning difficulties. This implies that teachers can use this strategy to support diverse learners within their classrooms.
- While the number of sessions did not significantly impact the overall effectiveness, the actual amount of tutoring (e.g., hours) needs further exploration. Teachers should consider the intensity and duration of tutoring sessions when designing programs, even though the current analysis did not find the number of sessions to be a significant moderator.
- Teachers need to consider the importance of structure and potentially training for the tutors to maximize the benefits of cross-age tutoring. While the moderator analysis didn’t show tutor type as significant, previous research suggests structured programs and trained tutors can be more effective.
In summary, the findings of this meta-analysis suggest that cross-age tutoring is a flexible and beneficial educational model that teachers can consider implementing in their classrooms to support academic growth for a wide range of students and subjects, while also recognizing the learning benefits for the older student tutors. However, careful planning and consideration of program structure are important for maximizing its effectiveness.
Quote
The meta-analysis revealed a small to moderate positive effect of cross-age tutoring on academic outcomes for both tutors and tutees
