Improving Reading with Peer Tutoring

Concerned about the number of students in her school who were reading below grade level, one principal implemented a multi-grade peer-tutoring program.  Through service, both the tutors and the students they helped increased their reading proficiency.

Teachers trained every 4th grader to be a tutor to a student in the primary grades whom teachers had identified as needing extra help with vocabulary development or reading fluency.  They also offered both tutors and tutees strategies for team work. 

Each student soon realized he or she could make a difference in another's life.  Even those who struggled with reading were able to successfully tutor younger students, and in the process they strengthened their own reading skills.  Success was particularly noticeable in 4th-grade English Language Learners, who served as both academic and cultural role models for the younger students.

Through the nurturing environment of one-on-one peer tutoring, everyone gained a confidence that translated into improved schoolwork and higher self-esteem. 

Adapted from "Route to Reform: K-8 service-learning Curriculum Ideas," © 1994-95 National Youth Leadership Council.