MATHEMATICS-12
SELECTIVE UNIT 4 (S04)
(Peer Tutoring)
(July 2013)
Unit Statement: Peer tutoring has proven to be an effective method of intervention and
enrichment in all academic content areas. In this unit, a student will act as a volunteer peer
tutor for a student of the same age or younger in math. Cross-age tutoring is the most
effective form of tutoring for this particularly scenario. In cross-age tutoring, tutors work
with students of the same age or lower in a variety of content areas. There are no strict
methods or procedures to follow, and it is up to the tutor’s classroom teacher to guide the
tutor. In the situation of cross-age tutoring, the tutor’s teacher and tutee’s teacher need to
communicate to provide feedback to each other. To gain mastery in this unit, the tutor and
tutor’s teacher will develop goals and prepare activities to guide the tutee to a successful
outcome. Tutors can further assist the tutee as models of good behavior and in developing
strong organizational skills. A Tutoring Sheet, Record Keeping Sheet, and Reflection
Sheet have been included as resources.
Essential Outcomes: (must be assessed for mastery)
1. The Student Will work with the classroom teacher to develop a set of tutoring
goals, which address the needs of a tutee.
2. TSW work with the classroom teacher to develop a series of activities to meet the
goals.
3. TSW assist the tutee with all planned activities.
4. TSW keep records of the tutee’s progress toward meeting the established goals.
5. TSW maintain communication with the classroom teacher to discuss tutoring
progress.
6. TSW write a reflection of the peer tutoring experience including an analysis of
tutee success and methods of success.
Introduced and Practiced Outcomes: (taught but not assessed)
1. The Student Will practice a skill set that they have previously mastered.
2. TSW predict how another student might learn, practice, and master that same skill.
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Suggested Assessment Tools and Strategies:

Attached Rubric or teacher generated rubric that assesses ALL essential outcomes
(TSWs)
Suggested Resources:
 Tutoring Sheet: Goals setting and activities
 Record-Keeping Sheet: Dates, activities, and notes
 Reflection Sheet: Tutor reflection and self-analysis
 Peer Tutoring Fact Sheet: http://crossroadsoflearning.com/ntatutorpalooza/pdf/NTA_Peer_Tutoring_Factsheet_020107.pdf
See this document as an attachment to this unit
Technology Links:
Kids as Reading Helpers (applies to math as well):
http://www.interventioncentral.org/academic-interventions/reading-fluency/kids-readinghelpers-peer-tutor-training-manual
Suggested rubric found on the following pages………………………...
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Copyright © 1988-2012
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Name: __________________________
Date: _______________________
SUGGESTED RUBRIC Mathematics-12 S04


To receive an ‘A’, the student must show ‘A’ level mastery in all available TSW’s
and ‘B’ level mastery on all of the remaining TSW’s.
To receive a ‘B’, the student must show ‘B’ level mastery on all essential outcomes
(TSWs).
TSW
1. work with the classroom
teacher to develop a set of
tutoring goals, which address
the needs of a tutee.
‘A’ LEVEL
‘B’ LEVEL
The student works with
the teacher and records
these goals on the
tutoring sheet.
2. work with the classroom
teacher to develop a series of
activities to meet the goals.
The tutor
independently
develops activities to
support the tutoring
goals.
With teacher guidance,
the tutor develops
activities to support the
tutoring goals.
3. assist the tutee with all
planned activities.
The student spends
extra time with the
tutee and completes
more than the
planned activities.
The student meets
regularly with the tutee
and completes all
planned activities.
4. keep records of the tutee’s
progress toward meeting the
established goals.
The Tutoring Sheet and
Record-Keeping Sheet
are complete and easy to
read.
5. maintain communication with
the classroom teacher to
discuss tutoring progress.
The tutor meets
regularly with the
classroom teacher as
scheduled.
6. write a reflection of the peer
tutoring experience including
an analysis of tutee success
and methods of success.
QSI MATHEMATICS-12 S04
Copyright © 1988-2012
The reflection is
complete and
provides in-depth
analysis that goes
beyond teacher-tutor
discussion and
provides ideas for
future guidance for
the tutee.
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The reflection includes a
goal analysis, a selfanalysis, and goals for
improvement for both
tutee and tutor.
Comments
Tutoring Sheet
TSW Objective(s):
Teacher:
___________________________
________________________________________
Peer Tutor: ___________________________
________________________________________
Tutee:
___________________________
Goals:
Tutor Checklist:
________________________________________
 Goals
________________________________________
 Resource List
________________________________________
 Activities
________________________________________
 Record Keeping
 Reflection
Resources:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Activities:
1. __________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Copyright © 1988-2012
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Record-Keeping Sheet
Peer Tutor Name: ______________________
Date: ________________
Tutee Name: ________________________
Activity: ______________________________________________________
What did you do with the tutee and how did it go?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Date: ________________ Activity: ______________________________________________________
What did you do with the tutee and how did it go?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Date: ________________ Activity: ______________________________________________________
What did you do with the tutee and how did it go?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Date: ________________ Activity: ______________________________________________________
What did you do with the tutee and how did it go?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Date: ________________ Activity: ______________________________________________________
What did you do with the tutee and how did it go?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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Reflection Sheet
Peer Tutor Name: ______________________
Tutee Name: ________________________
Which goals did the tutee meet?
1. ______________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________
Which activities were helpful?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Which activities were not helpful?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
In your opinion, what do you think the tutee still needs to work on?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
As the tutor, what did you do that was the most successful?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
In the future, what are two ways you could do to improve your tutoring?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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Tutoring Sheet – Example with notes
TSW Objective(s):
Teacher:
___________________________
TSW add fractions and mixed numbers with like and
unlike denominators._______________________
Peer Tutor: ___________________________
Tutee:
___________________________
________________________________________
Tutor Checklist:
Goals:
Develop proficiency in finding equivalent fractions
 Goals
Develop proficiency in simplifying all fractions
 Resource List
Practice changing fractions from improper to mixed
 Activities
 Tutoring Analysis
Resources:
Houghton Mifflin reteach pages
Johnnie’s math page internet site
Khan Academy video
Activities:
1. Play the math game “Triplets” on Johnnie’s math page as a fun start to practicing equivalent
fractions.
2. Use a white board and fraction cards to practice finding equivalent fractions.
3. Watch Khan Academy video on converting mixed numbers and improper fractions. Watch
video on writing fractions in lowest terms. Practice work on white boards.
4. Complete reteach worksheets for adding fractions and mixed numbers.
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National Tutoring Association – Peer Tutoring Factsheet
National Tutoring Association
http://crossroadsoflearning.com
Peer Tutoring Factsheet
The research is clear that Peer Tutoring is academically effective and costs significantly
less to oversee than private practice or other professionally driven tutoring programs.
What the research says . . .
• A list of proven instructional and administrative practices suggests some of the actions
teachers and schools can take to enhance student learning and other outcomes. Peer
tutoring, with its focus on monitoring, support, and corrective feedback, represents
specific means of implementing these practices. (Cotton 2002)
• Students at all grade levels participating in tutorial programs improved their reading
performance more than the expected gain for the typical student at that grade level.
(AmeriCorps 2001)
• Peer tutoring usually resulted in significant cognitive gains for both the tutor and the
tutee. (Britz, Dixon, and McLaughlin 1989)
• In a study of middle school students, peer tutoring was identified as a successful and
appropriate educational intervention for readers. (Fisher 2001)
• When children teach children, the result is marked improvement in student learning
which increases the productivity of the school. In peer tutoring, students are
"prosumers" - they are both producers and consumers of education. (Peer Research
Laboratory 2002)
• Peer tutoring is the most cost effective way to improve both math and reading
performance. (Peer Research Laboratory 2002)
• Effects on both tutors and students were positive in the areas of learning, attitude toward
subject matter, and self-concept. (Cohen and Kulik 1981)
• Peer tutoring is well worth the cost and effort when compared with the costs of many
alternatives that are teacher or computer mediated. (Greenwood, Carta, and Kamps
1990)
• Seventy-one percent of the students in six remedial middle school teachers' classes
achieved 70% accuracy on criterion measures for four out of five days, while 19% of the
control students did, when tutored by four of the best students in each class. (Palincsar
and Brown 1986)
• Peer tutors are more effective for reading programs because parents may not always be
available or appropriate tutors; peer tutors are plentiful, or available for training and can
be readily monitored and organized; low-progress readers respond readily to peer tutors;
and tutoring is beneficial to tutors and increases their caring for others. (Wheldall and
Colmar 1990)
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• Peer tutoring is cost effective, has a sound theoretical basis and is effective has
demonstrated a positive impact on student learning. (Bartz and Miller 1991)
• Peer tutoring contributes to a child's social and cognitive development. (Benard 1990)
• Peer tutoring is effective, particularly for at-risk students.(Gaustad 1992)
• After six weeks of tutoring, 16 truant and tardy junior high school students all made
significant gains in locus of control and most showed decreased truancy and tardiness.
(Lazerson, Foster, Brown, and Hummel 1988)
• Peer tutoring also has benefit for the tutor. High school students raised their own reading
scores almost three years, during a five month period, as a result of tutoring fourth
graders in reading. (Peer Research Laboratory 2002)
• The evaluations of five programs were unanimously positive. Evidence was found for
lasting effects, especially if the students continued to receive low-cost follow up. The
study also found less attrition in grade and fewer referrals to special education for
students in these programs. The findings on achievement are compared to the findings of
other interventions -- reduction in class size, use of teacher aides, and the use of an
extended school year. One-to-one tutoring is seen as a less costly and more effective
alternative to these practices. (Center for Research on the Education of Disadvantaged
Students)
• The research supplies strong evidence that tutoring is an effective strategy for addressing
the needs of low-performing students. The research also suggests that: Tutoring
programs should have a strong guiding purpose in order to direct the program tutors in
their decision making. This guiding purpose should emphasize the diagnostic and
prescriptive interaction that is a natural product of tutoring; Individuals of various ages
and levels of education can be effective tutors once provided with appropriate training;
Given their individualized nature, tutoring sessions need to be evaluated on a continual
basis to ensure the day-to-day integrity of the intervention; L. . . logistical concerns such
as availability of materials, instructional space, and session scheduling can have a
significant effect on the success of a tutoring program. In keeping with this notion,
finding quality tutors also should be a primary concern. (Snow)
What are the benefits of peer tutoring?
Benefits for students:
• Improves self confidence
• Improves self-esteem, as they become more successful students
• Improves academic achievement
• Improves attitude towards the subject matter and school in general
• Encourages greater persistence in completing tasks and courses
• Encourages the use of appropriate and efficient learning and study strategies
• Provides an opportunity for individualized instruction
• Provides opportunities for questions and clarification of difficult concepts
• Provides additional review and practice of difficult material
Kalkowski (1995) reported the following additional benefits to students:
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• The learning of academic skills
• The development of social behaviors and overall discipline
• Enhancement of peer relations
• Improved internal locus of control
• Students who acquire skills transferable to employment or business
• Students who acquire skills transferable to parenting
• Improved vocabulary skills
• Improved reading skills
Benefits for tutors:
• Frequent review of previously learned material helps with learning new material in
more advanced courses.
• Encourages higher level thinking
• Improves subject specific knowledge and facilitates deeper understanding of subject
matter
• Improves general knowledge
• Develops confidence in learning ability
• Improves motivation for studying
• Improves knowledge of learning, studying and test-taking techniques
• Builds self-esteem and creates a sense of pride in helping others
• Develops communication skills
• Provides experiences that may help with later employment or career goals
• Develops empathy for others
• Improves attitudes towards subject area
• Increases general knowledge
• Develops a sense of responsibility
Benefits to educational institutions and programs:
• Promotes deeper learning of material which in turn enables coordinators to set higher
goals for student learning
• Improves student retention of material
• Reduces drop out and failure rates among students
• Provides a cost effective means of providing individualized instruction to students
who need it
For more information regarding peer tutoring, “TutorPalooza” and the year-round Peer
Tutoring Initiative, please contact the National Tutoring Association, at ntatutor@aol.com,
863.529.5206 or visit our website at www.ntatutor.org.
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Copyright © 1988-2012
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