A research center published a review summarizing evaluations of different tutoring programs. Here are some key takeaways:
Tutoring programs led by teachers have the strongest effect.
“Seventeen studies looked at tutoring programs that employed teachers as tutors…Teacher-led tutoring programs may yield the largest impacts due to the training and experience that teachers already have as educators.”
Tutoring tends to be most effective for students in elementary.
While tutoring programs improve student learning outcomes overall, program effectiveness varies by subject and grade level. In this analysis, tutoring programs that focus on literacy tend to become less effective as students get older. Conversely, tutoring programs that focus on math tend to become more effective as students advance through fifth grade. Literacy programs have large benefits for younger students…Math tutoring programs, on the other hand, tend to be more effective for students in second through fifth grade.”
The overall impacts of math and literacy tutoring are similar.
“The overall effects for math and literacy tutoring interventions are similar to one another…However, comparing the two is difficult given the much smaller and less diverse selection of math tutoring programs included in the meta-analysis. Even so, the evidence suggests tutoring instruction can improve learning outcomes for both math and literacy.”
Increasing tutoring frequency benefits student learning.
“Younger students appear to benefit the most from a high frequency of tutoring sessions. For students in second through fifth grade, additional sessions per week can result in relatively smaller effects. This trend may be due to the key role repetition plays in early learning and skill development and mastery.”
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