A topic in teaching science
Peer tutoring is setting up a teacher-learner relationship between two learners, where one is more advanced in their learning (and act as the tutor): "it has been suggested that under certain conditions having a gifted learner work with a less advanced learner may both scaffold the less advanced learner, allowing them to progress when working on something in their ZPD [Zone of Proximal Development], whilst simultaneously ensuring a student who has already mastered the work is engaged in their own ZPD by being asked to work with material at the higher level needed to effectively explain it to another" (Taber, 2018: 24)
Ethics of peer tutoring
Clearly learners will sometimes enter into their own informal arrangements fro peer tutoring Care needs to be taken, however, when it is set up by a teacher an someone is asked to tutor another learner. It is important the tutor is happy to take on the role, and will both benefit, and recognise they can benefit, fro the activity.
"peer tutoring…needs to be undertaken in a way that the student taking the peer-tutor role is themselves benefiting by working in their own ZPD despite having mastered the activity already"
Taber & Brock, 2018: 80
Tutoring as a vehicle for further learning
There are good reasons to think that under the right circumstances, taking on a tutoring role could indeed benefit the peer tutor as well as the student being supported. Most teachers know from their own experience that preparing for class and teaching in an effective way of better learning materials (Taber, 2009). Indeed, it is commonly said that the best way to learn a topic is to teach it, and teachers have been commonly reported as reflecting that they only really got to understand some material when they had to explain it to others.
Not all learners will feel comfortable in providing tutoring to peers. An alternative activity might be to ask more advanced learners to develop resources to support other learners. This should be intended as an authentic activity, where the teacher will consider employing resources produced in the future, for example for remedial support.
Clearly learners, especially younger learners, will have limited pedagogic knowledge and skills, and so need to be supported in moving into new roles. This requires input from the teacher – but may be worthwhile if tutor (or resource developer) is to produce real benefits for the peer tutor and those they support.
Sources cited:
- Taber, K. S. (2009). Learning from experience and teaching by example: reflecting upon personal learning experience to inform teaching practice. Journal of Cambridge Studies, 4(1), 82-91. (Invited opinion piece) [Download the article]
- Taber, K. S. (2018). Scaffolding learning: principles for effective teaching and the design of classroom resources. In M. Abend (Ed.), Effective teaching
- Taber, K. S., & Brock, R. (2018). A study to explore the potential of designing teaching activities to scaffold learning: understanding circular motion. In M. Abend (Ed.), Effective Teaching and Learning: Perspectives, strategies and implementation (pp. 45-85). New York: Nova Science Publishers. [Read the author's manuscript version]
