Effects of Gifted Peers Tutoring Struggling Reading Peers

Abstract

This study examined the effects of a peer tutoring program that used a Direct Instruction (DI) reading curriculum. Students identified as gifted and talented delivered instruction, using the DI reading program, to their struggling reading peers. The students used a cross-skill peer tutoring instructional format. The results indicated that all of the students who received tutoring increased their reading rates and that most made gains pretest to posttest on a standardized measure. Additionally, the tutors demonstrated that they were able to implement the DI program with fidelity and proved to be effective instructors.