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Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of math tutoring participants in Korea in comparison to the participation rates and characteristics of tutoring participants in other countries. Methods We operationalize the definition of math tutoring participants based on surveys from the international achievement tests PISA and TIMSS, and analyze the relationship between math tutoring participation rates and indicators of math, science, and reading achievement, socioeconomic level, and attitudes toward math. Results The results showed that the participation rate in math tutoring in South Korea is very high, with the highest participation rate in the fourth grade. We also found that participants in tutoring are characterized by higher math achievement and better socioeconomic backgrounds. Conclusions This paper discusses the problem of math tutoring in the lower grades of elementary school in Korea, the purpose of math tutoring as ‘enrichment’ versus ‘supplementation’, and suggests that tutoring centered on enrichment should be shifted to supplementation.
Hwa Kyung Kim (Sun,) studied this question.