Research on Children Tutoring Children: A Critical Review

Tutoring programs that use children as tutors for other children are increasing in number and variety (Gartner, Kohler, Thelen, 1969). Although these programs are purported to be valuable in many ways for both tutors and tutees, the evidence supporting generalizations about tutoring has often been inconclusive. Typically, anecdotal reports rather than hard data have been gathered from tutorial programs in the schools (Bell, Garlock, Costello Goodman, 1971; Moskowitz, 1972; Office of Education, 1967; Swett, 1971). Some well-controlled research has been conducted, however.