Learning through Tutoring

Low-achieving fifth-grade children either taught a third-grader or studied alone for a series of daily sessions: At the end of the two-week period, the low-achievers’ performance was significantly better in the tutoring condition than in the studying alone condition–a reversal in direction of the initial difference between conditions. There was no differential effect on tutees of being taught versus studying alone. Results suggest that serving as a tutor may be a particularly useful method for enhancing the academic performance of low-achieving children.