The Effects of Implementing a Classwide Peer Tutoring Model on Social Approvals and Disapprovals Emitted during Unstructured Free Time.

Abstract This study tested a classwide peer tutoring model using rule-governed responding to teach tutors to accurately present learn units during social studies instruction using a multiple baseline across participants with pre and post intervention probes. Three students, aged 8 to 10, in a self-contained 3rd/4th grade CABAS[R] classroom participated in this study to test the effects of peer tutoring on the social interactions of the students during unstructured free time and accurate implementation of learn units during tutoring. The results showed an increase in social approvals and accurate learn unit presentations and a decrease in social disapprovals after the introduction of rule-governed peer tutoring. Additionally, the results showed a classwide (and individual participant) increase in social approvals and a decrease in social disapprovals during unstructured free time. Keywords: Classwide peer tutoring, Learn units, Teacher Performance Rate and Accuracy (TPRA). *********** Classwide peer tutoring is an instructional tactic where peers function as each others teachers to teach academic and social behaviors. Each student in a tutor-tutee pair gets an opportunity to function as tutor and tutee. Peer tutoring is easy to implement and "permits the efficient application of the teacher's and peer tutor's skills in the process of individualizing instruction and managing students' classroom behavior" (Kohler & Greenwood, 1990, p.307). Classwide peer tutoring uses peer-mediated contingencies and teacher feedback to increase opportunities to respond by allowing peers to teach each other (Delquadri, Greenwood, Whorton, Carta & Hall, 1986). Tutors are trained to accurately present learn units. Learn units are the foundation of learning and are the initial tactic for most teaching. The learn unit consists of interlocking three-term contingencies between teacher and student (Greer, 2002). During peer tutoring learn units consist of at least two three-term contingencies for the tutor and one potential three-term contingency for the tutee. The student's potential three-term contingency consists of an antecedent, a behavior and a consequence. The tutor is taught to appropriately present antecedents, record correct and incorrect responses and deliver appropriate consequences. These consequences involve delivering verbal approvals for tutees correct responses and participating in a correction for tutees incorrect responses. No disapprovals are given for incorrect responses, because "disapprovals function as attention for undesirable behavior and interfere with the development of positive classroom practices" (Singer-Dudek & Keohane, in press). One method to teach tutors accurate peer tutoring is using rule-governed responding. Rule-governed behavior is behavior that is controlled by verbal rather than nonverbal contingencies (Greer, 2002). A term that expands on Skinner's (1957) rule-governed behavior is verbal mediation. "Verbal behavior that governs or guides nonverbal behavior in lieu of the natural contingencies is an incidence of behavior under the control of verbal mediation . Individuals performing a series of operations under verbal mediation can perform those operations without having ever experienced the direct contingencies" (Greer, 2002, p.353). Studies have shown that rule governed responding increases correct responding (Marsico, 1998; Singer, 2000; Taylor & O'Reilly, 1997). Marsico (1998) implemented rule governed responding with 6 students by giving them scripts that contained the steps to correctly solve long division and multiplication problems. The results showed an increase in the amount of time the student spent working independently without seeking help or stopping for all 6 students. The rates of correct responses also increased across all participants during the intervention phase. To insure accuracy of rule-governed responding, an observer records the tutor's behavior using the Teacher Performance Rate and Accuracy (TPRA) data sheet (Ingham & Greer, 1992). …