Using this technique requires more planning, since students tutor children who are at least one grade level lower. Like peer tutoring, this technique involves tutor training and careful monitoring to ensure that both tutors and tutees are benefiting from the tutoring. Small Learning Groups Small group reading instruction has been shown by many research studies to be more effective than whole-class instruction, but most of these studies did not include students with disabilities. Smaller groups appear to be better-groups of 3 to 4 students are usually more efficient than larger groups of 5 to 7 students in terms of teacher and student time, lower cost, increased instructional time, increased peer interaction, and improved generalization of skills. This practice requires teachers to plan and organize groups and to adapt instruction, methods, and materials for small group use.
Benefits are greater when the materials are tailored to the needs of different students.
Students with disabilities may require different materials and more direct instruction than students without disabilities. Using a combination of formats produces measurable reading benefits for students with disabilities. For example, a teacher may use whole-class instruction for a part of each period, and have students work in pairs for 2 days and in small groups for 2 days. Although combined formats have not yet been studied extensively, they appear to offer promise for inclusive teachers and their students. Increasing strategic reading practice with Peabody classwide peer tutoring.