The Effects of a Cross-age Tutorial Program: Hispanic Students Who Are Not Proficient In Reading Tutored By Non Hispanic Students Who Are Proficient In Reading

Abstract

The purpose of the research has been to examine the effects of a cross-age tutoring program aimed at assisting Hispanic students in comprehension and fluency reading skills. The research process included exploring previous research on the topic and closely observing outcomes of students participating in the cross-age tutorial program. The tutorial program consisted of twenty-four sessions that lasted thirty minutes. Each lesson contained reading practice as well as related games and activities planned by the tutors. The ten Hispanic participants who were tutored were third graders performing at a level II in reading according to the North Carolina End-of-Grade test. The students who were used to tutor the third graders were ten level IV readers in the fifth grade. The research questions that drove the study were: 1) What are some effects when Hispanic students who are not proficient in reading are tutored by non-Hispanic students who are proficient in reading? 2) What are good reading strategies for Hispanic students? The study concluded with all twenty participants passing the End-of-Grade test in addition to other positive effects that will assist in gaining literacy skills. The study does not indicate the cross-age tutoring program alone contributed to students passing the End-of-Grade tests or gaining the positive effects observed.