ACADEMIC ESSAY

1.1 SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING THEORY

Based on Vygotsky’s social constructivism theory, children develop knowledge and master
skills through social interaction and sociodramatic activities. Thus, sociodramatic and
communication plays an important role on learning. Vygotsky believed that children's
development was fostered through interaction with individuals who are more advanced in
their thinking. The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is basically an assessment of
learning potential. To acquire skill and knowledge of higher levels, pupils need close
collaboration with a capable instructor or corporative learning. For example, getting a help
from a more-skilled peers to assist teaching and learning.

1.2 TEACHING AND LEARNING METHOD TO INCREASE STUDENT QUALITY OF

LEARNING BASED ON SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING THEORY

1.2.1 PEER TUTORING

Peer tutoring is a versatile, peer-mediated method that includes students serving as

academic tutors and tutees. Typically, a more skilled ‘tutor’ helps a less skilled ‘tutee’ on
task. The pairs can be matched by ability or be of different ages or abilities, depending
on the approach used. Peer learning builds on individuals’ strengths and mobilises them
as active participants in the learning process and they also learn transferable skills in

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helping, cooperation, listening, and communication. Peer learning encourages personal
and social development. All of this influences the school ethos, developing a cultural
norm of helping and caring (Topping, 2005).

The objectives of peer tutoring method are such as, to provide learning
assistance to students in a specific course by pairing such students with a peer who had
demonstrated competence in that particular subject and to improve the student's
understanding and application of concepts and methods as they pertain to a particular
subject, thereby enhancing student success. Also, to provide tutor with an opportunity to
refine their communication, instructional, and interpersonal skills through the process of
being an educator and provide the tutor with a means to consolidate their knowledge in
a particular subject area.

The idea of learning through peer tutoring is primarily based on a social

constructivist view of mastering that emphasises the role of the students to
generate gaining knowledge of in which students educate peers thru social
interaction within their zones of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978). Vygotsky
argued that learning comes about through social negotiation within a cultural context,
with language as the primary enabling tool. Student access information from mentors,
whose position is to facilitate instead of educate, and the aim of learning is to solve
realistic and practical troubles in an authentic setting.

The reason why I chose peer tutoring method is because it allows students to
receive one-to-one assistance and have increased opportunities to respond in smaller
groups. It also promotes academic and social development for both the tutor and tutee
because student engagement and time on task is increased. Peer tutoring increases
self-confidence and self-efficacy (Spencer, 2006).

One of the characteristics of peer tutoring is specific role-taking as tutor or tutee.

Children are matched according to specific considerations such as same age or cross-
age, reciprocal or one way, whole class or targeted group and similar ability or cross
ability. There are specific procedures for interaction between tutor and tutee. Also,
training for pairs in the technique provided. In this method, both pupils experience
cognitive challenge. This method is usually a time-limited intervention.

According to Goodlad (1999), there are some principles and criteria in designing
and implementing peer tutoring. First, certainly define the objectives of the tutoring
scheme through writing an announcement of purpose which shows “who is teaching

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what to whom and for what purpose”. Define roles and obligations inside the scheme
being applied, which may additionally include policies for matching or pairing students
through sex, friendship or ethnicity. Also, teach the tutors in project or content material
necessities and also in tutoring strategies including “pause, prompt and reward”;
structure the content material in order that there are truly described, meaningful
responsibilities for the tutees which involve most participation and reinforcement; and
support the tutors with regular feedback via de-briefing periods and well structured
materials. Besides, keep logistics as simple as possible such as make the scheduled
time and area for conferences convenient to all events. Finally, evaluate the scheme.

Peer tutors can be trained by establish rules for confidentiality of student

progress. Moreover, define and develop procedures for social skills students may need
throughout peer tutoring such as sharing, taking turns, using respectful language, and
accepting criticism or feedback. Also, define and develop procedures for moving into
peer tutoring groups quickly and quietly. Explain and model peer tutoring and allow
students to practice prior to the first peer tutoring session. Consider using a prepared
script for practicing interactions (Fulk & King, 2001). Besides, train students how to
provide feedback for correct and incorrect peer responses, including praise and teach
students how to carefully monitor their own and their partner’s progress.

Role of a teacher in peer tutoring is to introduce and explain strategy; instruct

students how to use, model use of strategy; guide students’ practice such as prompt,
praise and extend use of strategy and diagnose difficulties. A teacher also need to
monitor progress or assess outcomes and relinquish control.

1.2.2 IMPLICATIONS OF PEER TUTORING METHOD TOWARS CHILDREN’S

EFFECTIVE LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM

One of the benefits of peer tutoring is student tutees found lessons more interesting,
easier to follow, more enjoyable and seemed to learn more. Meanwhile, student tutors
practiced communication skills, felt that they were doing something useful with their
knowledge, got to know people from different social backgrounds, gained insights into
how other students saw subjects, increased self-confidence and reinforced subject
knowledge. Teachers also found lessons easier to handle, teaching was more enjoyable
and reported that pupils seemed to learn more.

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Figure 2: Learning Pyramid. Based on the pyramid, teaching others (90%) is the best
method to help student retention.

Besides, this method emphasise on repetition and practice of skills until the tutees
completely acquire the knowledge. Tutor also gives frequent opportunity to respond
enables the tutees to correct their mistakes and find the right answer, which indirectly
stimulates the tutees’ cognitive thinking skills. Other than tutor, the teacher also
frequently check on the tutees’ progress and reviews tutoring process regularly to make
sure the tutors giving the right assistant to help the tutees’ overcome their teaching and
learning problems.

By this method, student train themselves on more individual teaching and learning than
always depending on teachers. Tutors gains in learning because they teach others what
they have learnt which also enables themselves to understand more. They also gain in
social skills, for example, communication skills, how to ask for help and how to help
others. Students have improvement in attitude towards learning as they begin to take
initiative to learn and create their own teaching and learning methods. Training students
in peer tutoring strategies help students take responsibility for their learning, and their
ability to recognize and accept responsibility for academic failures. This method also
boost students’ self-esteem and self-confidence by communicating with others, asking
questions on what they don’t understand and explaining to others on what they have
learned. Not only the students, the teachers also increase their opportunity to interact
effectively with range of individual students and have greater coverage of individual
needs. They also get opportunities to observe students at work and assess skills.

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 Peer tutoring also accommodates diverse students within a classroom. In this case,
peer tutoring facilitate differentiated learning without stigmatizing and alienating
students. When peer tutoring is implemented in a class-wide setting, students are able
to approach the curriculum at their individual learning level, using strategies tailored to
individual mentees

Last but not least, peer tutoring promotes high order thinking skills, whereby explaining
concepts in detail, high-level questioning, and the use of supportive communication
skills, peer tutors can help low-performing students master material previously
introduced in a traditional classroom setting and build on their knowledge using higher-
ordering thinking skills.

Figure 3: Average statistics of benefits gain by tutors and tutees on implementation of

peer tutoring.

1.3 CONCLUSION

In a nutshell, common components of peer tutoring programs facilitate both cognitive

and social gains in both higher-performing mentors and low-performing mentees in an
individualized and positive way. Multiple academic tutors required, clear instructions,
regular follow-up and even training sessions are needed to ensure an on-going peer
tutoring implementation.

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REFERENCES

Fulk, B. M., & King, K., (2001). Classwide peer tutoring at work. Teaching Exceptional Children, 34,
49-53.

Goodlad, S., (1999). Never Knowingly Oversold: a watchword for tutoring and mentoring schemes?
Paper presented at the 2nd BP Regional Conference on Tutoring and Mentoring, Perth,
Western Australia.

Spencer, V. G., (2006). Peer tutoring and students with emotional or behavioural disorders: A review
of the literature. Behavioural Disorders, 31, 204-223.

Topping, K. J. (2005). Trends in peer learning. Educational Psychology, 25(6), 631-645.

Vygotsky, L. S., (1978). Mind in Society. Harvard University Press: Cambridge.