Peer tutoring as a strategy for inclusive education in primary education: a case study

ABSTRACT

This paper studied the degree of inclusion in three primary school groups in Spain, where five students with mild special educational needs (SEN), but without disabilities, were enrolled. The study was based on a multiple-case design, combining observational and self-report techniques before, during and after implementing a peer tutoring programme. Three components of inclusive education were analysed: presence, participation and learning achievement. Within this last component, four specific variables of classroom participation were evaluated: (1) social acceptance rating of peers; (2) social relationships and friendship choices; (3) self-perception of personal, social and school adjustment; and (4) social interactions in learning activities. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed. The results show worse inclusion rates for students with SEN than for the rest of their peers in all dimensions. During the peer tutoring programme, an improvement was observed in the presence and achievement of SEN students. However, these improvements were only found in some variables of social participation, in the short term. The implementation of a fixed tutoring programme is a positive but not sufficient measure to generate changes in the degree of inclusion of students with learning disabilities. Finally, the implications for the planning of inclusive collaborative learning practices are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusive education
• social participation
• collaborative learning
• peer tutoring
• primary education
• Spain

Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 4: quality education; SDG 10 reduced inequalities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Due to its length, and for ethical reasons related to the informed consent that the family members agreed to sign, only a reduced version of the test for the social adjustment dimension was used in the post-test.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER, A way to make Europe) and the Government of Extremadura (Junta de Extremadura), in the framework of the 6th Regional I + D + I Plan. Resolución de 1 de febrero de 2019, de la Secretaría General de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (Ref.: IB18072).

Notes on contributors

Manuel Montanero

Manuel Montanero has a degree in Education, a degree in Psychology from Catholic University of Salamanca, and a PhD (with distinction) in Educational Sciences from University of Extremadura (Spain). He is Full Professor at the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the University of Extremadura, and head of the Research Institute for Educational Studies. His research interests include didactic methods, classroom interaction and inclusive education, subjects on which he has published more than 70 articles in ranked scientific journals.

Alba M. Mayo

Alba M. Mayo has a degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education and master’s degree in Secondary Education Teacher Training. She has participated in different research projects in the line of peer tutoring in Primary Education and funded by the Regional Government of Extremadura. She has also participated in conferences and published articles and book chapters. In 2016, she received a grant to collaborate with university departments, funded by the Ministry of Education and Science; and in 2017 she participated in the Training Teacher Programme in Canada from the Amancio Ortega Foundation.

Raquel Borrero

Raquel Borrero is PhD in Educational Sciences by the University of Extremadura. She has a degree in Educational Psychology, a degree in Special Education, and master’s degree in international development Cooperation. She is also Specialist teacher in Hearing and Language. Although she developed her main work at the Guidance Department of an educational centre, she has alternated and combined this work for several years with university teaching and research at Faculty of Education, University of Extremadura. Her areas of interest, in which she has publications and academic communications, are educational inclusion, innovation and teacher training.

María-Jesús Fernández-Sánchez

María-Jesús Fernández-Sánchez has a degree in Education, Master’s in Educational Research (with distinction) and a PhD in Education (with distinction) from University of Extremadura. She is currently a teacher in the Department of Educational Sciences (University of Extremadura, Spain). She is a member of the INPEx and the ‘Educational Research and Development Group of Extremadura' (GIDEX). Her research focuses on the analysis of communication and interaction in the classroom, especially in collaborative learning environments.

Álvaro Carmona

Álvaro Carmona has a degree in Education and Master’s in Educational Research from University of Extremadura. He is currently PhD student at University of Extremadura.