The effectiveness of adult volunteer tutoring on reading among “at risk” first grade children

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of a reading tutoring program for children “at risk” for reading problems. Forty‐two first grade children were selected based on both teacher recommendations and scores on Clay's Observational Survey. Children were matched on demographic variables and assigned randomly to tutored and control groups. Children in the tutored group met one‐on‐one with a trained community volunteer who tutored the child three times a week for 45 minutes each session. Children in the control group did not receive tutoring. The tutored group performed higher on measures of letter identification and overall reading compared with the control group. Tutored boys showed more improvement than girls, and older tutored children outperformed their younger tutored counterparts. Anecdotal evidence from teachers and tutors supports the efficacy of this program.