Learning in groups can often be much more fun and can facilitate the continuation of learning once the formal has ended.
15
Peer tutoring includes in group learning. Because students are divided into groups and each consists of students who
have different competence because teacher directly point the students who are considered as in upper group or smarter than others to help their friends who are lack
of certain subject. So that peer tutoring is one kind of group learning in which the group members are friends so the learning process will more enjoyable rather than
when they learn from the teacher. Peer tutoring also become one strategy to overcome the limited time in the classroom because learning time in classroom is not enough to
cover the students‟ needs.
2. The characteristics of Peer Tutoring
Peer tutoring has characteristics that distinguish it from other teaching methods and approaches. In peer tutoring, students have big role in teaching learning
process in the classroom. Students not only have role as students but they also perform as tutors and tutees that they
help each other. The teachers‟ roles are to plan and to design the peer tutoring program, to choose the appropriate materials and
tutors, and to monitor the classroom during the program. Although in peer tutoring the students have big role in their learning, the
teachers‟ roles are also important in teaching learning process. Teachers have roles to give instructions and to guide the program as Gaies described that peer tutoring
designates an activity that in some fashion follows teacher-led instruction.
16
15
Prue HuddleStone, Lorna Win. Teaching in Further Education. New York: Rotledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2008, p. 117.
16
Gaies, op. cit., p. 2.
a. Program Planning for Peer Tutoring
The most important part of the peer tutoring program planning process is developing a peer tutoring procedure that builds on effective teaching practice and
facilitates the tutor-tutee interactions. As far as the tutor –tutee relationship is
concerned, a tutor must build a good relationship with the tutee as a friend. Some important roles to be considered in planning peer tutoring:
17
1 The role of instructor in a peer tutoring program The role of instructor must include: providing tutors with resource materials
and information to help them improve their tutoring skills, facilitating training and offering follow-up support for tutors. On the other hand, the instructor should also
formally address several factors that pertain to implementation: a setting short- and long-term goals, b structure of the tutor-tutee interactions necessary to teach the
knowledge and skill, c selection of expertise student as tutor, d selection of the tutoring schedule, and e selection of the materials for training in teaching skills. In
addition to finding qualified tutors, programs also need to organize and coordinate peer tutori
ng program activities. Therefore, as the instructor‟s task in the peer tutoring program involves planning, scheduling and implementing tutor training and tutoring
sessions, it is important to have instructors possessing good organizational and supervisory skills to ensure the success of the peer tutoring program.
2 The peer tutoring program for the tutee The tutees at the beginning of their course may well need more help and more
peer tutoring program intervention. The program enable students to take more responsibility for their own learning, promoted creative kinds of problem solving, as
well as developing a more responsible attitude and intense motivation toward learning and self-confidence. 3 The peer tutoring program for tutor
17
Chen, ChingLiu,Chang-Chen. A case study of peer tutoring program in higher education.
Research in Higher Education Journal, 2009, pp. 2 –3.
Peer tutoring program practice should be conducted until the tutor can implement the tutoring service independently and accurately. Tutors‟ perspectives
were grouped into five major categories: communication and relationship issues; tutors‟ ability and confidence, tutor system administration; purpose and value of the
system; and problems as well as suggestions for improvement. There have also significant benefits for the tutors in developing key skills relate to: communication,
leadership and team work. Cooperative problem solving approaches will vary according to the needs of the different students, along with the development and use
of a variety of delivery methods.
b. The Varieties of Peer Tutoring
Generally, there are two varieties of peer tutoring as Gaies divided it into two patterns, same-level and cross-level:
18
1
Same-level
a The same-level pattern is only one variation which is called interclass. It is
designed for use within a second foreign language classroom; all participants are
learning the same target language and are at about the same level proficiency.
2
Cross-level
a Same age: fluent speakers of the target language serve as peer teachers or tutors
for age peers with limited proficiency in the language. An example for second language learning is the use of peer tutors with students of limited proficiency
who have been mainstreamed, while in foreign language learning the use of
international students as peer tutors is an example.
b
Intergrade: older generally more proficient students teach tutor younger learners.
c
Reciprocal: two groups of learners, each fluent in one language and each with
limited proficiency in the language of the other group, serve alternately as peer
teachers or tutors for students in the other group.
18
Gaies, op. cit., p.23
d “informal”: more fluent, generally older, learners engage in activities with less
fluent learners that are primarily intended to help the less proficient learner integrate socially and academically into a school setting; less explicitly built
around language development activities.
While Falchikov categorized Peer Tutoring into main categories of peer tutoring that can operate in higher education;
19
1. Same-level peer tutoring where participants within a cohort have equal status
2. Same-level peer tutoring involving one institution where unequal status is
introduced by the coordinator; 3.
Cross-level peer tutoring involving one institution where unequal status derives from existing differences between tutors and tutees,
4. Cross-level peer tutoring involving two institutions.
In this research, the writer will use the first category: the same-level or interclass in which the learners are in the same class and level. The students‟ status
among is equal which means that the role can be changed from a tutor to a tutee or vice versa based on their cognitive competency when a material are given. A student
can be a tutor for one material, but they can also be the tutees for the other materials.
3. The Advantages of Peer Tutoring
Peer tutoring has many advantages. Some advantages of peer tutoring are:
a. Motivation for student-tutors.
Learning by teaching is consideration of students who become tutors for their friends because when they are asked to teach, they try to master the material in order
to teach to others. They also learn how to teach their friends. In this case, it will build self-esteem and creates a sense of pride in helping others, develops communication
skills, provides experiences and develops a sense of responsibility.
19
Nancy Falchikov, Learning Together: Peer Tutoring in Higher Education. London: Routledge Falmer 2001. p. 9.
