Effective Instruction

Individual and Small Group Instruction Size
Tutoring is most effective when a trained instructor delivers it one-on-one. When individual tutoring is not possible, providers are to ensure the smallest possible group size.

Student Attendance
High rates of student participation make tutoring more effective and cost efficient. Providers can promote high student attendance by offering a program that is innovative, staffed with high quality trained tutors, provides ongoing feedback to parents and teachers, and reflects students' classroom experience. Effective Tutoring programs incorporate a minimum of 45 hours of instruction per subject area. A proposed ideal schedule model is three times a week; 45 minutes per session; for a minimum of 20 weeks.

Professional Development
The quality of the training for instructional strategies is vitally important to the effectiveness of a tutoring program. Effective tutors must be knowledgeable about Pennsylvania's academic standards and assessments, as well as curriculum of their particular school district. Providers should ensure that tutors have the skills they need in order to deliver tutoring aligned with each student's individual academic needs.

Parental Involvement
Effective parent communication is key to gaining student participation and addressing the student's academic needs:

• Districts must notify parents of tutoring services offered and eligibility requirements
• Parents should be given regular updates on their child's progress
• Notification should be in a format that is easy to understand for all parents, including those with limited English proficiency

Community Involvement
It is in each school district's interest to develop a collaborative relationship with community providers to maximize student learning over the course of the tutoring experience. Community partnerships take advantage of existing resources and relationships while strengthening the academic nature of community programs. Tutoring partnerships also help build ties between the school and family and social services that may be offered by other public or non-profit organizations.