Supervision and Site of Instruction as Factors in Tutorial Programs

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of tutoring location and teacher supervision on the efficacy of cross-age tutoring for learning disabled children. In Experiment I third grade children were randomly assigned to be tutored in a resource room where the resource teacher did not actively supervise the tutoring, or in back of their classroom where other classroom activities were also taking place No differences were observed in the students' learning that were related to the location of instruction. In Experiment II the treatment conditions were similar to those in Experiment I except that the resource teacher actively supervised the tutors. Third grade students learned significantly more in the resource room than in the classroom. The results of the studies suggest that the site of tutoring is less important than is the extent of supervision provided by the teacher.

Interpersonal Communication Between Resource and Regular Teachers

“…94-142 necesitates a high level of cooperative planning which only resource teachers with expertise in adult communication and professional cooperation can hope to achieve. (p.60) Research reports concerning the resource room model and mainstreaming have centered primarily on cognitive issues such as the behavioral characteristics of exceptional children, and assessment, instruction, and evaluation techniques for resource teachers and regular educators to use with handicapped learners (Boeck & Foster, 1975;Brooks & Bransford, 1971;Jenkins & Mayhall, 1976;Mayhall, Jenkins, Chestnut, Rose, Schroeder, & Jordan, 1975). With the exception of inservice workshops reported by Lombardi (1972) and Glass and Meckler (1972), there has been very little research which focuses on the affective, supportive side of mainstreaming.…”