The Effectiveness of Tutoring Underachievers in Reading and Writing

Abstract

Systematic data to confirm the effectiveness of tutoring are rarely gathered. In this study, the effectiveness of tutoring underachievers in reading and writing at the fourth, seventh, and tenth grade levels was checked. Subjects were defined as underachievers if their obtained STEP reading and writing scores were lower than the scores predicted on the basis of their CTMM scores. Subjects with the largest discrepancies were randomly assigned to one of two tutorial arrangements or to a control group. Tutoring produced significantly greater end-of-year gains on the STEP tests at all three grade levels and these were sustained 2 years later for Ss tutored as seventh and tenth graders. At all three grade levels, there were significantly greater frequencies of tutored, as compared to control Ss, who reached their predicted potential or better. This difference was present 2 years later.