Using reading strategies to enhance learning

Educators are seeking ways to enhance the education of all students including those with disabilities. Fuchs, Fuchs, Mathes & Simmons (1997) conducted a study to determine the effects of peer tutoring on the academic achievement of different learner types in the regular classroom. Although there have been studies done on peer tutoring in regular classes, rarely have any of them included students with disabilities. Primarily, the study was implemented to explore the effectiveness of peer-assisted learning strategies, by comparing the reading progress of three learner types-low achieving students with and without disabilities and average-achieving pupils- to corresponding controls. Findings indicate that learning disabled students in PALS classrooms made significantly greater progress than their counterparts in No-PALS classrooms across the three-reading measures. The differences in PALS scores compares favorably with that of cooperative learning. Teacher’s written responses to a questionnaire administered in the last 2 weeks of the 15-week treatment stated that teachers believed PALS had positive affected their lower performing students’ reading achievement and social skills. PALS is just one of the various reading strategies that are being implemented in classrooms to enhance the education of all students. Please refer to the journal below for more detailed information.

Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L., Mathes, P. & Simmons, D. (1997). Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: Making Classrooms More Responsive to Diversity. Journal of American Educational Research Journal, vol.34 (1), pg. 174-206.