ERIC Number: EJ1150967
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1838-0689
EISSN: N/A
The Cross-Age Tutoring Experience for Students with and without Disabilities
Gillies, Ann
International Research in Early Childhood Education, v4 n1 p105-126 2013
This qualitative study describes the experience of a cross-age tutoring intervention for three PreKindergarten/Kindergarten-aged students with autism and their fourth grade general education tutors. Data were collected in an inclusive environment; the school library. Three fourth grade general education cross-age tutors were trained to use a simple, naturalistic least-to-most prompting strategy to support the young students with behavior goals in the library. A single case multiple baseline across participants design offers descriptive statistics about the young students' performance outcomes from the tutoring intervention and a constant comparison analysis of qualitative data gathered from observations of all students, students' written work and a research journal contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of this tutoring experience from the perspective of the children involved. Quantitative data indicated a sharp increase in the occurrence of the desired behaviors in the young children with the tutors present and a maintenance probe indicated the lasting effects of this intervention. Qualitative data suggested the cross-age tutoring experience created positive and powerful personal effects for both tutors and tutees; students were happy, engaged, responsive to one another, committed to one another and strong friendships were established.
Descriptors: Qualitative Research, Tutoring, Autism, Kindergarten, Preschool Children, Grade 4, Elementary School Students, Prompting, School Libraries, Program Effectiveness, Comparative Analysis, Observation, Journal Writing, Writing Assignments, Behavior Modification, Cross Age Teaching, Maintenance, Intervention, Coding
Monash University Faculty of Education. McMahons Road, Frankston, Victoria, Australia 3199. e-mail: edu-irece@monash.edu; Web site: http://www.monash.edu/education/research/publications/journals/irece
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Kindergarten; Primary Education; Early Childhood Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A