Peer-Mediated Resource Reading. Repeated Reading Teacher's Manual

Abstract

This manual was developed as part of a project that investigated the effectiveness of class-wide, peer-mediated reading instruction with middle grade students having mild disabilities and reading difficulties. It explains the procedures for introducing, implementing, and monitoring the project's version of sustained oral reading practice, in which pairs of students each read aloud for nine minutes while the partner corrects errors and awards points for accuracy. The first chapter lists the manual's objectives, gives a definition and rationale for peer-mediated instruction, and presents an overview of the peer-mediated reading program. Chapter 2 is on preparing for peer-mediated reading. It covers scheduling time for peer tutoring; selecting pairs and weekly teams; awarding and recording points; and getting students to and from their partners. Chapter 3 describes the three-lesson training program for students prior to implementing peer-mediated reading. Lesson 1 covers general features of peer-mediated reading instruction, Lesson 2 the procedures for sustained oral reading, and in Lesson 3, students are walked through the peer-mediated instructional sequence. Chapter 4 focuses on potential problems and solutions such as students being loud, disruptive, or off task; students taking too much time to complete the tutoring steps; students failing to follow the tutoring procedure; and students cheating. A sample teacher script is provided. An appendix includes the reading measures used in the program. Another appendix provides a review of the literature on the effectiveness of peer tutoring in general and specifically its effectiveness with students having reading disabilities. This appendix contains 94 references. (DB)