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Useful Tutoring Techniques

A few ways to make tutoring more effective

Date : 24/01/2014

Author Information

Femke

Uploaded by : Femke
Uploaded on : 24/01/2014
Subject : Science

Useful Techniques

Homework - a cornerstone of my tutoring technique. The homework is typically a short task which recaps the concepts introduced in the session and should be completed a few days afterwards. The memory of the lesson should begin to fade before being refreshed by the homework. This is called the spacing effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacing_effect) and aids the consolidation of long-term memories. Marking the homework also lets me see how well the ideas were retained.

Active note taking - this method requires a bit of work to get right but is something I perfected for myself during my BSc. Essentially, you make notes in a highly abbreviated, highly symbolized form. The notes are laid out across a page, grouped by conceptual similarity rather than straight down a page. The student is encouraged to form their own code which can include their own symbols, words from a foreign language, pictures, colours and jokes. The idea is that both making and reading the notes requires a high level of processing, which then aids retention. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levels-of-processing_effect) The notes are also a lot more interesting to make.

Clearly defined goals - each lesson has a goal with measurable outcomes that are explained clearly to the student. I like to involve the pupil in this process, and encourage them to either set the goal themselves, or suggest tasks which might help achieve the goal. This increases their involvement in the lesson and also improves their ability to study independently.

Role reversal - with younger children, this can be a done with a bit of dramatic flourish. After explaining an idea or method, I declare I have forgotten it myself and need them to explain it to me. Successfully teaching a skill to others is a great way to cement personal knowledge of the skill. (https://openarchive.stanford.edu/susefaculty/schwartz/teachable-agents-protege-effect). If applicable, I can also ask the student to teach their sibling or parent as a homework task.

Active mini-breaks - if the student is having issues concentrating for the duration of the session, I sometimes allow a ~3 minute break where the student gets up, moves around and plays with one of the toys I provide. These are tactile and fun to play with and the effect is to reset the student's brain and improve concentration. Generally this is more applicable to younger students, but can be used for adults as well.

Pop-quiz - exactly as it sounds, a quick 3-5 minute test on some key ideas is a great way to avoid complacency.

Time trials - these are specifically to prepare students for the extremely time-constrained conditions of entrance exams. We cover a concept in some detail, and then the student must apply it to a range of similar questions in a very short space of time. Rather than have this be a test, I prefer to try and make this fun and sometimes 'race' my students. The idea is to begin to see working quickly as fun rather than daunting.

This resource was uploaded by: Femke