2002 Peer Tutoring Conference Acrobat PDF Presentations
Developing and Supporting Friendships
Teaching Systematic Instruction
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What is Peer Tutoring?
Peer tutoring is a credited elective class for students without disabilities to gain experience working with same-aged students with severe cognitive and physical disabilities in educational settings. Peer tutoring increases access to the general curriculum and to all of the activities of a typical high school student for students with moderate to severe disabilities. Peer tutoring allows for positive social interactions and social relationships to develop between students with and without severe disabilities.
While in the peer tutoring course, students without disabilities will learn about different cognitive and physical disabilities, different learning styles, instructional and motivational techniques, and careers in the special education fields. Peer tutors will learn the characteristics of being a good role model, as well as helping some of their peers learn everyday skills. Peer tutors will help students with disabilities set goals, monitor their progress, and reach their intended outcomes. The day-to-day activity of a peer tutor can certainly change, depending on the student with whom the peer tutor is working and what is scheduled for the student that day. The peer tutor could go to a regular education classroom, work in the special education classroom, go on Community Based Instruction, go to a job site, go on a field trip, or eat lunch with the students with disabilities. Everyday will prove to be different!
The major role of the peer tutor will be to assist students with disabilities ‘blend in’ with their peers and participate as much as possible in the everyday life of a high school student. Students with disabilities already have a stigma or a label placed upon them. They are seen as different and “special”, so people believe that they need to be treated different or “special”. In the past, students with disabilities have not always been included in all of the aspects of high school life. They have been overlooked, and all too often, they have been kept separate from students without disabilities. Not many people have even thought about students with disabilities taking part in extra-curricular activities, clubs, assemblies, dances, etc. Therefore, many students without disabilities have tended to be ignorant and hesitant to interact with students with disabilities. Students without disabilities have not had the opportunity to learn that students with multiple and severe disabilities have the same dreams as they do. Students with severe disabilities want to have friends, take part in school activities, go on dates, talk on the phone, go to dances, participate in sports, drive, etc. A peer tutor will learn that students with disabilities have these dreams, too. Peer tutors will work side-by-side with students with disabilities to enable them to do all of the things of a typical high school student.
Peer tutors are friends, role models, guides, and above all, peers. They are not teachers, disciplinary figures, instructional assistants, behavior modifiers, or supervisors.
Roles and Responsibilities
Role of the Student with a Disability
Role of the Special Education Teacher
Role of the Regular Education Teacher
Role of Administrator/ Counselor