Tutor Learning Initiative

Program design

Key considerations in the design of a school’s tutoring program include:

• mode of delivery
• alignment of TLI to VTLM 2.0, including the teaching of synthetic phonics
• student learning needs and goals
• assessment
• collaboration
• reporting to parents and carers
• ongoing refinements.

Schools may choose to use a portion of their TLI funding to appoint a TLI coordinator to oversee the implementation and monitoring of the initiative in their school.

Mode of delivery

Tutors work with small groups of students (generally up to 5 students) at a time. Tutoring can be delivered in-class, out-of-class, or in a hybrid model. The specific model of delivery is a school-based decision.

In-class support

In-class support can include:

• providing intensive, ongoing small group or individual student learning
• teaching mini lessons to a small group of students (or individual students, where appropriate) to support skills required in the whole-class setting.

When using an in-class model, consideration may be given to:

• opportunities for students to participate in the whole-class introduction and close of a session, and then be supported with a small group activity in the middle of the lesson
• opportunity to timetable dedicated classes to support the identified students. The intervention should be in addition to the students’ existing English/mathematics classes
• timetabling students to attend a literacy or numeracy session immediately prior to their usual classroom lesson to preview vocabulary, skills or concepts, enabling students to be better prepared to access content.

Out-of-class support

Out-of-class support can include:

• students being withdrawn from the classroom for small group or individual learning which has been differentiated to their point of need
• students attending an additional scheduled session for small group or individual learning differentiated to their point of need
• students attending a session immediately prior to a classroom lesson to preview vocabulary, skills or concepts, enabling students to be better prepared to access content
• students remaining in the classroom during introductory instruction, engaging in application activities in a separate space with the tutor during the middle of the lesson, and returning to class at the conclusion of the lesson to share in whole-class reflection.

Using an out-of-class model can allow for more explicit teaching of core literacy or numeracy skills, that might not directly relate to the content being taught in class.

Where sessions take place out-of-class, it is recommended that students do not regularly miss the same subject, or their regular literacy or numeracy sessions to ensure continuity of learning across the curriculum.

Hybrid support combines or adapts the above approaches.

Alignment of TLI to Victoria’s teaching and learning reforms

All Victorian government schools are working to embed the VTLM 2.0 in their teaching and learning programs from the start of the 2028 school year. Tutors are recommended to deliver small group tutoring in line with the new Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0), including using explicit instruction and synthetic phonics to teach reading in F–2.

Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0

The revised VTLM 2.0 is informed by contemporary evidence about the way students learn and the most effective teaching practices and approaches to achieve strong learning outcomes for students.

The VTLM 2.0 has explicit teaching practices at its core. Evidence demonstrates that explicit teaching practices are most effective at delivering strong learning outcomes for the majority of students, including priority cohorts.

For further information, refer to VTLM 2.0.

Victoria’s approach to teaching reading F–2

The VTLM 2.0 is reflected in the department’s new position on Victoria's approach to teaching reading F–2. This statement outlines the approach to teaching reading in the early years of school that is supported by the strongest evidence, implemented in many Victorian government schools that are achieving strong reading outcomes and is expected to be implemented in all Victorian government primary and specialist schools from 2025.

For further information, refer to the department’s publication Victoria’s approach to teaching reading F–2 (PDF).

Student learning needs and goals

Tutoring through TLI is intended to build upon and be integrated with existing supports as part of a whole-school approach to learning intervention.

Schools should set learning goals for each group of TLI students and establish a clear intention for each tutoring cycle.

Some students in TLI may have complex learning and other needs and will therefore have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which outlines key information including their literacy and numeracy learning goals.

If not all students in a TLI tutoring group have an IEP, then the tutor is required to develop a TLI group learning plan (DOCX) or equivalent to capture the delivery approach and learning goals for each group of students receiving support.

Tutors can of course develop a TLI group learning plan, even if all students have a pre-existing IEP.

For more information, visit:

• Diverse Learners Hub
• Learning Difficulties Information Guide – Numeracy (DOCX)
• Learning Difficulties Information Guide – Literacy (DOCX)
• Deciding if a student has a learning difficulty in numeracy
• Deciding if a student has a learning difficulty in literacy.

Assessment

Schools must measure student attainment using a standardised assessment tool at the commencement and the conclusion of the year in which students participate in tutor learning.

ACER statewide licence

Schools are strongly encouraged to use the Adaptive PAT-R (Reading) and Adaptive PAT-M (Mathematics) assessments which are free to government schools in 2025 and can be accessed via the PAT Online Assessment and Reporting System.

Schools with existing state-wide accounts with the PAT Online Assessment and Reporting System in 2024 will have their access automatically renewed for 2025. Government schools who have not yet signed up to access the free PAT state-wide licence, can sign up at PAT Statewide Licence – Opt-In.

The adaptive PAT-R and adaptive PAT-M are usually used to compare learning growth over a time interval of 9 to 12 months.

English Online Interview and Mathematics Online Interview

Primary schools are also strongly encouraged to consider having tutors complete the English Online Interview (EOI) and/or the Mathematics Online Interview (MOI) for students in Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 at both the start and end of the year.

Other assessment tools

Other high-quality standardised assessment tools recommended for use in the TLI include:

• Digital Assessment Library (DAL) – schools are strongly encouraged to use the English and Mathematics assessments for Years 2 to 10, developed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. This includes Mathematics Focus Assessments to support measurement of learning over short teaching cycles
• Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (ABLES) assessment tools
• Reading and Vocabulary Assessment Tool for students with English as an Additional Language (RVEAL)

The National Numeracy Learning Progressions and National Literacy Learning Progressions are also useful resources to map student's developmental progress.

Collaboration

Tutoring occurs within a whole-school approach to learning and wellbeing, and it is recommended that, where appropriate, school leaders assist tutors to engage with staff including:

• classroom teachers
• Literacy and Numeracy Leaders
• Curriculum Leaders
• Navigator Program staff
• Flexible Learning Option staff
• Koorie Engagement Support Officers
• Multicultural education aides (DOCX)
• Program for Students with a Disability staff.

Reporting to parents/carers

Schools may include information in the regular written reports to parents/carers about what additional learning support was delivered as part of the TLI program and what student outcomes were achieved.

Schools may also invite tutors to directly contribute to written reports by providing a short comment on:

• a student’s participation and engagement
• information on progress and achievement of learning goals set within the initiative.

For information on general reporting requirements, refer to Reporting Student Achievement and Progress Foundation to 10.

Ongoing refinements

Schools and tutors can use the TLI Implementation Continua (DOCX) (the Continua) to reflect, self-evaluate, and track their progress regarding TLI implementation.

The Continua includes 6 dimensions unpacked across 4 levels of proficiency to support school self-assessment and the setting of developmental goals.

The Continua can be used by schools to:

• self-evaluate their current TLI implementation and small group learning practice and understand what improved practice looks like
• engage in reflection, inquiry and conversations about improving TLI implementation.