Tutor Learning Initiative

Program design

Tutors should be working with small groups of students (generally up to 5 students) at a time.

For students to experience accelerated learning growth, evidence suggests that they should ideally participate in three 45-minute small group learning sessions per week, lasting anywhere from 6 to 20 weeks. Some students may benefit from longer term support through the Tutor Learning Initiative. Evidence suggests that tutoring cycles of between 5 to 8 weeks are most effective (E4L 2021; Grattan Institute 2020). Schools can consider the needs of their students, including age or learning difficulties, and their local circumstances when establishing their tutoring timetable.

Tutoring can be delivered in-class, out-of-class, or in a hybrid model. The specific model is a school-based decision.

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.

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• students being withdrawn from the classroom for small group or individual learning which has been differentiated to their point of need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.

Hybrid support combines or adapts the above approaches.

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

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.

Schools are encouraged to view the following resource to inform their tutoring program: Tutor Learning Initiative – What works? Implementation insights 2022 (DOCX).

Tutor group learning plan

Some students in TLI will 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.

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.

Collaboration

Tutoring occurs within a whole-school approach to learning and wellbeing and it is recommended that, where appropriate, school leaders ensure tutors can consult with other workforces such as:

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

Program reflection

Schools and tutors can use the TLI Implementation Continua (the Continua) (DOCX) 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 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.