education.vic.gov.au

School operations

Tutor Learning Initiative

Policy

This policy outlines the operation of the Tutor Learning Initiative in Victorian government schools.

Please note – a 2023 Tutor Practice Guide (PDF)External Link has been released and is available on the Resources tab.

Details

The Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI) was introduced in 2021 to support students whose learning had been disrupted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

TLI provides government and low-fee non-government schools with funding to employ tutors to deliver targeted small group learning support to students who need it most.

The initiative was extended in 2022 and again in 2023, with the focus now on supporting those students who are below, or at risk of falling below, the National Minimum Standards (NMS)External Link in National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) or equivalent.

Tutoring plays an important role in a school’s teaching and learning program. Using a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework, TLI is categorised as a Tier 2 support, where a targeted intervention is provided for identified students.

Response to Intervention framework

Refer to 'View long description' for details
Response to Intervention framework

Overview

The Response to Intervention framework is as follows.

Tier 3 (Individual)

Intensive interventions for students needing additional support to access the curriculum. Evidence-based intervention is provided individually or in very small groups by an Improvement Teacher.

Tier 2 (Small group)

Supplemental intervention for some students. Delivered in small groups by an Improvement Teacher.

Students are provided with the support they need to succeed in a general education classroom.

Tier 1 (Whole-school)

Teachers have professional learning opportunities to design whole-class instruction that meets the needs of as many students as possible. With the support of school leaders and instructional leaders (such as Improvement Teachers), teachers gather evidence about which students are responding to Tier 1 instruction and which students need additional support.

Presentation

The framework is presented as a 3-tiered pyramid with Tier 3 at the top, Tier 2 in the middle and Tier 1 at the bottom.

Download Response to Intervention framework

As an effective Tier 2 intervention, tutoring should:

  • address identified gaps in students’ learning
  • use evidence-based approaches for teaching.

More information on the RTI framework in the TLI context can be found at Arc – Events Response to Intervention (RTI) Webinar 1External Link (staff login required).

The focus of the TLI is on the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy, which are critical for success in school and life.

Some students identified for TLI may have low self-esteem and may not self-identify as an effective learner, and this can often manifest as disengagement. Tutoring can contribute to reconnecting students to school.

The Guidance tab includes information on TLI requirements for:

  • tutor arrangements – information on the role of a TLI tutor, eligibility criteria to be employed as a tutor and guidance on how schools can employ tutors in 2023
  • student selection – criteria and assessment advice for selecting students to receive TLI support
  • program design – guidance on designing a TLI program, including in-class and out-of-class models, and the frequency of tutoring sessions
  • assessment – advice on using a range of assessment tools to monitor student learning growth
  • monitoring requirements – guidance on monitoring requirements, including coding of tutors on EduPay and tagging students on CASES21.

For information about 2023 TLI funding for government schools, please refer to the 2023 indicative student resource package guide, available on the Resources tab of Student Resource Package – Targeted Initiatives.

Contact

Schools can contact their regional office student achievement managers (SAMs) with queries relating to delivery of the TLI.

In addition to SAMs, schools can direct queries as follows:

Department policy outlining how schools may engage tutor support through the Tutor Learning Initiative for the 2021 school year

Reviewed 23 March 2023

Policy last updated

21 March 2023

Scope

  • Schools
  • School councils

Contact

There are multiple contacts for this topic. Refer to the Contacts section at the bottom of the page for details

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