2. WHAT IS PEER TEACHING
Peer teaching can either be defined by the relationship between teacher and student or by
the method of teaching that occurs. Peer education is a term widely used to describe a
range of advantages where young people from a similar age group, background, culture
and/or social status educate and inform each other about a wide variety of issues.
3. RATIONALE
The rationale behind peer education is that peers can be a trusted and credible source of
information. They share similar experiences and social norms and are therefore better placed to
provide relevant, meaningful, explicit and honest information.
4. PEER TEACHING
Beyond defining peer teaching by the relationship between the students, a second definition of
peer teaching looks less to age, ranking or experience to define peers, and more to the
relationship between the learners. Where peers interact in learning there tends to be both a
cognitive and an affective difference in the approach to the process by both participants. Rather
than viewing the relationship as one in which knowledge is given form teacher to student, the
peer learner is more likely to see the process of working with a peer teacher as cooperative
process in which both participants are actively learning.
5. PEER TEACHING CON’T
From the peer teacher’s perspective, the teaching that takes place is cognitively
different from that of faculty member’s teaching. Since the peer has only recently
learned (or is currently learning) the material being taught, the peer teacher is more
likely to consciously think through the steps of the learning process than one who has
greater expertise. Thus, the peer teacher and learner will engage in a cooperative,
active process of constructing knowledge.
6. WHY PEER TEACHING?
The success of collaborative learning, in and out of schools, depends on how well peers teach each
other. Our purpose is to understand and improve this process in order to enhance learning in
elementary schools. At the same time, we can strengthen students whose interest and effectiveness
as peer teachers can lead them to consider teaching as a career.
7. WHY PEER TEACHING? CON’T
Peer Teaching:
Improves students’ subject matter achievement
Increases students’ engagement and responsibility for learning
Encourages cooperative, rather than competitive classroom behavior
Gives struggling students an additional life line for success
Supports the inclusion of those with disabilities
Students receive more time for individualized learning
Teachers receive more time to focus on the next lesson
8. WHY PEER TEACHING? CON’T
The benefits for peer educators are widely recognized and can include positive changes in terms
of knowledge, skills, attitudes and confidence. Peer education has a strong emphasis on personal
development and can be particularly effective in allowing low achieving pupils to fully participate
and succeed in a wide range of educational and health promoting activities.
Peer educatees can benefit from credible, up-to-date, relevant and fun inputs delivered by fellow
pupils with whom they can identify and build positive relationships with.
As part of a whole school approach, peer education initiatives can play a major role in helping
schools foster positive relationships between pupils and teachers. They can help schools to create
a caring and safe environment that promotes the health of all its members.
9. LIMITATIONS
Cost and Time Commitment:
Effective peer tutoring programs don’t just happen; they require an investment of time and
energy on the part of the school to launch and maintain. Without support, teachers will have less
time for daily lesson planning.
Resistance and Skepticism:
Parents and teachers may have misgivings about peer tutoring and need convincing that it’s
worthwhile. Parents may argue that it’s not the job of students to teach other students. Parents
may remain skeptical until evidence is presented that peer tutoring can improve grades and test
scores. Students selected as peer tutors may resent the responsibility or lack of empathy for
struggling peers.
10. PEER TEACHING
Peer teaching can be used in getting students to engage in critical thinking; thus,
producing deeper learning outcomes. Students who work in groups perform better on
tests, particularly in regard to reasoning and critical thinking skills (Lord, 2001). Having
students work with each other is an effective methodology because it forces students to
be active learners and to talk through course concepts in their own words.
11. PEER TEACHING METHODS
THINK-PAIR-SHARE:
After posing a question (particularly a complex one), give students five minutes to think about
it, perhaps even jot down some notes, after which you have them partner up for a quick
discussion about what they think and why. After giving ample time for discussion, ask partners
to share their insights with the entire class.
This strategy is helpful in engaging students in a more meaningful way. Think-pair-share
provides time to think about the answer to a question or problem and time to discuss it with a
cohort, before proposing an answer or solution to the entire class. Regardless of whether the
result ends up being shared in the larger class discussion, the process often leads to more
thorough, deeper thinking on the part of each student.
12. PEER TEACHING METHODS
RECIPROCAL PEER TUTORING:
Give students time in class to pair up in an in-class tutor/tutee relationship taking turns
between being the tutor and the tutee. They will benefit in two ways: 1) from explaining
their own personal understanding of the material to another and, 2) from hearing the other
explain, from their understanding or viewpoint, the same material.
In this model, students spend time summarizing information, assessing the work or ideas of a
peer, and explaining rationales—all meaningful activities that promote critical thinking and
long-term retention of information. This type of peer instruction is associated with the
promotion of critical thinking skills as well as understanding of complex scientific concepts
(Griffin & Griffin, 1997; Goto & Schneider, 2010).
13. PEER TEACHING METHODS
CHOOSE THE LEARNING EXERCISE AND THE APPROPRIATE LEARNING VEHICLE FOR IT:
Simply placing students in groups or pairs and telling them to “work together” is not going to
automatically yield results. You must consciously orchestrate the learning exercise and choose the
appropriate vehicle for it. Only then will students in fact engage in peer learning and reap the
benefits of peer teaching.
14. REFERENCES
Cuseo, J.B. (1997). Tips for students when forming learning teams: How to collaborate with peers to
improve your academic performance. Cooperative Learning and College Teaching.
Goto K, & Schneider, J. (2010). Learning through teaching: Challenges and opportunities in facilitating
student learning in food science and nutrition by using the interteaching approach. Journal of Food Science
Education.
Julie Cheslik. (1992). A Study of the Use of Peer Teachers in Legal Writing Programs
Lord, T. (2001). 101 reasons for using cooperative learning in biology teaching.
Whitman, N.A. & Fife, J.D. (1988). Peer Teaching: To Teach Is To Learn Twice.
