Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring in Learning English among Tutors and Tutees of Class VIII Students in Kancheepuram DT

The peer who teaches to their mates is peer tutoring. It is a common instructional strategy used in classrooms. The aim of this study is know whether there is any improvement in achievement marks of tutors and tutees after the process of peer tutoring. Class VIII students were selected as sample for the present experimental study. The design of this experimental study was a two group parallel design such as one control and one experimental group with pre-test and post-test. Tutors of experimental group were trained to act as tutor for this research purpose. Pre-test and post-test marks of both control and experimental group were analyzed by using ‘t’ test. The result revealed that, the experimental group students (both tutors and tutees) exhibited a remarkable improvement in learning who received the content through peer tutoring than the control group students who were taught by the researcher through traditional way of teaching.


Introduction
Peer tutoring is an organized learning experience in which one student serves as the teacher or tutor, and one is the learner or tutee.It gives students an opportunity to use their knowledge in a meaningful, social experience (Conrad, 1974).Tutors reinforce their own learning by reviewing and reformulating their knowledge.Tutees gain one-on-one attention.Both tutors and tutees gain self-confidence (Howard et al., 1986), the tutor by seeing self competence in his or her ability to help someone and the tutee by receiving positive reinforcement from peers.It is a very old practice traceable back at least as far the ancient Greeks.Archaic definitions of peer tutoring perceived the peer tutoring as surrogate teacher in a linear model of the transmission of knowledge from teacher to tutor to tutee.Later it was realized that the peer tutoring interaction was qualitatively differ from that between the teacher and a student and involved different advantages and disadvantages.
The process of peer tutoring as the acquisition of knowledge and skill through active helping and supporting among status equals or matched companions.It involves people from similar social groupings who are not professional teachers helping each other learn and learning themselves by so doing (Topping, 2005).It is a flexible, peer-mediated strategy that involves students serving as academic tutors and tutees.Typically, a higher performing student is paired with a Lower performing student to review critical academic or behavioral concepts (Holt & Walker, 2012).
The process of tutoring may consist of students of the same learning level working together or students of varying learning levels working together.Peer tutoring is an instructional technique that has been used successfully with children and adults to achieve academic and social developmental goals.Each and every teacher's goal must be their future students, including higher, average, and lower level learners, to attain a high achievement level.By implementing peer tutoring as an instructional strategy, classroom teachers are able to individualize instruction for each of their students; giving all of the students in the classroom the opportunity to be actively engaged in learning at the same time (Greenwood, 1997).This research work will be helpful to determine the benefit of peer tutoring as an effective teaching strategy.
Kancheepuram district is situated on the North East Coast of Tamil Nadu.Guduvancheery is a one of the developing semi urban area in Kancheepuram district which has girls' higher secondary school which is in Nandhivaram, who have problem of learning English language.Hence the researcher has selected government girls' higher secondary school, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu. 1) To find out the difference if any between pre-test and post-test marks of Control group students 2) To observe the difference if any between pre-test and post-test marks of Experimental group students (Tutors) 3) To examine the difference if any between pre-test and post-test marks of Experimental group students (Tutees) 2. Review of Related Literature Barnard Clarkson (2002) explored ways of using peer tutoring to enhance the learning experience of a group of higher education students in a multimedia course who had access to learning sources in an on line environment.The result showed strong positive feedback for and support from the peer tutors high student satisfaction with the course.Bryer (2012) offered programs for academic and emotional support for students at risk for failing a clinical course may decrease attrition rates and improve academic performance.The result shown that the implantation of peer tutoring was beneficial for returning students, tutors and the nursing program and may be valuable in other courses where academic achievement is a concern.Cohen (1982) conducted a research on Educational Outcomes of Tutoring: A Meta-analysis of finding tutored students outperformed control students on examinations, and they also developed positive attitudes toward the subject matter covered in the tutorial programs.The meta-analysis also showed that tutoring programs have positive effects on children who serve as tutors.Comfort (2011) demonstrated that peer tutoring during practical sessions on applied sports science programmes can enhance the achievement of tutees during practical assessments.It is therefore recommended that peer tutoring is adopted as an effective teaching and learning method for the development of students' practical skills during undergraduate sports science degrees.Dee (2015), implemented variety of contexts and a variety of institutions to both improve learning and retention for the classroom students and to improve the confidence and knowledge base of the peer tutor.This method has been used by the author with over 9 peer tutors across a range of 7 classes with good success.Douglas et al. (1997) determined the effectiveness of a class wide peer tutoring program in reading for three learner types: low achievers with and without disabilities and average achievers.Findings indicated that, irrespective of type of measure and type of learner, students in peer tutoring classrooms demonstrated greater reading progress.
Horvath ( 2011) made a research work on Effects of Peer Tutoring on Student Achievement.The results demonstrated higher average retelling scores for the students who were engaged in the peer tutoring activity.The findings indicated peer tutoring as an effective instructional strategy, resulting in higher student achievement.Iman (2006) has conducted qualitative research on peer tutoring.The aim of the study was to evaluate the English language peer tutoring programme in order to highlight benefits and challenges and to make informed improvements.Benefits for tutors such as learning through teaching and becoming more responsible while doing something worthwhile to help others.Benefits of tutees included improved levels of self confidence and English language aptitude.Mustafa (2011) demonstrated that a revision program can be designed, developed and delivered by recent medical graduates without external influences from colleagues.The result showed that junior doctors successfully effectively design, develop and co-ordinate a revision program to a large number of students.Okilwa (2010) have examined the effects of peer tutoring on academic performance of students with disabilities in grades six through 12.peer tutoring was reported as effective for special education students in both general education and special education settings.Peer tutoring implemented across subject areas also showed positive academic effects

Purpose of this Study
The researcher has selected student of class eighth from Tamil medium who have fear of learning English language.Though the students are in modern era, they have fear of learning English language.The researcher thought that if the method of instruction changed, the students learning capability will change.Hence, the purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of peer tutoring in learning English language among school students since January 2016 to February 2016 in Government Girls' Higher Secondary School, Nandhivaram, Guduvancheery, and Kancheepuram District.

Samples and Sampling Technique
Students of Class Eighth were taken as sample for the research process.Purposive sampling technique has been adopted since the researcher decided to know the effectiveness of tutoring on tutors as well as tutees.So, the average students were taken as tutors and below average students were considered as tutees.The duration of the research was since January 2016 to February 2016 in Government Girls' Higher Secondary School, Nandhivaram, Guduvancheery, and Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India.

Design of the Study
Before-and-after with control group design has been adopted for this experimental research.The researcher purposively selected 10 average students (who were got 50 to 60 percentages) and 10 below average students (who were got 30 to 40 percentages) with the help of class teacher for the process of experimental as well as traditional method.From which 5 average and 5 below average students were taken for both control and experimental groups.

Research Process
After the process of grouping as mentioned, pre-test was conducted for both control and Experimental group students by giving a question paper comprising multiple choice questions.The above average students were eliminated for this research purpose, since the absolute improvement cannot be measured among them.The average students of Experimental group students had been trained by the investigator to fit in to the process of peer tutoring.All the students were requested to stay for one hour per day in school after class timings for a period of 6 weeks.The 5 average students of Experimental group were taught the content to the 5 below average students (one-to-one).At the same time all the 10 students of control group were received the same content taught by the investigator through lecture method.After a period of 6 weeks the investigator conducted post-test for both the groups by giving a question paper comprising multiple choice questions from the taught portions.Both pre-test and post-test marks were analyzed to test the hypothesis.

Data Interpretation and Results
The researcher has analyzed the available data for examining the statement of the problem and for examining each hypothesis of the problem.In the present study, an experimental study was conducted to find out the effectiveness of peer tutoring in learning English language among school students.
(H1) There is no significant difference between pre and post test marks of control group students.S: Significant at 1% level.
From the above Table 1, it is clear that the calculated 't' value (2.745) is greater than the table value at 0.01 level of significance.Therefore null hypothesis is rejected.Thus there is significant difference between pre and post test marks of control group students.
(H1) There is no significant difference between pre and post test marks of tutors.S: Significant at 1% level.
From the above Table 2, it is clear that the calculated't' value (11.10) is greater than the table value at 0.01 level of significance.Therefore null hypothesis is rejected.Thus there is significant difference between pre and post test marks of tutors.
(H1) There is no significant difference between pre and post test marks of tutees.S: Significant at 1% level.
From the above Table 3, it is clear that the calculated't' value (9.33) is greater than the table value at 0.01 level of significance.Therefore null hypothesis is rejected.Thus there is significant difference between pre and post test marks of tutees.

Discussion
The study analyzed effectiveness of traditional way of teaching in learning English among control group students of class 8 th students.The result shown that, there is little difference between before and after six weeks of lecture given by the researcher for the students of class 8 th with their examination marks in English of Control group students (t-value 2.745).Our result is in consonance with the previous research shown that improved level of self confidence and English language aptitude.(Mynard & Almarzouqi, 2006).
The study analyzed effectiveness of peer tutoring in learning in English among tutors of class 8 th students.The result shown that, there is an extraordinary difference between before and after six weeks of tutoring for the students of class 8 th with their examination marks in English of tutors (t-value 11.10) our result is in consonance with the previous research that showed positive academic effects (Nathern, 2010) .
The study analyzed effectiveness of peer tutoring in learning in English among tutees of class 8 th students.The result shown that, there is prominent difference between before and after six weeks of tutoring for the students of class 8 th with their examination marks in English of tutees (t-value 9.33).Our result is in consonance with the previous research that recommended peer tutoring is adopted as an effective teaching and learning method for the development of students' practical skills during undergraduate sports science degrees (Comfort, 2011).

Major Findings and Recommendation
Findings indicate that.There is significant difference between before and after 6 weeks of lecturing for the Students of class 8 th with their examination marks in English of control group Students (H1).There is significant difference between before and after 6 weeks of tutoring for the Students of class 8 th with their examination marks in English of Tutors (H2).There is significant difference between before and after 6 weeks of tutoring for the Students of class 8 th with their examination marks in English of tutees (H3).
With a rapidly changing educational and technological scenario, the role of the teacher and the methodology of teaching are fast changing, promoting fruitful learning and directing learners by adopting appropriate strategies.Hence the teacher can take steps to establish peer tutoring process in the class time or after class time.The teacher can create friendly environment in the school, where there is no threat and no rejection is the best way to develop interest in learning English language among tutors and tutees.The present study shows that peer tutoring method of teaching produces outstanding results in the process of tutoring.Before introducing a method of teaching in class room, the teachers should be well trained to face challenge.

Conclusion
This research confirmed that the both the tutors and tutees of experimental group students learned wonderfully than the control group students who were taught by traditional way of teaching.The responsibility of the teachers is to adopt new techniques of teaching for making the students to understand the concept enthusiastically.It is also mandatory for the younger generation for their keen attention and satisfaction.Hence the researcher insists that the peer tutoring is also one the best way of instructional strategy for the development of students.

Table 1 .
Difference between pre-test and post-test marks of control group students

Table 2 .
Difference between pre-test and post-test marks of tutors

Table 3 .
Difference between pre and post test marks of tutees