Cross-age tutoring is the practice of pairing students from different grades—a more advanced tutor in a higher grade level with a less advanced tutee in a lower grade level—to learn and practice academics (e.g., math, reading) together. Cross-age tutoring can be beneficial to both tutors and tutees. Engaging in cross-age tutoring has been shown to improve academic outcomes, promote social bonds between tutees and tutors, boost attachment to the school, and increase attendance. The older tutors can act as role models for the younger tutees, and tutees may have more academic time on task with additional opportunities for immediate feedback from their tutor. Cross-age tutoring may also improve socioemotional outcomes for the tutors and tutees including self-efficacy, self-assurance, and confidence in the academic topic of focus.
This resource presents five steps to implementing cross-age tutoring.