Reading catch-up for older students: one-to-one or small groups?

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Do secondary students need one-to-one tuition to catch up, or can they be taught in groups?

The answer is, both – depending on how far behind they are.

Groups can be an effective format for teaching if four conditions are met:

1. The students are all working at much the same level;
2. The students are not a long way behind;
3. The content to be taught is limited and clearly defined;
4. The programme of teaching has been carefully designed to ensure efficient coverage and long-term retention.

Groups are NOT appropriate where:

1. Students are a long way behind expectations;
2. The students’ needs are disparate;
3. Students need to work on a number of different strands of reading skills at the same time;
4. Motivation is a serious issue.

In other words, the question is not either/or. It is: which format is most appropriate for which students? This is why we advocate for a detailed screening…

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