This document describes the action research plan of a teacher to examine the effects of peer assisted learning on student achievement in math. The teacher will implement a peer tutoring program where students are paired based on MAP math scores and take turns tutoring each other for 20 minutes twice a week. Both qualitative data from student surveys about attitudes toward math and group work, and quantitative data from pre/post-tests, MAP scores, and quarterly grades will be collected. After 6 weeks, the data will be analyzed to determine if peer tutoring improved student outcomes in math.

1. The Effects of Peer Assisted
Learning on Student
Achievement in Math
Beth Csiszer
EDCI 635

2. My School
• Hunter Street Elementary School is
located in York, SC.
• It is a Title One School
• It houses PK-4th grades
• It currently has 662 students enrolled.
• The school is comprised of a population
that is 52% male and 48% female.
• The school demographics are
• 1% Asian
• 18% African American
• 13% Hispanic
• 4% Biracial
• 64% White
• .01 % Unclassified

3. My School (Cont’d)
•53% Free Lunch
•3% Reduced Lunch
•44% Full pay

4. Graphic Representation of Data

5. Free and Reduced Lunch at Hunter Street
53
3
44
Free and Reduced Lunch Population
Free
Reduced
Full Pay

6. 4th Grade Demographics
• 54% Male and 46% Female
• 0% Asian
• 18% African American
• 9% Hispanic
• 6% Biracial
• 68% White
• .007% Unclassified
• 57% Free Lunch
• 2% Reduced Lunch
• 41% Full Paid Lunch

7. Graphical Representation of 4th Grade
Demographics
18
9
6
68
Demographics of 4th Grade
Asian
African
American
Hispanic
Biracial
White
54
46
Males and Females in 4th
Grade
Males
Females

8. 4th Grade Demographics (Cont’d)
57
2
41
0
Free and Reduced Lunch in 4th Grade
Free Lunch
Reduced Lunch
Full Pay

9. My Classroom Demographics
• My Classroom consists of 50% females (10) and 50%
Males (10)
• I have a total of 20 Students
• My class’s racial demographics are as follows:
• 0 % Asian (0)
• 70% White (15)
• 20% African American (3)
• 5% Biracial (1)
• 5% Hispanic (1)

10. Graphical Depiction of the Demographics of
My Classroom
5050
Males and Females
In My Room
Males
Females
15
0 5 5
75
Racial Demographics of
My Classroom
African
American
Asian
Biracial
Hispanic
White

11. My Classroom Demographics (cont’d)
• 40% (8) of my students are on Free Lunch
• 20% (4) of my students are on Reduced Lunch
• 40% (8) of my students pay full price for their lunch
40
20
40
Free and Reduced Lunch in My
Classroom
Free
Reduced
Paid

12. Students Who Qualify for Special Services
• 5% (1) ELL Student
• 25% (5) Resource Students
• 25% (5) Gifted Students (MERIT)
• 5% (1) Student who double qualifies as gifted and
resource
• 10% (2) Speech Students
• 30% (6) who do not qualify for Special Services

13. Graphical Representation of Students Who
Qualify for Special Services in My Room
5
25
255
10
30
Students Who Qualify for Special Services
ESL
Resource
Gifted
Double Qualifies
Speech
Does Not Qualify

14. Math MAP Data for Fall and Winter
Student Fall
Score
Winter
Score
1 211 215
2 193 214
3 219 226
4 207 222
5 215 219
6 205 208
7 180 185
8 210 213
9 188 211
10 206 213
Student Fall
Score
Winter
Score
11 214 225
12 214 211
13 200 207
14 192 191
15 195 189
16 220 229
17 202 207
18 219 221
19 205 207
20 213 221

15. Reading MAP Data for the Fall and Winter
Student Fall Winter
1 205 214
2 202 211
3 221 213
4 211 226
5 209 222
6 192 202
7 179 192
8 218 219
9 191 210
10 202 202
Student Fall Winter
11 216 217
12 219 227
13 182 207
14 195 207
15 195 208
16 220 226
17 185 206
18 200 204
19 189 192
20 197 201

16. DRA Levels for Fall
Student Level
1 50
2 40
3 50
4 50
5 50
6 28
7 28
8 50
9 38
10 40
Student Level
11 38
12 50
13 50
14 34
15 40
16 50
17 50
18 40
19 40
20 38

17. Math Grades for Quarter 1 and Quarter 2
Student Quarter 1 Quarter 2
1 92 93
2 85 91
3 97 89
4 98 96
5 85 93
6 78 70
7 70 71
8 90 93
9 78 82
10 87 82
Student Quarter 1 Quarter 2
11 93 95
12 94 92
13 85 77
14 78 79
15 81 73
16 93 88
17 79 76
18 95 94
19 89 82
20 85 84

18. My Students

19. My Students (Cont’d)

20. Problem
• Students who are successful in the lower grades begin
to struggle sometimes in math as they get into higher
elementary level grades.
• Why?
• Math problems are more complex
• Word problems require reading of problems
• Problems are often multi-step
• Academic language becomes more complex
• Poor ability to transfer knowledge from reading to
Math

21. Literature to Support My Problem
• According to the article, “Difficulties with Mathematics“
on the website hosted through PBS.org, Misunderstood
Minds, students may exhibit poor math skills as they rise
to older grades because they have :
• have computational weaknesses
• have difficulty transferring knowledge
• have difficulty understanding the language of Math
• have difficulty comprehending the visual and
spatial aspects of math
• have language difficulties (as with ELL students)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/mathdiffs.html

22. Literature to Support My Problem (cont’d)
• In a 1997 study, it was found that American eighth
graders performed approximately 2 years behind other
students in mathematics (Fuchs, Fuchs, and Karns
2010). Therefore, it is important that we find ways to
increase students’ mathematical achievement.

23. Literature to Support My Research Topic
• In a reading program, called PALS, a study was done by
Kamps, Greenword, Arreaga,-Mayer, Veerkamp, Utley,
Tapia, Bowman-Perrot, and Bannister (2008), to
determine its effectiveness. The results were that there
was a statistically significant gain in words read per
minute and a decrease over all of words missed.There
was a significant increase in test scores of weekly
quizzes with the use of peer tutoring.
• There was also significant support from a study by
Golding, Facey-Shaw and Tennant (2006) to suggest
that it increases students’ attitudes when in a peer
tutoring environment.

24. Literature to Support My Topic (cont’d)
• A study, by Mathes, Torgesen, Clancy-Menchetti, Santi
Nicholas, Robinson and Grek (2010) shows that when
using a peer tutoring program, there is virtually the same
amount of gains in a student’s reading progress as there
is when a student is in a small, teacher directed group.

25. Literature to Support My Research Topic
(cont’d)
• A study that is on a larger scale than the one I intend to
implement (Fuchs, Fuchs, Karns 2001) found peer
tutoring to be effective in mathematics. The one problem
that this study had was the fact that different teachers
implemented different amounts of the programs given,
thus the results were not 100% reliable. For that reason,
I am conducting this study within one classroom under
one teacher’s supervision. By all students receiving the
same training and the same instruction, it will increase
the validity of the study.

26. Action Research Plan
Week 1
• Acquire IRB Approval prior to beginning the project
• Acquire permission from parents and administration to perform action
research (Administration Approval has been granted)
• Give pretest assessments; train students in the tutoring process
Weeks 3-5
• Implement Peer Assisted Learning in Math 2 times a week
• Collect weekly data on students’ attitudes towards Math and working with
a partner for Math
Week 6
• Post Tests
• Analysis of data
• Complete Write up of Action Research

27. Week 1
• I will submit my IRB proposal
• I have already discussed my action research project with
my administration. I will remind them that I am now
beginning my action research to remind them
• I will send home letters to parents requesting permission
for their children to be in my action research project
• I will distribute Assent to Participate form to my class
asking my students to participate in my project after
explaining what we are doing
• I will give my pretests and train students in the peer –
tutoring process

28. Weeks 2-5
• Students will participate in Peer Assisted Learning in
Math on Tuesday, and Thursday for 20 minutes each
day weekly.
• Students will be paired with a peer based on MAP
scores.
• The student with the top Math MAP score will be paired
with the 11th top MAP score. The 2nd top MAP score
student will be paired with the 12th top MAP score
student and so forth.

29. Week 2-5 Continued
• Students will be given Math material to work on based
on the what the lower student needs in the pair. The top
student will teach the lower student how to do a problem.
The lower student will then have a turn to teach. Finally,
the higher student teaches the skill again. As skills are
mastered in the pair, new material will be introduced.

30. Week 6
• I will give students the Post-Test
• It is possible MAP data will be available. If so, I will
collect MAP data
• Third Quarter Grades in Math will be compared to those
of quarters one and two
• I will distribute and collect the attitude towards Math surveys
to complete
• I will distribute and collect surveys about students’ attitudes
towards group work
Collect Qualitative Data
Collect Quantitative Data

31. Week 6 (cont’d)
• I will analyze all of my data to determine if Peer Assisted
Learning is effective
• I will complete the write up of my action research plan
• I will share my findings with my team, as well as
administration

32. Qualitative Data I Plan to Collect
• Before students begin the Peer Assisted Learning
Program, I will give them two qualitative data surveys.
•One will be about the students’ attitudes towards Math
•The other survey will be about the students’ attitudes
towards working with a partner during Math

33. Sample Questions for Attitudes Towards
Math
• Students will answer questions such as the following on
a 3 point rating scale. (i.e. 3-Agree, 2-Unsure, 1-
Disagree)
• I like math.
• I am good at math
• Math is useful in everyday situations
• Everyone can do math if they try hard
• Math is boring
• Math is hard
• If I had the choice, I would never study math again

34. Sample Questions About Attitudes Towards
Working with A Partner
• Students will rate the following statements on a 3 point
scale (i.e. 3-agree, 2-unsure, 1- disagree)
• Working with a partner is helpful
• I learn from a partner
• I like working with a partner
• I do not like being assigned a partner to work with
• I don’t get much done when I work with a partner
• It is hard to get along with a partner

35. Quantitative Data I Plan To Collect
• I will give a pretest and a post test created on standards
taught in 4th grade.
• MAP data will be used as supplemental data if the
Spring data is in on time
• I will use students’ third quarter mathematics grades to
determine if there is a change in students’ achievement

36. Sample Page of my Pretest/Post Test
*Each standard will be tested at least once
In the number 35624907, where should a decimal be
placed in the above number to make the largest
amount?
• a. between the 4 and the 9 b. between the 3 and the
5 c. between the 6 and the 2 d. between the 5 and the
6
• 15 +X=21
The equation shown above is only true if the letter 'X' is
equal to what number? a. 6 b. 5 c. 7 d. 4

37. References
• Calhoun, M. B., Otaiba, S. A., Cihak, D., King, A., & Avalos, A. (2007). Effects of a peer-mediated
program on reading skill acquisition for two-way bilingual first-grade classrooms. Learning
Disability Quarterly, 30(summer), 169-184. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from the Educator Reference
Complete database.
•
• Dineen, J., Clark, H., & Risley, T. (1977). Peer tutoring among elementary students educational
benefits to the tutor. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10(2), 231-238. Retrieved July 23,
2010, from the JSTOR database.
•
• Fuchs, L., Fuchs, D., & Karns, K. (2001). Enhancing mathematical development: effects of peer-
assisted learning strategies. The Elementary School Journal, 101(5), 495-510. Retrieved July 24,
2010, from the JSTOR database.
•
• Kamps, D., Greenwood, C., Arreaga-Mayer, C., Veerkamp, M. B., Utley, C., Tapia, Y., et al.
(2008). The efficacy of class wide peer tutoring in middle schools. Education & Treatment of
Children, 31(2), 119-156. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from the Educator Reference Complete
database.

38. References (cont’d)
Lauren, Nathan V., and Sarah Lee. "Misunderstood Minds . Math Difficulties | PBS." PBS: Public
Broadcasting Service. Web. 29 Jan. 2011.
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/mathdiffs.html>.
Lawson, t., & Trapenberg, g. (2007). The effects of implementing a class wide peer tutoring model on
social approvals and disapprovals during unstructured free time. Journal of early and intensive
behavior interventions, 4(2), 471-482.
Lo, Y. (2004). Total class peer tutoring and interdependent group oriented contingency: improving the
academic and task related behaviors of fourth-grade urban students. Educational and Treatment
of children, 27(3), 235-262. Retrieved July 24, 2010, from the ERIC database.
Mathes, p., Torgesen, J., Clancy-Menchetti, J., Santi, K., Nicholas, k., Robinson, C., et al. (2003). A
comparison of teacher-directed versus peer-assisted instruction to struggling first grade readers.
The Elementary School Journal, 103(5), 459-479.

39. Any Questions?