Social Role Valorization Project

Heather Tucker
6772999
April 12, 2019

Introduction to Inclusive Special Education EDUA 5600 D01

 Social Role Valorization Project

Key Issue
The key issue that inspired this social role valorization project was a comment made by

one of my grade 4 students directed at one of his peers during a French guided reading session.

When one student was unable to read and understand what was happening in a lower level text,

another student (who reads above grade level) remarked that he thought if the two of them were

paired together during guided reading that he could help the other student improve his reading

abilities. Normally, our students are grouped with students of similar capabilities so that they can

all read the same book and have success. This way, a teacher or EA can read with the group and

work on the same skill sets. It has become the model for the way we teach reading across our

school. The comment got me to thinking that perhaps if we paired very strong readers with

weaker readers that we could have a peer tutoring program in order to advance reading skills in

weaker students, while also developing leadership skills in stronger students.

Goal Statement
I will develop and implement a French Immersion peer tutoring literacy program

involving grade 6 and grade 3 students, with a trial run in May and June of 2019 and a full

program to be implemented in September 2019.

Rationale
Students who are lacking in reading and oral skills in French Immersion programs often

leave the program in the second and third grade. In my experience this is not only because they

are lacking in skills but also because they are devalued by their peers. This can cast them into the

role of being the object of ridicule. When students are struggling to keep up in school, it becomes
apparent to other students. They can be teased and left out of group work as a result. Wounds can

result because of this to the point where people withdraw from contact and they also may feel

like they will fail at many other things in life.

In order to bring these students into a more valued role, they need to be able to keep up

with their peers. One way that this has commonly been done has been through the use of pull-out

reading groups with educational assistants or resource teachers, which only furthers their

devalued status by their peers. The peer tutoring program could limit the use of pull-out

programs if successful in bringing up students reading levels.

Wolfensberger (2013) states that intimidation is one of the most powerful learning

mechanisms, therefore when students have the possibility of learning from their peers’ they have

an incredible tool at their disposal. Older students are not seen as threatening or intimidating

once they can develop a relationship with their younger peers. I believe that the peer tutoring

model will be able to promote growth in young readers and enhance their personal competencies.

These students have likely developed a negative perception of themselves and feel that they

cannot learn because of the difficulties that they face. As Wolfensberger (2013) points out people

have a much greater capacity than they realize. My hope is that this program can tap into these

capacities and help students achieve their full potential.

Action Steps
1. Seek permission from administrative team and affected teachers

2. Choose students that will participate

3. Seek permission from parents

4. Set peer tutoring schedule

5. Perform running record on grade 3 students to get accurate reading levels

 6. Train tutors (2 sessions)

7. Get required materials

8. Introduce grade 6 and grade 3 student pairs

9. First session

10. Seek feedback from students after first session to ensure good fit

11. Continue sessions

12. Evaluation of program, make necessary changes for fall implementation

Materials and Resources

Materials
 Books (leveled)
 Cart to store books
 Magazine box for each pair of readers
 Duo-tangs with reading records, evaluation forms, sticker sheet
 Flashcards for vocabulary activities
 Stickers
 Pencils and Markers
Resources
Leidig, T., Grünke, M., Urton, K., Knaak, T., Hisgen, S. (2018). The Effects of the RAP
Strategy Used in a Peer-Tutoring Setting to Foster Reading Comprehension in High-Risk Fourth
Graders. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 16(2). 231-253.
Müller, B., Richter, T., Križan, A., Hecht, T., Ennemoser, M., (2016). How to Analyze
Interpersonal and Individual Effects in Peer-Tutored Reading Intervention. Journal of
Experimental Education, 84(4). 744-763.

Nguyen, M. (2013). Peer Tutoring as a Strategy to Promote Academic Success. Retrieved

from
https://childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/pdfs/schoolresearch/2012_PolicyBriefs/Nguyen_Policy_B
rief.pdf

Patterson, L. J. (2013). What are the Effects of Peer Assisted Learning Strategies on
Reading Achievement in Elementary Students in an Urban Area? [Northern Michigan
University]. Retrieved from
https://www.nmu.edu/education/sites/DrupalEducation/files/UserFiles/Patterson_Lauri_MP.pdf

Bérubé, D., & Marinova-Todd, S.H. (2012). The development of language and reading
skills in the second and third languages of multilingual children in French Immersion,
International Journal of Multilingualism, 9(3), 272-293. DOI: 10.1080/14790718.2011.631708

KRUK, R., & REYNOLDS, K. (2012). French immersion experience and reading skill
development in at-risk readers. Journal of Child Language, 39(3), 580-610.
doi:10.1017/S0305000911000201

Genesee, F., & Jared, D. (2008). Literacy development in early french immersion
programs. Canadian Psychology, 49(2), 140-147. Retrieved from
http://uml.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-
com.uml.idm.oclc.org/docview/220810901?accountid=14569

Bowman-Perrott, L., Davis, H., Vannest, K., Williams, L., Greenwood, C., & Parker, R.
(2013). Academic Benefits of Peer Tutoring: A Meta-Analytic Review of Single-Case Research.
School Psychology Review, 42(1), 39–55. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com.uml.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=86877018&
site=ehost-live
Van Keer, H., & Vanderlinde, R. (2013, May). A book for two: explicitly taught reading
comprehension strategies paired with peer tutoring can boost reading skills for elementary school
students. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(8), 54+. Retrieved from
http://link.galegroup.com.uml.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A331081551/CPI?u=winn62981&sid=CPI
&xid=50fb54bc
Hattie, J. (2006). Cross-age tutoring and the reading together program. Studies in
Educational Evaluation. 32 (2), 100-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2006.04.003

Personal Support Plan

When I approached my administrative team and resources team about this project, they

were incredibly receptive and exciting about the prospects of implementing a peer tutoring

literacy program at our school. Both our vice-principal and principal are new to our school this

year and are looking for ways to improve both our academic and community programs. This

program will address both aspects. They let me know that if there were any resources needed to

implement programming, they would be more than happy to support me in that way. They were
both willing to be part of planning, training and supervising the students. They both employ an

“open door policy” and are always incredibly open to sitting down to talk about programming.

In terms of personal support at home, I have an incredibly supportive husband and friend

group who are willing to help when needed. I have many teacher friends who are willing to share

resources, listen when I need to bounce ideas off of them as well as vent when things are not

going as planned. I also engage in physical activity by going to the gym several times a week and

know when to take a break and rest my brain and body.

Sharing Plan
I have asked for time at our monthly staff meeting in order to share the idea of a peer

tutoring literacy program. I will have the program roughly worked out by this meeting to be able

to give all staff an idea of how and if this will affect their students. Along with the resource

teachers, I have identified several students in grade three that would benefit from being tutored in

French reading for the months of May and June. I have spoken to their teachers, who have

agreed to reach out to their parents to get permission for their child to participate. The grade six

teachers have also submitted the names of several students are interested and able to act as tutors

to the grade three students. I have also prepared an information letter to send home to both tutors

and students’ being tutored to seek permission and provide an outline of the program. I will

communicate how the program is going via our weekly email (The Monday Morning Memo)

which is sent out to all staff from our principal on Monday mornings.
 References
Wolfensberger, W. (2013). A brief introduction to Social Role Valorization: A higher-

order concept for addressing the plight of societally devalued people, and for structuring human

services (4th expanded edition). Plantagenet, Ontario: Valor Press.