There are two types of tutoring: remediation and excelling. Both have the ability to improve a student’s understanding and therefore their achievement levels. However, they are both employed for very different reasons.
Remediation Tutoring
This tutoring assists students who are struggling to keep up in the classroom. Students undertake tutoring to revisit key curriculum areas as well as develop their skills in literacy and numeracy. Tutors are able to give them an individual approach and program that they are unable to receive in the traditional classroom thus improving their academic success.
Excelling Tutoring
There is another type of tutoring whose goal is also to improve academic success. It is known as excelling tutoring. Some students are natural learners who have taken the opportunities afforded them in the classroom and developed their understanding of key curriculum areas to impressive standards. However, the appeal of excelling at one’s studies to optimise their pathway into Tertiary Education or their academic success at University has compelled these students to seek tutoring.
These students are looking to surpass their peers with academic achievement and give themself a competitive edge in not just their education but their careers too. Tutors are being called upon to teach specific techniques and skills that will position students to excel at particular examinations. Tutors that have experience in marking HSC, VCE or QCE certificates are highly sought after as they are able to give insight into the marking criteria set forth for particular examinations.
Academic Success and the Role of Tutoring
Studies into the academic success rates of OECD countries have uncovered a direct parallel between tutoring and student achievement in key curriculum areas. Countries where students have a high percentage attending home tutoring perform well on academic scales of success. This is particularly notable with mathematics. The international comparison shows that the most gifted academic students come from countries where the tutoring industry is ingrained in educational practice.
In Asia tutoring outside of school is an essential and normal part of a child’s education and dramatically affects their ability to succeed not just in school but in life too. They are always looking for a competitive edge and good tutoring in key curriculum areas is an essential part of that. A notable international comparison shows that 15-year-olds from Shanghai top the mathematical rankings and out-perform Australian students of the same age by three years.
In some of the highest world ranking countries upwards of 70% of students attend outside tutoring for anything from mathematics, to English, Science and History. Some of these students attend more than four hours of tutoring each week to maintain their academic positions and continue to develop their educational achievements. In Australia only 27% of students attend tutoring which is well below the OECD average of 38%.
It is clear that there is a strong link between tutoring and academic success for both remediation and excelling. However, one must take into consideration the purpose and discount intense academic pursuits for a child who is too young to cope as it will eventually do more harm than good.