Previous studies
Reading in pairs is based on the programme Llegim en parella, which has been implemented since 2006 in various languages: Llegim en parella in Catalan, Leemos en pareja in Spanish, and Bikoteka Irakurtzen in Basque.
It is a peer tutoring programme (which also includes family involvement) focused on the enhancement of reading comprehension and oral proficiency in English as a foreign language. It offers a range of materials designed to support the programme’s context-adjusted implementation, rather than its prescriptive application.
| Conceptual bases | Aims |
| Reading competence (reading comprehension and speaking) as a key competence. | To improve reading comprehension and oral proficency. |
| Peer tutoring as a cooperative learning method. | To increase cooperation among students. |
| Strategy for inclusive education. | To provide inclusive methodologies to teachers and schools. |
| Family involvement to improve students’ learning and school quality. | To promote family involvement. |
| Cooperation among teachers and schools. | To encourage teachers’ network. |
Description of the programme
Reading in pairs commences with an initial training session aimed at students and families to acquaint them with the foundational concepts and structure of the programme.
Following this, the teachers in charge organise pairs of students based on an initial assessment of their reading proficiency.
Over the course of approximately 15-20 sessions (lasting about half an hour each, held once a week), students engage in interactive activities using a structured activity sheet during each session. This activity sheet comprises a text, pre-reading questions, and comprehension questions. Additionally, students have access to language support and an audio file of the text, which aid their speaking skills.
At the conclusion of the programme, student tutors create one or two activity sheets for their tutees.
The assessment process involves:
- Initial and final evaluations of reading proficiency.
- Self-assessment by pairs every four sessions.
- Continuous observation by teachers throughout the sessions.
- Portfolio assessment.
- Questionnaires designed to evaluate the programme’s effectiveness.
Sample of activity sheets
- Primary education: Ask Mummy Ask Daddy. Activity sheet and audio file.
- Secondary education: Paris, I love you!, I love London, Take me to Cork, New York!!! Activity sheet and audio file.
How to enroll
For more information, you can get in touch with Marta Flores via email (marta.flores@uab.cat).
| The programme Reading in pairs, which involves peer tutoring and family engagement to enhance reading comprehension skills, has received the ‘Buena Práctica IberoamericanaLeer.es‘ seal. Congratulations to the GRAI members, teachers, families, and students from over 200 schools implementing this programme in English, Spanish (Leemos en pareja), Catalan (Llegim en parella), and Basque (Bikoteka Irakurtzen), as well as the supporting institutions. Check the infographic of GRAI’s peer tutoring programmes here. |
Evidences of the programme’s effectiveness
Duran, D., Flores, M., Oller, M., & Ramírez, M. (2019). Reading in pairs: Description and results of a peer tutoring program for English as a foreign language. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 13(4), 303–317. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2018.1462370 (PDF)
Oller, M. (2017). Reading in pairs programme: How students can improve EFL by working cooperatively. APAC Journal, 84, 7–17. (PDF)
Blanch, S., Corcelles, M., Duran, D., Dekhinet, R., & Topping, K. (2014). La escritura y corrección de textos en una tutoría entre iguales, recíproca y virtual, para la mejora en inglés y español. Revista de Educación, 363, 309–333. (PDF)
Topping, K. J., Dehkinet, R., Blanch, S., Corcelles, M., & Duran, D. (2013). Paradoxical effects of feedback in international online reciprocal peer tutoring. Computers & Education, 61, 225–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.10.002 (PDF)
Duran, D., Blanch. S., Thurston. A., & Topping, K. (2010). Tutoría entre iguales recíproca y virtual para la mejora de habilidades lingüísticas en español e inglés. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 33(2), 209–222. https://doi.org/10.1174/021037010791114571 (PDF)
Thurston. A., Duran, D., Cunningham, E., Blanch, S., & Topping, K. (2009). International on-line reciprocal peer tutoring to promote modern language development in primary schools. Computers & Education, 53(2), 462–472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.03.005 (PDF)
Duran, D., & Monereo, C. (2008). The impact of peer tutoring on the improvement of linguistic competence, self-concept as a writer and pedagogical satisfaction. School Psychology International, 29(4), 481–499. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034308096437 (PDF)
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