As a parent, you may be wondering what is the best option for your child: one to one or small group tutoring?
Small group learning can offer many benefits as an alternative option to one on one learning with a teacher.
Collaborative working
The opportunity for a student to work collaboratively in a team with their peers to solve problems can prove invaluable when it comes to learning. When students talk about a problem it gives them the chance to learn from one another by sharing ideas and solutions. When in a large group, students can blend into the background or become distracted by those around them. In contrast, a one on one situation with a teacher can be very intense and not appropriate for some learners. A tight-knit group all working toward the same goal can be extremely productive.
I can do things you cannot. You can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things - Mother Teresa.
Feedback
It is widely accepted by research that the number one factor in improving teaching and learning is feedback. Students in a small group can receive feedback on their work not only from their teacher but also from their peers around them. Peer-feedback has been proven to be an effective tool to move learning forward.
We all need people who give us feedback. That's how we improve - Bill Gates
Confidence
Within a larger classroom or in a one to one session, students can often lack the confidence to ask the questions that they need answering to move learning forward. In a small group led by a strong teacher, students should feel safe to ask the questions they want answering. Chances are that their question is a question that other students have too and it may be that they ask first!
The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge - Thomas Berger
Competition
Many students thrive within an environment of friendly competition. The opportunity to outperform their peers in a simple low stakes assessment such as a spelling test or times tables test is exactly what some students need to give them that extra push to study at home.
I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn't know how to get along without it - Walt Disney
Fun Environment
When students are excited to come to a session and are both enjoying and engaging in their learning then they are going to learn more. The opportunity for students to have fun in a small group where the teacher has built strong relationships with the learners can be a much more engaging and academically fulfilling environment for learning than in a one to one or larger group lesson.
When we learn with pleasure then we never forget - Alfred Mercier
Should you have any further questions on the benefits of small group learning as opposed to one to one tuition then please do get in touch and I would be more than happy to discuss further.