Teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the academic and socio-emotional benefits of peer tutoring

This study explored the perspectives of teachers and students regarding the academic and socio-emotional benefits of Peer Tutoring (PT) as a strategy to support students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) in middle schools in Saudi Arabia. The research was prompted by the recent expansion of special education services in Saudi Arabia to include not only primary but also middle school students and the introduction of new teaching methods to enhance the learning experiences of SpLD students. These options differ from the predominant traditional teaching approaches in Saudi Arabia, which are increasingly perceived as inadequate for the preparation of students for the challenges of a modern, globalised society. A qualitative case study was conducted in six inclusive schools that had been running active PT programmes for at least one year to ensure that participants had sufficient experience to develop an informed opinion on the benefits of this approach. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 Special Education Need (SEN) teachers who were responsible for implementing PT in their schools, 18 mainstream students who played the role of tutors, and 19 SpLD students who played the role of tutees. Participants’ perceptions were further examined using data collected from observations of student roles and behaviours during 16 PT sessions. The findings indicate that PT was perceived as an effective method for the provision of academic support for SpLD students and was associated with improved academic performance, motivation, and participation. However, SEN teachers and students expressed different perceptions about the efficacy of this technique in supporting the development of social and emotional skills among SpLD students. While the majority of teachers asserted that PT was beneficial in building social relationships, fostering inclusion, and increasing the level of self-esteem among SpLD students, the majority of students did not believe that the intended function of PT was to target the social and emotional development of SpLD students. These differences may be attributable to a lack of systematic planning and supervision before and during PT session, reflected in limited awareness among students regarding the objectives of PT programmes. Based on the findings outlined above, there is strong evidence for the integration of PT programmes into Saudi schools as a supplement to lecture-style classes, given the potentially academic, social, and emotional benefits that this approach offers to SpLD students. This would require informed, systematic planning informed by clear academic and socio-emotional aims for the programmes and supplemented by continuous supervision of PT sessions to ensure that students are following the agreed plans. Further research should be conducted to examine the factors that can either facilitate or hinder the implementation of PT to support SpLD students in Saudi Arabia.