Question
Is one-to-one volunteer tutoring effective in increasing reading and math literacy of elementary-school children?

Application
Interim report to policy analysts on articles that best met the criteria for good research methods.

Literature Search
ERIC, Psychinfo, Linguistics & Language Behaviour Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, MLA International Bibliography, Web of Science, PAIS International (January 1980 - June 2004)

393 articles identified and imported to RefWorks^TM  
57 met inclusion criteria by abstract and/or full text review 22 articles included comparison or control groups

SPOTLIGHTS on articles with best methods =10

Summary of SPOTLIGHTS
Independently of whether parents or volunteers serves as tutors, tutors are trained, tutoring follows a defined procedure, the school grade level or SES background of the children, tutoring improves reading skills.

Studies report tutoring sessions in which
 tutor reads to child as a "warm up"
 tutor and child read in unison
 child reads to tutor
 tutor and child discuss material read

Studies to include procedures in which
 child masters skill before advancing to next task
 child is encouraged, praised, and rewarded

Evaluation of volunteer training program requiring minimal training.

Reading programs - remedial, integrated, and innovative.

The effects of an early intervention tutorial program on at-risk children's reading achievement.

The effectiveness of paired-reading techniques using parent tutors with second-year school children.

The impact of a collaborative family/school reading program on student reading rate.

Parent tutoring as a supplement compensatory education.

The effectiveness of the Book Buddies reading program.

The effectiveness of adult volunteer tutoring on reading among "at risk" first grade children.

Parents as tutors - it works!

Parents encourage pupils (PEP): An inner-city parent involvement reading project