Peer tutoring instructional strategy – UGC NET Question

Peer tutoring is an instructional strategy in which one student, usually more advanced or having mastered a topic, supports another student in learning. The tutor explains concepts, checks understanding and sometimes designs examples or questions, while the teacher supervises and guides the process. This arrangement can increase individual attention and promote cooperative relationships among learners. Therefore, the situation described in the stem is best named peer tutoring.

Option A:
Micro-teaching is a teacher-training technique where trainee teachers practise specific teaching skills in short lessons delivered to a small group of students. It focuses on teacher development rather than one student helping another. As such, micro-teaching does not describe the learner-to-learner support mentioned in the question.

Option B:
Team teaching involves two or more teachers jointly planning, teaching and evaluating the same group of students. It is a collaboration among teachers, not among students acting as tutors. Hence, team teaching is not the correct label for the strategy described.

Option C:
Remedial coaching refers to additional teaching provided to students who are lagging behind, often conducted by a teacher or specialised instructor. While peer tutors may assist in remedial programmes, the term itself does not necessarily imply use of advanced classmates as helpers. Peer tutoring is therefore a more precise term for the scenario.

Option D:
Peer tutoring draws on the idea that explaining material to others deepens the tutor’s own understanding while giving the tutee personalised support. The teacher’s role is to train and monitor student tutors to ensure accuracy and constructive interaction. Because the stem focuses on advanced students helping classmates under teacher guidance, peer tutoring is the correct answer.