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Model Program

Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS)

Vanderbilt University, Attention: Lynn Davies
110 Magnolia Circle, Suite 418
Nashville, TN 37203
http://www.kc.vanderbilt.edu/pals

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Contact Information:

615.343.4782
PALS@vanderbilt.edu

Program Specification:

Emphasis:

Gender:

Rating:

Prevention
Intervention

Both

Strong Evidence of Effectiveness

Age/Grade Level:

Target Settings:

Target Groups:

Elementary

Suburban
Inner City

Clusters/Groups

Ethnicity:

Other Participation Criteria:

All Ethnicities

Description:

PALS combines proven instructional principles and practices and peer mediation so that research-based reading and math activities are effective, feasible, and enjoyable. PALS is a version of classwide peer tutoring. Teachers identify which children require help on specific skills and who the most appropriate children are to help other children learn those skills. Using this information, teachers pair students in the class, so that partners work simultaneously and productively on different activities that address the problems they are experiencing. Pairs are changed regularly, and over a period of time as students work on a variety of skills, all students have the opportunity to be "coaches" and "players."

Program Descriptors Include:
Academic Improvement, Literacy Development, Mentoring/Tutoring

Starting Date: Unspecified
Students Served Per Year: Unspecified
Last Verified: 2013

Risk Factors:

Protective Factors:

Program addresses the following:

Individual factors

  • Has a learning disability or emotional disturbance
  • Low achievement
  • Retention/overage for grade
  • Lack of effort

School factors

  • School math achievement

Program promotes the following:

Relationships

  • Good relationships with parents, peers, and teachers
  • Involvement with positive peer activities

Program Resources:

Annual Cost:

Unspecified

Funding Sources Include:

Program Staff Includes:

Unspecified

Teachers

Materials Used:

Supporting / Partner Organizations:

Instructional Texts/Manuals

Unspecified

Evaluation Information:

Repeated evaluations of PALS Reading and PALS Math indicate that high-achieving, average-achieving, and low-achieving students, and students with learning disabilities make greater progress in PALS classrooms than their counterparts in typically structured classrooms. PALS Reading and PALS Math have been approved by the U.S. Department of Education's Program Effectiveness Panel as an effective educational practice.

How evaluation data was collected:
Outside experimental studies

Additional Evaluation Information:
http://www.bestevidence.org