Paired reading: a review of the literature

Abstract

This paper synthesizes and analyses the research on the technique for non-professional tutoring of reading known as paired reading. Data from many extant small-scale studies are compared with the very large quantity of new data available from multi-site field trials in the Kirklees Local Education Authority.

Developing Automaticity in Children with Learning Disabilities: A Functional Perspective Part One: Theory and Assessment

“…Given evidence that reading fluency improves through a variety of different types of interventions involving teacher, parent or peer-tutored reading (for example, see [80,89,[92][93][94]), both in children with learning disabilities [88,[109][110][111][112] and in children without learning disabilities [82,87,88], a major issue is whether reading fluency can be addressed solely through fluency-focused reading strategies (for example, see [79,113]) or whether it also needs to be addressed through building connections between the processes involved in reading, writing and spelling, as well as focus on language and reading comprehension [99,114,115].…”

Interaction Quality during Partner Reading

“…If the child cannot decode a particular word, the word is provided after several seconds and then simultaneous reading resumes (Topping, 1987a;Topping & Lindsay, 1992a). Participation in paired reading is associated with fewer reading refusals, fewer errors, more self-corrections of errors, greater use of context, and better use of phonics skills compared to pretests (Topping & Lindsay, 1992b) as well as improvements in reading comprehension and fluency (DeAngelo et al, 1997;Murad & Topping, 2000). Benefits of paired reading are not limited to the tutee but include benefits to child tutors as well (Topping, 1987b).…”

“…Paired reading generally involves a less able reader reading simultaneously with a more able reader such as parents (DeAngelo, Reents, & Zombacz, 1997;Murad & Topping, 2000;Topping & Lindsay, 1992b;Topping & Whitley, 1990), teachers (Topping & Lindsay, 1992b), and peers (Topping, 1987b;Topping, 1989;Topping & Lindsay, 1992b). If the child feels confident that he or she can read independently, then the child gives the tutor a signal and proceeds to read the text alone.…”

‘How Shall We Sign That?’: Interactions Between a Profoundly Deaf Tutor and Tutee Involved in a Cross-Age Paired Reading Program

“…Other students have been trained to use specific techniques using materials structured to suit the needs of individuals (DevinSheehan, Feldman, & Allen, 1976). While crossage tutoring has found many different expressions over time, current conceptions of cross-age tutoring support a model characterised by programs involving frequent on task contact between participants, moderate structure that allows for independence in tutor behaviour and adequate tutor training in interpersonal skills, management skills and content skills (Rohrbeck, Ginsburg-Block, Fantuzzo, & Miller, 2003;Topping & Lindsay, 1992).…”