The Secret to Consistent Academic Improvement

Strong results rarely come from one big push or a late-night study session before a test. They usually come from steady, regular support that suits the student, and a routine that keeps them on track week after week. Good tutoring can provide exactly that, as long as it is set up well.

Learning works a bit like fitness training

Think about getting fit. One huge session at the gym the night before a fun run will not do much, and it might leave you sore. Training a little each week, with a coach who knows where you are starting from, is what builds real strength.

Learning is similar. Australia's education research organisation, AERO, explains in its Spacing and retrieval practice guide that spreading learning across two or more lessons helps students remember more in the long term than learning everything at once. The same guide describes retrieval practice, where students actively recall what they have learnt instead of rereading it, which also helps show where the gaps are.

A well-known 2013 review of study techniques by Dunlosky and colleagues, Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques, came to a similar view. Of the techniques it examined, practice testing and distributed practice (spreading study out over time) were the two rated as having high usefulness, because they help learners of different ages and abilities.

In plain terms: little and often, with regular chances to recall and practise, beats cramming.

What the research says about tutoring

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is a UK organisation that summarises education research in its Teaching and Learning Toolkit. Its findings come mainly from studies of tutoring in schools, so they are a helpful guide rather than a promise for any one child, but they are still useful for parents.

• One-to-one tuition: the EEF's one to one tuition page reports an average of about five months' additional progress compared with similar students who did not receive it, based on 123 studies. It notes tuition is more likely to make a difference when it is linked to what students are learning in class, and that trained, experienced tutors tend to get stronger results.
• Small-group tuition: the EEF's small group tuition page reports an average of about four months' additional progress over a year, based on 62 studies. It works best when it is targeted at students' specific needs. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the group the better, with effectiveness dropping noticeably once groups grow above six or seven. The EEF also notes that the quality of teaching may matter as much as, or more than, the exact group size.

The EEF also found that the strongest one-to-one results often came from short, frequent sessions over a set period. A weekly lesson is one part of the picture, and the practice a student does between sessions matters too.

Building good study habits

Tutoring is not only about explaining content. The EEF rates metacognition and self-regulation as high impact, with an average of eight months' additional progress based on 355 studies. Put simply, this means helping students notice how they think and learn, plan their work, check their progress and review it. One approach the EEF highlights is a teacher "thinking aloud", for example showing how they would break down a maths problem.

The EEF's homework page adds that the quality of tasks matters more than the amount, that homework works best when it is clearly linked to what students are learning, and that studies including feedback reported higher impact. The evidence for homework is rated as limited, so it is worth treating as a sensible guide rather than a firm rule.

What to look for in a tutoring service

Whether you choose an individual tutor or a tutoring company, there are many great tutors out there. The key is finding support that is consistent and well organised. Here is a checklist to help you compare options:

1. A regular routine. Is there a set day and time each week, so tutoring becomes a habit?
2. A good match. Is the tutor chosen to suit your child's Year level, subject and learning style?
3. Continuity. What happens if the tutor is sick or becomes unavailable? Will lessons continue?
4. Feedback for parents. Will you hear how your child is going, and how often?
5. Tracking progress. Are session notes and progress recorded, so each lesson builds on the last?
6. Support for tutors. Do tutors receive ongoing training and someone to turn to for advice?
7. Help with study habits. Does the tutor help your child plan, practise and review, not just complete worksheets?

How Avin Learning sets up support

We built our service around the checklist above, so families do not have to manage the details themselves.

• Weekly sessions, same day and time all term, so learning stays regular.
• Carefully selected tutors, matched to each student.
• One-on-one or small-group lessons. Our small groups have three students. Parents organise the group ahead of time, so the children are at a similar level and already know each other.
• Lessons continue if a tutor becomes unavailable. We arrange cover so your child does not miss out.
• Progress tracked in and out of sessions through the Avin Learning Scores app, including session notes.
• End-of-term progress reports sent to parents.
• Reminders by email to parents and students three days before each session, plus optional text reminders to students one hour before.
• Ongoing training and support for all our tutors.
• Free VCE accountability sessions. These one-on-one sessions help VCE students build steady study habits.

Why we teach online

All our lessons run on Zoom. Tutors use digital whiteboards and stylus pens on iPads, so students can watch working being written out step by step, which is especially useful in maths. Teaching online also means we are not limited by location when matching students with the right tutor, and families avoid travel time.

Let's build the right support for your child

Tutoring is not only for students who are falling behind. It can help a student who wants to feel more confident, stretch further, or simply stay organised through a busy year, from Year 4 right through to VCE.

If you would like to talk through what might suit your child, we offer a free, no-pressure call to get started.

Book a call

Sources

• Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO), Spacing and retrieval practice guide
• Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J. and Willingham, D. T. (2013), Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology, Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1)
• Education Endowment Foundation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit: One to one tuition
• Education Endowment Foundation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Small group tuition
• Education Endowment Foundation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Metacognition and self-regulation
• Education Endowment Foundation, Teaching and Learning Toolkit: Homework