The 10 Steps of the AVID Tutorial Process
The AVID tutorial process has been divided into three parts — before the tutorial, during the tutorial and after the tutorial. These three parts provide a framework for the 10 steps that need to take place to create effective, rigorous and collaborative tutorials.
Before the Tutorial (Steps 1-3)
- In their academic classes, students take Cornell notes guided by the Essential Question on the material presented in lectures, textbook readings, videos, handouts, etc. After class, students review their notes, create questions in the column on the left and write a summary at the bottom of the page responding to the Essential Question.
- While completing homework/studying for tests/reviewing Cornell notes the night before a tutorial, students identify a point of confusion. Using the Tutorial Request Form (TRF), students complete the pre-work leading to the point of confusion. This pre-work includes: initial question, key vocabulary associated with the question, prior knowledge, critical thinking about the initial questions and the steps/process used to identify the point of confusion. Note: The TRF also includes: accountability for bringing resources, using collaborative inquiry, taking notes and reflecting.
- As students enter the room, the teacher/tutor checks the TRF pre-work and resources. The resources students bring to support their point of confusion include: Cornell notes, textbooks and quizzes.
During the Tutorial (Steps 4-7)
- Teacher/tutor places students in tutorial groups of 7 or fewer, meeting the 7:1 student/tutor ratio. It is important for the tutor to communicate with the teacher to determine the method used to group students (Tutorial Analysis Grade Reflection, question content, core teacher, etc.). Group members sit in a semi-circle (horseshoe shape) to facilitate communication/collaboration among all students, facing a board on which the student presenter can record his/her pre-work and point of confusion.
- The student presenter writes the point of confusion (POC) question on the board and explains to group members his/her pre-work by giving a 30-Second Speech. Next, group members ask questions using the Levels of Thinking to probe deeper into possible approaches to solving the point of confusion. During this inquiry process, the student presenter begins to make sense of the question and records notes on the board while group members take three-column notes on what he/she has written. Group members are not responsible for finding the answer to the student presenter’s question; their primary goal is to prompt the thinking and guide the student presenter, using critical thinking.The tutor’s responsibility is to coach/facilitate the inquiry process among group members, rather than interacting one-on-one with the student presenter. The tutor sits in the group and takes three-column notes for the student presenter during the time he/she is at the board. The tutor should have no more than one equal voice in the tutorial
- Group members/tutors help the student presenter think about the steps or process used to clarify his/her point of confusion. Checking for understanding occurs as the student presenter reviews with the group the work completed and articulates the steps or process used. The steps/process can be recorded on the whiteboard in a third column.
- Steps 5 and 6 are repeated for as many group members as time allows. If time runs out before some students have had a chance to present, make sure there is a system in place to ensure these students present first during the next tutorial session. There may be times during the tutorial session that the critical thinking process does not enable the students to clarify a point of confusion. In this situation, the session can be used to create questions to take back to the content teacher for additional support, a tutor or student from another group could assist the struggling group, or a content teacher can come in to offer support as a guest tutor.
After the Tutorial (Steps 8-10)
- Following the tutorial session, all students write a reflection on their learning on the TRF. If a student did not have the opportunity to present, he/she can reflect on his/her learning based on another presenter’s point of confusion. If time permits, students can share their reflections with a partner, the group or the whole class.
- At the end of the tutorial session, students turn in the TRF to the tutor/teacher for grading and feedback. Students keep their three-column notes taken during the tutorial session. The TRF grade is based on: the pre-work inquiry, resources, collaborative inquiry, three-column notes on presenter’s point of confusion and the reflection.
- Teacher/tutors/students collaborate to debrief the tutorial—its effectiveness, concerns of the participants and ideas for refinement. Students then take what they have learned about their point of confusion back to their content area classes to verify their learning.Note: The teacher and tutor schedule time to meet again to debrief the tutorial process.