Small-Group Tutoring: How It Works and Why It Works

Let’s get one thing out of the way first: it works. Really well, in fact.

But let’s take a closer look at what this format actually involves, and what you should know before choosing it.

What forms can it take?

First of all, keep in mind that tutoring should always be designed as a tailor-made programme for your child. If the relationship with the class group is a problem, especially in large classes, or if your child struggles with difficult peer dynamics, then fully one-to-one tutoring may be the answer. Some children need an explanation or a lesson addressed directly to them in order to grasp it. Sometimes a child needs to be taken out of a group that functions poorly, or away from particularly toxic classmates. But if your child simply needs a classroom structure with fewer classmates, or hand-picked ones, then yes, small-group tutoring is THE solution.

The make-up of the mini-group can vary:

• Students at the same level: ideal for recreating a classroom atmosphere in miniature. This format gives the teacher a great deal of flexibility to organise group work and keep the discussion moving. Participation becomes more effective, which fosters healthy, constructive learning. Just like in class, only better.
• Students at noticeably different levels: this can be stimulating when the stronger student is willing to play along, supporting and guiding the classmate at a slightly lower level. The teacher then has to organise complementary activities, which calls for (and often sparks) real pedagogical creativity. This set-up helps children develop mutual support, a sense of responsibility and autonomy.
• Students who know each other: perfect for rebuilding self-confidence and creating a safe, positive climate.
• Students who don’t know each other: recommended for meeting new peers and widening their circle. The other students might be the children of colleagues, friends, people from a shared network, or fellow expats, for example.

What are the advantages?

Without a doubt, the first advantage is the ability to simulate a classroom without going through school itself. This format is particularly well suited to homeschooling situations.

Then there is the social side. Students interact, help each other and work together. And depending on whether they already know each other or not, tutoring in a group can spark a desire to do other activities together, sport or otherwise. Some subjects lend themselves especially well to small-group tutoring: modern languages, the sciences (though experiments require some equipment), exam preparation, and so on. For example, if you are in your final year and preparing an oral exam, a small-group session can be a real asset. Classmates turn into members of the examination panel and can give each other constructive feedback. The same goes for preparing oral exams in literature. You can even think about sharing out required reading between students. In short, the possibilities are endless. And last but not least, group tutoring cuts costs. Instead of paying for a private lesson for your child alone, the cost of the lesson is shared between several families, making it far more affordable.

What are the drawbacks?

Yes, there are a few. The first is the room. Unless your teacher has a room of their own, which does happen but remains rare even among the most professional tutors, you will need a venue for the lesson to take place.

That leaves you with several options. Host the lesson at your home, why not, if you have enough space. You can also team up with another parent to find a shared space and rent it, in agreement with the teacher or the tutoring agency that put you in touch. If it’s a conversation class in a foreign language, for instance, a more informal setting can work: a park when the weather is good. Or quite simply a visit, to a museum or elsewhere, conducted entirely in the foreign language, can serve as a conversation lesson.

Of course, the lesson can also take place online, which solves the room problem altogether. This option also makes it possible to bring together students from anywhere in the world, which can, on the flip side, be something of a brake on socialising.

Now let’s look at it from the teacher’s side

Teaching one student and teaching a group of students, even a small one, are not the same thing. They call on different pedagogical skills. A private lesson demands total flexibility towards the student in your charge; a group lesson, mini or not, requires a balance between individual attention and group dynamics.

As for the price of a small-group lesson, and yes, this matters a great deal, should each student pay the full rate of a private lesson? Ideally, no. Once again, it has to be acknowledged that what a teacher delivers to a single student is not the same as what they deliver to several at once. In that case, charging each student less than the one-to-one rate is a way of making the lesson worthwhile for the teacher while offering parents a competitive price. It’s a question of balance, and the key is that everyone comes out ahead.

How Axiom Academic supports small-group tutoring

At Axiom Academic, we build tailor-made programmes for each family: one-to-one lessons, small groups composed with care (level, personality, goals), online or in person, across curricula and time zones. Our advisers help you decide whether a mini-group is the right fit for your child and, if so, who should be in it. And because trust matters, the first lesson comes with a money-back guarantee. Get in touch to talk it through.