Research on peer-assisted learning strategies: The promise and limitation of peer-mediated instruction

This paper reviews research evaluating the effectiveness of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) for reading. Nearly fifteen years of research has demonstrated the effectiveness of this classwide peer tutoring pro-gram in improving the reading performance of high-, average-, and low-performing students, including students with disabilities, from kin-dergarten through high school. PALS activities and procedures for grades two through six, high school, kindergarten, and first grade are reviewed, as well as research indicating its effectiveness and feasibility for classroom implementation. Research exploring student unresponsive-ness to PALS is also reviewed. The implications and recommendations for practice are discussed. The 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (U.S. Department of Education, 1997) stipulated that all students with disabilities should have access to the general education curriculum. Since then, policymakers have placed an increasing emphasis on the need for all students, including those with disabilities, For more information about PALS research, training workshops, and access to materials, visit the PALS website a