STUDENT SUCCESS

High-Dosage, High-Impact Tutoring: 3 Instructional Design Principles That Make a Difference in Student Learning

High-dosage tutoring, sometimes called high-impact tutoring, is a research-based program designed to help students make accelerated learning gains. High-dosage tutoring is high-impact thanks to the collaboration it fosters among educators, tutors, and school districts, who ensure alignment on curriculum, prerequisite knowledge, and student progress.

In developing our high-dosage tutoring program, we work with district partners to create a multi-tiered approach to instructional design, including: personalized learning plans, interactive instruction, and aligning high-dosage tutoring with state standards.

Personalized Learning

At the core of the high-dosage tutoring experience are Personalized Learning Plans. At the program launch, we collaborate with teachers to ensure students with similar needs are placed in small groups (of up to four) together. Tutors then craft Personalized Learning Plans for each student based on their learning needs and academic achievement goals. The aim is always to ensure that students are not only meeting or exceeding curricular benchmarks, but also realizing their full potential. Then, given the results of formative and summative assessments, tutors update each student’s Personalized Learning Plan on an ongoing basis to ensure that it facilitates rapid, significant learning gains.

Holistic Success

High-dosage tutoring places a premium on holistically addressing students’ learning needs. For instance, if an algebra student struggles, the crux of the challenge may not necessarily be the Algebra I curriculum; sometimes, a learner may have a prerequisite knowledge gap from a prior course—a trend that has been especially common since the pandemic. High-dosage tutoring has processes in place to address prerequisite knowledge gaps. Tutors use scaffolding to cover key foundational concepts, ensuring that students build upon solid understanding as they undertake more advanced learning.

Tutors have a clear and comprehensive curriculum for each session, and they also have the flexibility to adapt their lesson plans to suit the learning needs of their students. The program is high-impact because it sets students up for success—in the short and long term.

Standards-Aligned Curriculum

Flexibility and adaptability are key components of high-dosage tutoring. The program curriculum is designed to be adaptable, so it reinforces and aligns with each district’s standards and goals. As students take formative and summative assessments, teachers and school leaders can chart progress and see when learners have achieved the specified standards.

The beauty of this system lies in its automation. Tutors don't have to manually track progress against standards; the system does it for them. Reports are generated to show when a unit has covered a standard and when a student has mastered it. This data-driven approach empowers educators to make informed decisions about their students' learning journeys.

By prioritizing Personalized Learning Plans, whole-student support, adaptable curricula, high-dosage tutoring promises to make a high impact: empowering students to excel in their academic pursuits.

To learn more about our approach to instructional design, check out our microwebinar featuring Henry Price, Senior Manager of Training and Curriculum.