Despite access to more than 9000 government and independent schools nationwide, a growing number of Australian families are looking outside the crowded classroom and towards private tutoring services to combat declining national test scores.
According to Mohan Dhall, CEO of the Australian Tutoring Association, almost a quarter of Australian families used private tutoring in 2019. “I would suggest that there’s about 80,000 students who engage in some form of tutoring in Australia. As an industry, it is conservatively valued at around $1.3 billion and growing.”
Rowan Kunz, the founder of the national tutoring service Art of Smart Education, says the disruptions caused by COVID-19 lockdowns are responsible for a massive spike in tutoring for primary students since then.
In an interview with EducationDaily, Mr Kunz said, “due to COVID-related learning gaps and increasing competition (OC and selective), parents are seeking tutoring for primary school children. Early years’ importance and NAPLAN data showing gaps also contribute to the rise in demand for support in building fundamentals and navigating exams.”
A Team Tuition communications coordinator and tutor, Kiah Heron, also say they’ve seen a significant jump in primary students reaching out. “When looking at our new students, we have definitely seen an increase in families looking for support for their primary school students.” Ms Heron told The Bursar. “So far this year, 35 per cent of our new students were in primary school (Prep – Year 6), compared to last year, which was 29 per cent.”
Worth an estimated $146.1 billion in 2022, worldwide, the popularity of private tutoring services is only expected to rise, as recent projections predict the industry to grow to $290 billion by 2023.
The benefits of using a tutor
By offering dedicated, personalised learning away from the crowded classrooms, tutoring can help strengthen subject comprehension, boost confidence, support specific learning goals and build important learning skills that prepare students for further education.
“Tutoring has a lot of great benefits for primary school students when it is executed correctly, including building academic strategies before they get to high school but also increasing their confidence and motivation towards school,” said Ms Heron.
“Many parents are starting to see the benefits of developing skills needed to succeed in school early on in order to give their child the best chance of success moving through their educational journey.”
While A Team Tuition does cater to the major primary subjects (English, Maths, HASS and Science), Ms Heron claims that the most common ‘subject’ or focus of primary school tutoring is parents wanting to build their child’s confidence in their own ability to learn. The potential to establish study habits and skills that can help them, from their earliest years in primary school, is another driver.
Before deciding on a tutor, parents should first determine what would benefit their child the most. Try speaking to a professional, such as an academic specialist at a tutoring company or a school teacher, to evaluate the best course of action.
Choosing the right tutor
Tutors often fill multiple roles for their students. Acting as knowledge experts, mentors, coaches and colleagues, finding the right tutor takes time and a lot of trial and error.
Every student learns at their own pace and in their own way, often needing a unique, personalised teaching approach. Parents should thoroughly vet potential tutors, ensuring they align with their child’s learning goals and subject matter.
Identify your goals
Discuss with teachers to identify your child’s learning goals. For example, are they just trying to pass an upcoming exam? Or do they want to delve deeper into the subject? Both are reasonable learning goals, but they require vastly different tutoring styles.
While parents may have both performance and learning goals for their children, learning should generally be placed above performance.
Listen to your tutor
According to Mr Kunz, finding a tutor who can build a great rapport with the child is vital to boosting their engagement with learning material. Parents should understand how the tutor will support and motivate their children. Try asking tutors about their teaching style, and delve into what strategies they use to help students succeed. Or conduct a trial session, where you can see how your child reacts to their teachings.
Know your school’s curriculum
While the curriculum is similar across the nation, assessment and lesson content will vary from school to school. It is important that your tutor has the knowledge base of the exact content your child is looking for. Ask tutors if they have had previous experience dealing with your child’s school or if they have expertise in certain subjects that you are looking for.
Availability
Finding the perfect tutor can be a long, arduous process – one that you won’t want to repeat regularly. So be sure to ask if your tutor is sticking around for the long-term or if they are only available for certain days of the week.
