Working in Latin America I witnessed first hand their Popular Education initiatives which demonstrate how effective peer learning models can be. Back in the UK, I used this experience to develop sections of the Peer Education for Global Citizenship: A Tool For Transition teaching pack to assist with transition to high school. The teachers who we worked with commented how the structured, extended and purposeful programme, where high school pupils taught primary school pupils, added far more value than the 'question and answer' sessions they had previously arranged.
Encouraged, I again used the power of peer-to-peer learning by instigating, designing and carrying out a successful Eco Peer Educators project in a primary school. Over the year, children became experts in a specific area (being an eco-citizen) and were empowered and skilled to transmit this knowledge to their peers using various fun, participatory and active techniques. This simple model quickly allowed six classes - 180 children - to be taught important information on a very personal level. Suddenly there was much less litter in the school grounds. The logs from the log habitat were no longer continually moved. The children had taken on the messages and had changed their attitudes and actions.
I believe this is an under-used and under-valued resource in schools. Research (including pupil voice) suggests that if a child of a similar age and background explains something to another child they can be more likely to take this on board than if the message comes from an adult. So, absorption of key learning points can be faster and deeper. Engagement and behaviour during sessions is consistently good. A flexible peer learning approach can also be combined in the classroom, for example in a maths lesson, with AFL techniques such as critical point questions to address misconceptions quickly and effectively. Children like teaching their peers. Children like learning from their peers. Contact me to discuss how this could be implemented in your school.