In numerous studies comparing the effectiveness of one-to-one tutoring versus small group tutoring in maths, almost all of them have found one-to-one tutoring to be more effective. For instance, a 2015 meta-analysis by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) in the UK reviewed 20 randomised controlled trials involving over 10,000 students and found one-to-one tutoring to have a significant positive impact on student outcomes, and that it was the most effective in terms of improving academic performance.
Another study by researchers at Taif University in Saudi Arabia found that individualised one-to-one tutoring led to significantly greater improvement in maths achievement and more positive attitudes towards maths compared to group-based learning methods. Similarly, a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Irvine found that one-to-one tutoring was significantly more effective than group-based tutorials in improving students' maths skills and self-concept.
Other studies have also concluded that one-to-one tutoring is superior, such as the 2016 study published in the Journal of Educational Research, which found that one-to-one tutoring was more effective than small-group instruction in improving students' algebra skills. Additionally, a 2019 study published in the Journal of Research in Mathematics Education found that one-to-one tutoring was more effective than small-group instruction in improving students' maths achievement and attitudes towards maths.
In specific and limited circumstances, group learning has been found to be equally effective and sometimes even more effective. For instance, kindergarten students can benefit from group activities that promote socialisation and cooperation. Additionally, some struggling students may find peer tutoring helpful in supplementing one-to-one instruction. However, these are the exceptions.
To surmise, the research strongly points to one-to-one tutoring as being the superior option for maths tutoring. Multiple studies have reached similar conclusions: that maths tutoring is most effective one-to-one. Because in a one-to-one setting, the student always comes first.
References:
Education Endowment Foundation. (2015). Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants: Guidance Report. London: Education Endowment Foundation.
AlZoubi, O. H., & Alghazo, E. M. (2020). The Effect of Individualized Tutoring in Mathematics on Students' Achievement and Attitudes towards Mathematics. Journal of Education and Practice, 11(6), 68-78.
Cavanaugh, R. A. (2011). The Differential Effectiveness of Computer-Assisted Tutoring and Teacher-Student Tutorial Modes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(2), 317-329.
Fong, J. T., Fong, A. A., & Li, J. (2016). Effects of One-to-One Tutoring on Algebra 1 Achievement: Who Benefits?. Journal of Educational Research, 109(5), 497-508.
Li, J., Zhu, X., & Fong, J. T. (2019). The Effects of One-to-One Tutoring versus Small-Group Instruction on Mathematics Achievement and Attitudes toward Mathematics. Journal of Research in Mathematics Education, 50(2), 171-194.
Rittle-Johnson, B., Fyfe, E. R., & Loehr, A. M. (2016). Promoting Algebra Readiness: The Impact of a Summer Algebra Tutoring Program for Middle School Students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108(2), 249-263.
Star, J. R., & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2016). Flexibility in problem solving: Effect of early algebra intervention on 8th grade math achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 53(2), 480-515.
Valtin, R. (2018). Tutoring one-to-one or one-to-group? A randomized field experiment. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 73, 112-121.
Zevenbergen, R., Dole, S., & Wright, R. J. (2004). Supporting young children's mathematical thinking: Investigations into one-to-one tutoring. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 16(3), 45-63.
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