Peer Assisted Learning Strategies to Improve Reading
Fluency and Socialization Among Students Who Are
Blind and Visually Impaired
Dr. Kathleen Stanfa, Associate Professor, Kutztown
University, stanfa@kutztown.edu, and
Dr. Nicole Johnson, Assistant Professor, Kutztown
University, njohnson@kutztown.edu
Developed by Lynn Fuchs and Doug Fuchs in 1997, Peer-
Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) is a supplemental peer-
tutoring program in which students are paired to complete
structured tasks in reading or math. Students take turns acting as
the tutor, coaching and correcting one another as they complete
learning activities. Research indicates that PALS enhances reading
and math skills for students with diverse academic needs. This
article focuses on the use of PALS to improve reading fluency and
comprehension for students with visual impairments. The teacher
of the visually impaired or classroom teacher first trains their
students in PALS procedures, described below:
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