THE EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY OF A CHINESE TUTORING PACKAGE

Abstract

This experiment investigated two effects of training four native Chinese speakers to use a Chinese Tutoring Package to teach American students pronunciation and translation of Mandarin Chinese vocabulary. Tutors were trained in use of the Tutoring Package at staggered times to form a multiple baseline design. The effects of the training on teaching pronunciation were analyzed. After the tutors were trained, the average pronunciation test score for students increased from 45% to 90% and tutor's correct use of the tutoring package increased from 68% correct trials to 92%. The effects of tutor training were replicated for the teaching of translation. Results suggest that the training produced an increase in correct tutoring by the tutors, which in turn increased the students' performance. Furthermore, continued use of the package under naturalistic conditions, high social validity ratings, and extended follow up on two tutors during a second semester suggest that use of the package by tutors may be sustainable.