The Classwide Peer Tutoring as a Bridge to Social Inclusion: Teachers’ Perspectives from an Inclusive Classroom

Authors

  • Puspita Maharani English Education, Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, Indonesia
  • Maslathif Dwi Purnomo English Education, Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i1.10823

Keywords:

Teachers’ Perspectives, Classwide Peer Tutoring, Social Inclusion, Autism Dysgraphia, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Abstract

Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT) has been recognized as an effective instructional strategy, yet its socio-emotional impacts within inclusive English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms remain under-explored. While contemporary Indonesian EFL research heavily focuses on digital innovations, this study addresses an empirical gap by investigating a nondigital, peer-mediated approach within local inclusive primary education. Utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), this study explores how a classroom teacher and a shadow teacher interpret their lived experiences in implementing CWPT to foster social inclusion for a first-grade student with an Autism-Dysgraphia profile. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field observations over a full program cycle. The analysis revealed five interconnected experiential themes: (1) focusing on independence before academics; (2) stepping back to let the student stand alone; (3) using friends as social bridges; (4) moving from writing to speaking in English; and (5) moving from feeling overwhelmed to professional pride. The findings demonstrate that CWPT operates not merely as an academic tool, but as a critical scaffolding mechanism that fosters collective empathy. Crucially, student progress is not an isolated outcome of CWPT, but is significantly accelerated by natural developmental maturation and a tri-partite communication loop involving parents. Practically, these insights offer valuable guidance for teachers regarding instructional adaptations and highlight the boundary conditions of transferring peer-mediated frameworks into high-density classrooms without secondary teacher support.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2023). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5-TR (5th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Amrullah, A., & Purnomo, M. D. (2022). Kutub al-lughah al-arabiyyah al-muqarrarah li thalabah al-madrasah al-mutawassithah al-islamiyyah: Dirasah tanqihuyah min haitsu al-mawad wa at-taqdim. An Nabighoh, 24(1), 65–80.

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: W. H. Freeman and Company.

Batubara, P. F., & Purnomo, M. D. (2025). Student’s perspectives on the efficacy of Tandem application in enhancing speaking proficiency. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 13(1), 45-58.

Berninger, V. W., & Wolf, B. J. (2016). Dyslexia, dysgraphia, OWL LD, and dyscalculia: Lessons from science and teaching (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Carter, E. W., Asmus, J., Moss, C. K., Cooney, M., Weir, K., Vincent, L., ... & Fesperman, E. (2022). Peer support interventions for students with severe disabilities in inclusive high schools: Outcomes across schools and classrooms. Exceptional Children, 88(3), 262–281. https://doi.org/10.1177/00144029211050864

Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. S. (2019). Peer-assisted learning strategies: Operationalizing peer-mediated instruction to support inclusion. Remedial and Special Education, 40(5), 291–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932518781454

Furwana, D., Muin, F. R., Zainuddin, A. A., & Mulyani, A. G. (2024). Unlocking the Potential: Exploring the Impact of Online Assessment in English Language Teaching. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 12(1), 653-662.

Giangreco, M. F. (2010). One-to-one paraprofessionals for students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms: Is the Velcro Effect inevitable? Policy and Practice in International Inclusive Education, 14(2), 111–124.

Greenwood, C. R., Delquadri, J., & Harper, G. F. (2016). Classwide peer tutoring: An effective instructional innovation for inclusive urban classrooms. Journal of Behavioral Education, 25(3), 257–279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864016-9249-1

Hasibuan, A. S., Rafida, T., & Purnomo, M. D. (2025). The teaching of English in writing class at Senior High School: A multimodal discourse analysis. TELLUS Journal, 11(3), 1115–1130.

Hidayah, F. N., Purnomo, M. D., & Daulay, S. H. (2025). Multimodality in the English textbook images: Gender representation analysis. Getsempena English Education Journal, 12(1), 76–90.

Irham, N. R., Daulay, S. H., & Purnomo, M. D. (2023). Exploring of linguistic knowledge in elementary learners: Challenges and barriers. TELL-US Journal, 9(4), 1011–1022. https://doi.org/10.22202/tus.2023.v9i4.7605

Khairunnisa, & Daulay, S. H. (2025). Exploring EFL students' perspectives on vocabulary learning through SkELL: A case study. CELTIC: A Journal of Culture, English Language Teaching, Literature and Linguistics, 12(2), 754–773. https://doi.org/10.22219/celtic.v12i2.41838

Ledford, J. R., Lane, J. D., Severini, K. E., & Ayres, K. M. (2019). Systematic reviews of single-case research in special education: A methodological review. Remedial and Special Education, 40(1), 52–62

Masruddin, M., Amir, F., Langaji, A., & Rusdiansyah, R. (2023). Conceptualizing linguistic politeness in light of age. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 11(3), 41-55.

Malmgren, K. W., & Causton-Theoharis, J. N. (2016). Boy in the bubble: The effects of paraprofessional proximity on the social interactions of a student with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 31(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088357615583464

McCloskey, M., & Rapp, B. (2017). Developmental dysgraphia: An overview of cognitive mechanisms and instructional interventions. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 34(3-4), 101–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643294.2017.1369014

Nurraida, Daulay, S. H., & Purnomo, M. D. (2026). Managing classroom interaction through pragmatic strategies in Indonesian bilingual primary education. Jurnal Interaksi Kelas, No. EC002026022224.

Purnomo, M. D. (2025). Grammatical intricacy and lexical density in the texts of English handbooks at private Islamic junior high school level in Medan. Ihya Al-Arabiyah: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Arab, 11(2), 112-125.

Sahnan, B., & Daulay, S. H. (2025). Developing students' vocabulary by using Build- A-Sentence: Teachers' perspective. SCOPE: Journal of English Language Teaching, 9(S02), 692–698.

Sahnan, B., Daulay, S. H., & Purnomo, M. D. (2025). Exploring EFL teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in digital classrooms. SCHOULID: Indonesian Journal of School Counseling, 10(2), 100–107.

Sitanggang, C. N., & Purnomo, M. D. (2025). Indonesian EFL students’ perspective on Free4Talk: A novice vs. expert user study. Jurnal Onoma: Pendidikan, Bahasa, dan Sastra, 11(3), 3783–3796.

Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2022). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research (2nd ed.). London: SAGE Publications.

Sreckovic, M. A., Schultz, T. R., Able, H., & Garwood, J. D. (2021). Improving social interactions and peer intimacy for students with autism spectrum disorder: The efficacy of classwide peer tutoring. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 36(2), 87–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088357620986943

Sweller, J. (2016). Cognitive load theory, evolutionary educational psychology, and instructional design. Evolutionary Psychology and Educational Design, 12(4), 213–227. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13452-9_10

Tomlinson, C. A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. UNESCO. (2020). Global education monitoring report 2020: Inclusion and education: All means all. Paris: UNESCO.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Walidin, B., Purnomo, M. D., & Daulay, S. H. (2026). Applying an Islamic boarding school’s English vocabulary teaching model at a boarding based vocational school. Journal of Educational Sciences, No. EC002026019918.

Downloads

Published

2026-06-25

Citation Check