Peer tutoring to prevent firearm play acquisition, generalization, and long-term maintenance of safety skills.

Researchers trained four preschoolers to be peer tutors.

Each tutor then taught one classmate how to stay safe around guns.

The lessons used Behavioral Skills Training: explain, show, practice, and give feedback.

After the classroom lessons, the kids practiced in real rooms where toy guns were hidden.

Adults only watched and praised; the peer tutors did the teaching.

Every child who was taught by a peer tutor learned the safety steps.

They all said "Stop, don't touch, leave, tell an adult" when they saw a toy gun.

The skills worked in new places and with new guns the kids had never seen.

Even four weeks later, the kids still used the safety steps.

The peer tutors also kept their own safety skills sharp.

This study extends Orner et al. (2021). Orner showed that autistic preschoolers need extra in-situ practice or prizes to learn gun safety. M et al. shows neurotypical peers can teach each other without those extras.

Conant et al. (1984) came first. They proved that classmates can teach social skills. M et al. uses the same peer-teaching idea but swaps social skills for safety skills.

Stewart et al. (2018) used peers to deliver PRT for social play at recess. M et al. uses peers to deliver BST for gun safety in classrooms. Both show that kids can be powerful teachers when we train them well.

You can cut your direct teaching time by training a few students to train the rest.

Pick kids who already follow rules and give clear instructions.

Teach them the four BST steps: explain, model, practice, praise.

Then let them run short drills with classmates while you supervise.

You get safer students and stronger peer leaders at the same time.