This study investigated the effectiveness of providing tutorial support for education students in core modules. An intervention designed to promote critical thinking skills was developed and delivered in week 11 of a 15 week module. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated that the improvement in grades in Level 2 was significantly better among students in the research group (F[1,49] = 9.88, P is less than 0.05, partial [epsilon][2] = 0.17), although it is acknowledged that all students improved significantly. Focus group interviews to explore students' perceptions (n = 15) of the effectiveness of the intervention revealed that additional tutorial support provided students opportunities for meaningful engagement with the subject matter, their peers and the lecturer. Findings lend support to arguments that encourage lecturers to adapt their learning environment so that it meets the learning styles of the students.