Within-Class Ability Grouping

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Within-Class Ability Grouping

As a future educator ability grouping is more than likely going to be a part of my classroom. I think it can and will be a valuable tool in effectively teaching all students of varying abilities. Ability grouping is a greatly debated area in the field of education. Opponents to the practice believe ability grouping is detrimental to learning and student self-esteem, but ability grouping, specifically within-class ability grouping, can be very effective in teaching children. The students are able to learn at a pace that is suitable to their individual abilities and teachers are able to construct lessons that are specifically geared towards each level. Within-class ability grouping necessitates flexibility and frequent interactions between student and teacher to determine whether or not the child is in the proper group. In ability grouping the "high achievers benefit from having to compete with one another" (Hollifield, ERIC database). The low achievers in a group of children of similar level feel more comfortable and are, therefore, more willing to participate.

Children should not be put into groups in every subject area, but rather in a few areas where grouping has proven beneficial. "Low-achieving students seem to learn more in heterogeneous math classes, while high and average achieving students suffer achievement losses—and their combined losses outweigh the low achievers’ gains" (Loveless, internet). Regrouping for mathematics and reading has proven effective. The students are in heterogeneous groups for most of the day, but then are grouped according to level for those two subjects. "Results indicate that regrouping for reading or mathematics can improve student achievement. However, the l...

... middle of paper ...

...teacher

Mrs. Petrigala: November 17, 2000; Michael’s first grade teacher

Joshua Hammond: November 22, 2000; 10 year old son

Sara Hammond: November 22, 2000; 12 year old daughter

Works Cited

Goldberg, Miriam L., Joseph Justman, and A. Harry Passow. The Effects of Ability

Grouping. New York: Teachers College Press, 1966.

Hollifield, John. "Ability Grouping in Elementary Schools." [online].

Http://ericae.net/edo/ED290542.htm.

Lou, Yiping, et al. "Within-Class Ability Grouping: A Meta-Analysis." Review of

Education Journal 66 (1996): 423-458.

Loveless, Tom. "The Tracking and Ability Grouping Debate." [online].

Http://www.edexcellence.net/library/track.html#anchor393575.

Slavin, Robert. "Ability Grouping and Student Achievement in Elementary Schools: A

Best Evidence Synthesis." Review of Educational Research 57 (1987): 293-336.

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