Primary pupils' experiences of different types of grouping in school

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Pupil grouping and organisation of classes

What are the implications of the study?

In completing this digest the authors began to ask the following questions about implications for practitioners:

The issue of stigmatisation was identified by children as a problem. The authors assert that the greater the extent of structured ability groupings, the greater was the degree of apparent stigmatisation of those in lower ability groups. Stigmatisation of lower ability pupils was least in the school with mixed ability grouping as the norm - however this was the school which had the highest proportion of able children being teased. Do schools need to ensure that a range of skills and personal qualities are clearly seen to be valued, and ensure that such qualities as hard work, improvement, and reaching personal attainment goals are rewarded?
Does the wide variation in pupil attitudes to school (which seemed to have no direct relation to the type of ability grouping the school adopted) suggest that a caring supportive ethos in the school is most important and can be created whatever the academic grouping structure?
As teachers generally use groupings within the class to encourage good behaviour and concentration on work, the authors ask whether it might not be more effective to consider forming specific groups for the task at hand, so as to suit both those who benefit from mixed ability learning, equally with those who are better suited when learning with their academic peers.

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Research Home Themes \| Find digests \| About the digests resources glossary researchers contact TRIPS Introduction The benefits and disadvantages of grouping by ability What the study found What was the aim and the design of this study? What are the implications of the study? Where can I find out more? Send us your feedback Collated digests To view/remove/add notes and save your collated digests click here Get Word Reader Primary pupils' experiences of different types of grouping in school This digest found in Pupil grouping and organisation of classes Send to a friend Word doc 80KB Printer friendly Collate for later What are the implications of the study? In completing this digest the authors began to ask the following questions about implications for practitioners: The issue of stigmatisation was identified by children as a problem. The authors assert that the greater the extent of structured ability groupings, the greater was the degree of apparent stigmatisation of those in lower ability groups. Stigmatisation of lower ability pupils was least in the school with mixed ability grouping as the norm - however this was the school which had the highest proportion of able children being teased. Do schools need to ensure that a range of skills and personal qualities are clearly seen to be valued, and ensure that such qualities as hard work, improvement, and reaching personal attainment goals are rewarded? Does the wide variation in pupil attitudes to school (which seemed to have no direct relation to the type of ability grouping the school adopted) suggest that a caring supportive ethos in the school is most important and can be created whatever the academic grouping structure? As teachers generally use groupings within the class to encourage good behaviour and concentration on work, the authors ask whether it might not be more effective to consider forming specific groups for the task at hand, so as to suit both those who benefit from mixed ability learning, equally with those who are better suited when learning with their academic peers.