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Ability grouping 'could harm self-esteem'
Teachers and pupils were asked about their attitudes to setting |
Grouping pupils by ability only has a limited effect on their performance and could harm their self-esteem, according to research.
A report by researchers at the University of London's Institute of Education suggests that while classroom management and teaching are easier in sets, developing the skills to teach mixed-ability classes benefits all pupils.
And it shows that while "setting" in maths benefits high achievers, it does not seem to have any effect in English and science.
The findings come from a survey into the performance and attitudes of 6,000 Year 9 pupils, in maths, English and science, in 45 secondary schools.
The research also suggests girls have less positive views of themselves than boys |
The research team interviewed head teachers and gave questionnaires to teachers and pupils to discover their attitudes towards ability grouping.
It also looked at pupils' levels of self-esteem in relation to the kind of grouping they experienced, as well as to factors such as deprivation and gender.
The findings also included:
- Self-esteem is highest in partially set schools
- Most pupils in streamed and partially set schools are in favour of setting, while in schools where abilities are mixed, pupils are equally divided for and against setting
- Mixed ability grouping benefits all pupils in terms of social adjustment and self-esteem
- Lower ability classes have more discipline problems
The new research report concludes: "Ability grouping does not have a strong or uniform impact on pupil progress.
"There appears to be a complex set of interactions between ability grouping, teachers, attitudes, curriculum subject and pedagogy."
Dr Judith Ireson, who led the research team with Dr Susan Hallam, said: "Our evidence shows that setting does not inevitably raise standards.
"Many other factors are involved. It would be unwise to press schools to move towards extreme forms of setting, which may have an adverse impact on pupils' self-esteem."
The findings will be presented at a conference, called "Setting in the Secondary School: developing policy and practice", at the Institute of Education on Thursday.
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22 Mar 99 | Education |
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