splitting by ability

[buckeyes]

What do you think about splitting students between two classrooms based on reading and math test scores? The struggling students will be able to work on specific unmastered skills, and the students that have already mastered specific skills can go further. I know that there are pros and cons to this, just wanting others opinions. Students will be mixed differently for S.S., Science, Specials, and Homeroom.

[Joan]

We have 90 minutes of Math and 90 minutes of Reading each day. We homogenously group the students by ability. I personally don't care for it. I barely see my homeroom students, unless they are in my math or reading group. Plus it makes it very difficult to integrate Science and Social Studies.

[SLP]

Buckeyes,
I like splitting by ability. That way the struggling students can work at a slower pace and build a strong foundation for future skills. Also, the kids who are quicker to grasp concepts don't have to be waiting for the others to catch up. They can move on to the next higher level skill.

[sadiwilson]

My cousin is in an advanced reading group, and if she hadn't been placed there she probably would have gotten bored. A loss of interest in any subject is bad and can lead to all sorts of problems. However, I think that it depends on the teaching. I think a good teacher could pull it off either way. The teacher should make sure the advanced child had enrichment activities, and the slower child should get the help he or she needs either way. I also know that splitting by ability would take more time and effort. It would take a lot of time and organization. It might be worth it in the end.

[Rassi]

We did both last year. For about 7 months we ability grouped which I think is wonderful for the higher kids and those who struggle. We found the middle group to be the most challenging mainly because it seemed like those were the kids who just didn't care and were happy with sliding through. The last 2 months we really mixed the pot and they all seemed to enjoy being with different classmates.

[nancyosu]

We level for math and keep our homerooms the rest of the day. I think grouping kids by ability for math has its pros and cons. The lower kids get more thorough attention and the higher kids get to move at a faster pace, but I wouldn't mind keeping my kids all day. We deal with all different levels in other subjects, why not math?

[seasaw]

My daughter will repeat 1st grade this year due to her difficulties in math and reading. I feel she would have benefieted from a split situation last year. There were only 11 children in her class, but due to the teachers inexperience I feel my child got "lost" in the shuffle. Most of the kids were advanced readers and half were on par math wise. Those children who were struggling were further left behind due to the amount of time given to the advanced readers. The teacher admitted to feeling pressured to give more to the advanced students by administration and parents. I understand the need of the other students, but my child was not given what she needed. I know teachers walk a fine line, but with only 11 kids in a class I think she could have, should have been able to balance the class better.

[orlandoteacher]

I think it's one of those things that sound great in theory but has a lot of problems in reality. What if your children's abilities are too varied? They could be high in memorization of math facts, but low in problem solving skills? What class would you put them? Just playing devil's advocate here. I say try it for a bit, reflect on how it went, then decide. Good luck! :)

[Lin]

We ability group and one of the important things I've learned over the years is you will need to be flexible about moving kids from group to group. You will find that some of the kids will need to be moved as the year progresses. I like ability grouping because it enables me to concentrate on the needs of a smaller spectrum of ability levels at a time.

[alleazer]

Ability grouping is good if you keep them leveled by ability. Like Lin said, you definitely need to be flexible. Ability grouping does help in advancing the advanced and the struggling. The strugglers feel less pressure to keep up with the advanced.

[teach1027]

I think this is a good idea because then the struggling students will be together and it will help with individualized instruction. And maybe the higher kids can peer tutor the others.

[Chef Dave]

What do you think about splitting students between two classrooms based on reading and math test scores?

There are definitely pros and cons for this idea. When I was an elementary teacher, I always prefered having a heterogeneous class.

When you have a class with mixed ability levels, stronger academic students can pair with weaker students for drill and practice or peer tutoring. Weaker academic students also have peer role models who can demonstrate master of given instructional objectives. They can observe, however vicariously, classmates who are responsible, strong achievers.

Unless you are fortunate enough to instruct the "advanced" students, a class full of mediocre students will have little ambition. They will have few peer role models to emulate because everyone will be struggling. I also tend to believe that students who are segregated by academic ability tend to be "labeled" as low ability.

So ... while it may be convenient for the teacher to teach classes that are grouped by academic ability, I don't think it's in the best interest of the average student.

[RibbityRibbit]

I wouldn't want my kids moved from room to room for math. I like having my students for math. It gives you a more complete picture of the person as a student if you can see them in every part of the day.

I teach a multi-age class, so not only am I dealing with 2 or sometimes 3 grade levels, I have all the abilities within those grade levels. I have a 3rd/4th class (with one gifted second grader as well.)

I do ability group and meet with the kids in small guided math groups. The groups change depending on the unit we are doing. I will meet with some kids in the high group for one thing, because they have the skill I am teaching the lower kids already. Then, for the next unit, they may need to be in the lower group because I'm teaching them something they need practice in.

I have the hardest time with the couple of kids who don't get the 3rd grade math I'm teaching... because they are my lowest students in general.

But, and I think this is important. There are many times when we do a group project that is not ability grouped, but grouped with a mix of ability in a group. This builds teamwork, allows kids to help and learn from each other, and also doesn't give the class the impression that there are "smart kids and dumb kids", but that we are all in this together.

[becka_kate]

We currently have our three classes grouped by ability and have two support teacher who come and take one group each from the three rooms and we each keep the remainder of our own classes. Groupings are flexible in response to student needs

The Pro's
* Smaller groups
* Easier to target lessons to students needs
* Can keep track of small steps for each student
* Collaborative planning

The Con's (Need to be really careful about organisation)
*** Can loose track of student achievement - need good communication / record keeping practices by all teachers involved. Makes it difficult to answer parent questions about their child's progress & write reports.
* Lack of role models, especially frustrating with that bottom group who stare blankly when you've explained / modelled / scaffolded the same thing 3 days in a row!
* Time in moving students to & from group, resettling on arrival back in class.
* Flexibility may lead to groups getting too large as student's move.

On the whole it is working for us, we just need to tighten up on record keeping/communication if we continue this next year.

[Mossflower]

More pro's
* low students get more assistance
* low students are more likely to participate when the more confident students are in a different group
* higher students can be challenged and are less likely to be bored

If you decide to ability group for reading, remember to do additional reading activities that are for your home students only - not ability grouped. Low students will have good models. Hi students can be peer partners.

[teacher5]

This is a tough call. I work in a district where INCLUSION is the driving force, and differentiated instruction is supposed to be the practice. This kind of instruction is not easy to implement because we have mandated lessons and state testing. I have taught for 30+ years and have used both. I have found when you group students more homogeneously, especially in reading and math, you can better take them from where they are, at a pace and in a way they can comprehend, and the results are they feel better about their ability to learn. The results tend to be more pronounced with the weak learners and the top learners. It is true that the middle group tends to make progress, but seem to lose motivation over time without the stimulus of the top learners. It takes a seasoned teacher to know how to keep the middle group interested. The top kids are driven and love this setting. One of the biggest fears is the labeling by students, parents, and even the kids of smart and stupid, or slow or fast. You must be on guard of this. On a final note, we have a mandated math program with a schedule of lessons. You must stay within a few days of the schedule or you will not have covered all the topics in time for the state test. When this first began, I questioned what happens to the kids who can't keep up? I was told don't worry about them. The special ed. teacher, or a TA or an aide, will try to move them along. Also, pair your slower learners up with your faster learner and have them teach each other. Thank the lord I have a full time aide who is a mature intelligent woman that has a wonderful rapport with students. She has also experienced this math program with me for the past six years. So we both learned the ins and outs of it. Sometimes I have her sit with a group of students while I am teaching so she can refocus or remodel or watch them do guided application of a new strategy. About 6 weeks before the state tests we make homgeneous groupings and do practice test questions. My aide gets the middle group, I get a TA for one period a day to take the bottom or top group and I take the other group. Everyone gets the same set of questions to practice, but the groups move at their own pace. We try to keep the groups within a few questions of each other to avoid the notion that one group is better than another. During regular math periods, and when the lesson lends itself to paired or shared learning, I will pair up students who can get along well and learn from each other. We are working in a teaching world where the federal and even the state governments are working on the premise of NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. Or as a fellow colleague said, "EVERY CHILD PUSHED AHEAD!" As you can tell, you've got to do what is mandated in your district, and you've got to walk a fine and careful line when it comes to ability grouping.

[Boxcar]

TAs and aides can be such life-savers. They have important jobs, and a good one can be a blessing.