Is Ability Grouping an Effective Strategy?
Ability grouping is popular practice among educators today. The idea is that children of similar abilities will be taught together as one group rather than trying to teach the same information to multiple ability levels. The most common types of ability grouping are between-class and within-class. Although ability grouping is a common practice, research has shown that the academic effects are minimal and the social effects are negative. Side 1: Ability grouping is a valuable instructional method because teachers can plan their instruction to be appropriate for students of similar ability levels. Teachers do not have to try to present curricula to multiple ability levels at once. In addition, ability grouping may also benefit the students because they are working with other students who are experiencing the same types of accomplishments and challenges. Side 2: Research on ability grouping has found limited academic benefits. In addition, the benefits are generally found with only the hi
