Grouping by ability is a positive and beneficial way of targeting students and their needs. The small group instruction gives an opportunity to work on areas that need reinforcement or clarification. I have four different Guided Reading Groups, they consist of 3-6 students and we focus on word work, fluency, comprehension and extension questions at each groups reading level. I have students reading at level G, level H, level J, and level L. I also meet with students in a small group for math concept reinforcement if students are unclear or not understanding a certain concept. The groups are constantly changing and students actually look forward to working at the back table. Students spend a good portion of their day in the whole group instruction that it is nice to break off into smaller groups working at the same level whether for reinforcement or for a challenge.
I think grouping by ability can be tough; on one hand, it can be helpful for children at the same level to work together (like in guided reading groups), but on the other hand it can be limiting (like tracking in high school). I think the teacher I worked with in first grade did a great job of grouping students; she put them in guided reading groups based on their initial reading level at the beginning of the year, but the groups changed and evolved as the year went on. For example, if one child in a certain group showed progress and was able to move up a reading level, they moved into the next reading group as well. This felt like a fair way to group by ability because it gave students the message that their learning was important and hard work pays off. I agree with Kate that students spend a great deal of time learning with and from each other in the large group setting, and small groups can be helpful for more one-on-one learning and guidance, as long as they are thoughtfully planned and do not limit the students' potential.
I think ability grouping can be tough as well. I think that a child's ability in a subject or part of a subject can change. I think it is more importantly to know your students' strengths and weaknesses. I think mixed ability grouping can be very helpful. We do this a lot in the class that I am student teaching in with math and ELA. The higher ability students provide scaffolding for the lower ability students. I think both students can benefit from each other because they can provide different insights and experiences for each other. My teacher has her reading groups coded by color and there are three color levels. She has two red groups (lowest readers), two blue groups (middle readers), and one green group (high readers). I wonder if she has changed these groups at all through this year. I feel that some students should be moved into different groups because of their improvement. I think that students should be exposed to all the students in a class whether it is my whole class learning, groups learning, or partner work.
I think ability grouping can be beneficial in certain situations. Leveled reading groups are very helpful. We have children ranging from level D to level K in my current first grade classroom. Working in small groups, or one on one, helps each student to work at his or her own pace. In small ability groups students are able to help each other at an appropriate pace and feel less pressure to perform than in a whole group setting. In math we usually do a mix of whole group and small group instruction. We often start our math lesson as a whole group, to introduce the concept of the day/week. After a whole group lesson, we split the class up into groups of independent workers and small groups of those that need a little more (or in some cases a lot more) reinforcement of the math concept. I think in these two subjects, ability grouping works very well for students in the younger grades. The problem I see is when this ability grouping continues through middle and high school and students get stuck in a certain “track”. If ability grouping is done in a way to foster growth and learning, it can be very beneficial.
I think ability grouping can be beneficial when implemented the right way. I teach in an inclusive co-taught first grade classroom. Half of the class is on IEP's so students are used to small groups working with the special educator. I think it is a necessity for guided reading groups, because some students are not reading at a high enough level to actually decode the stories featured in our reading program. Other students are reading beyond the stories in our reading program. These groups provide students with opportunities to read at a level appropriate for them. The only time I have found ability grouping to be negative in my class is during spelling. In a class of fourteen, two students have a different spelling list. I have heard students make comments about "Jack and Lenny's" spelling list vs. the "normal" spelling list, and I know it had made Jack and Lenny upset on at least two occasions. SInce the spelling tests are mostly memorization, I think we should put everyone on the same spelling list, but of course I am the student teacher and have little influence. Generally, I think ability grouping can be beneficial as long as students aren't labeled and put on a specific "track" too early.
Grouping children by ability is a controversial issue in education. I myself have trouble deciding whether it is a positive or negative strategy. I believe that it has benefits and consequences, but in the end, it is a necessary evil. I think that if the groups are more subtle, where the same students are not always placed with the same kids and the groups can be interchangeable (maybe by assigning different roles for students within a group so they are getting the support and academic challenges they need, but collaborating to solve/achieve one common problem/goal, so their abilities are not the focus of the group). I think that it is important to set attainable goals for students. Struggling students need to feel as though they can succeed, without that confidence there will be no motivation to overcome their academic adversities; at the same time, high-performing students a need rigorous curriculum to continue to develop as learners. With today’s growing acceptance of inclusivity in the classroom, all students, of all abilities, are expected to excel and progress in one class, learning from one teacher. That being said, grouping children by ability is something that is important, with the right stipulations.
Grouping by ability is a positive and beneficial way of targeting students and their needs. The small group instruction gives an opportunity to work on areas that need reinforcement or clarification. I have four different Guided Reading Groups, they consist of 3-6 students and we focus on word work, fluency, comprehension and extension questions at each groups reading level. I have students reading at level G, level H, level J, and level L. I also meet with students in a small group for math concept reinforcement if students are unclear or not understanding a certain concept. The groups are constantly changing and students actually look forward to working at the back table.
ReplyDeleteStudents spend a good portion of their day in the whole group instruction that it is nice to break off into smaller groups working at the same level whether for reinforcement or for a challenge.
I think grouping by ability can be tough; on one hand, it can be helpful for children at the same level to work together (like in guided reading groups), but on the other hand it can be limiting (like tracking in high school). I think the teacher I worked with in first grade did a great job of grouping students; she put them in guided reading groups based on their initial reading level at the beginning of the year, but the groups changed and evolved as the year went on. For example, if one child in a certain group showed progress and was able to move up a reading level, they moved into the next reading group as well. This felt like a fair way to group by ability because it gave students the message that their learning was important and hard work pays off. I agree with Kate that students spend a great deal of time learning with and from each other in the large group setting, and small groups can be helpful for more one-on-one learning and guidance, as long as they are thoughtfully planned and do not limit the students' potential.
ReplyDeleteI think ability grouping can be tough as well. I think that a child's ability in a subject or part of a subject can change. I think it is more importantly to know your students' strengths and weaknesses. I think mixed ability grouping can be very helpful. We do this a lot in the class that I am student teaching in with math and ELA. The higher ability students provide scaffolding for the lower ability students. I think both students can benefit from each other because they can provide different insights and experiences for each other. My teacher has her reading groups coded by color and there are three color levels. She has two red groups (lowest readers), two blue groups (middle readers), and one green group (high readers). I wonder if she has changed these groups at all through this year. I feel that some students should be moved into different groups because of their improvement. I think that students should be exposed to all the students in a class whether it is my whole class learning, groups learning, or partner work.
ReplyDeleteI think ability grouping can be beneficial in certain situations. Leveled reading groups are very helpful. We have children ranging from level D to level K in my current first grade classroom. Working in small groups, or one on one, helps each student to work at his or her own pace. In small ability groups students are able to help each other at an appropriate pace and feel less pressure to perform than in a whole group setting. In math we usually do a mix of whole group and small group instruction. We often start our math lesson as a whole group, to introduce the concept of the day/week. After a whole group lesson, we split the class up into groups of independent workers and small groups of those that need a little more (or in some cases a lot more) reinforcement of the math concept. I think in these two subjects, ability grouping works very well for students in the younger grades. The problem I see is when this ability grouping continues through middle and high school and students get stuck in a certain “track”. If ability grouping is done in a way to foster growth and learning, it can be very beneficial.
ReplyDeleteI think ability grouping can be beneficial when implemented the right way. I teach in an inclusive co-taught first grade classroom. Half of the class is on IEP's so students are used to small groups working with the special educator. I think it is a necessity for guided reading groups, because some students are not reading at a high enough level to actually decode the stories featured in our reading program. Other students are reading beyond the stories in our reading program. These groups provide students with opportunities to read at a level appropriate for them. The only time I have found ability grouping to be negative in my class is during spelling. In a class of fourteen, two students have a different spelling list. I have heard students make comments about "Jack and Lenny's" spelling list vs. the "normal" spelling list, and I know it had made Jack and Lenny upset on at least two occasions. SInce the spelling tests are mostly memorization, I think we should put everyone on the same spelling list, but of course I am the student teacher and have little influence. Generally, I think ability grouping can be beneficial as long as students aren't labeled and put on a specific "track" too early.
ReplyDeleteGrouping children by ability is a controversial issue in education. I myself have trouble deciding whether it is a positive or negative strategy. I believe that it has benefits and consequences, but in the end, it is a necessary evil. I think that if the groups are more subtle, where the same students are not always placed with the same kids and the groups can be interchangeable (maybe by assigning different roles for students within a group so they are getting the support and academic challenges they need, but collaborating to solve/achieve one common problem/goal, so their abilities are not the focus of the group). I think that it is important to set attainable goals for students. Struggling students need to feel as though they can succeed, without that confidence there will be no motivation to overcome their academic adversities; at the same time, high-performing students a need rigorous curriculum to continue to develop as learners. With today’s growing acceptance of inclusivity in the classroom, all students, of all abilities, are expected to excel and progress in one class, learning from one teacher. That being said, grouping children by ability is something that is important, with the right stipulations.
ReplyDelete