[Oz-gifted] Re: Ability grouping

[Kristy]

Thanks Kathy,

I am slowly working through all of that. I agree that ability grouping as 
the only method in a school probably wouldnt work and as Tony mentioned a 
combination of age and ability grouping might be the best idea. I have been 
talking to a few parents around here that are open to new ideas and their 
concerns seem to mirror many that are mentioned in the Hoagies articles. 
Self-esteem, social issues etc. One mentioned how would you decide who got 
placed where. My first thought was to either use the WALNA(or comparitive 
test elsewhere) or another test applied at the same time in years 3, 5 and 7 
to assess and reassess and then age and ability group between these years. 
ex age group year 4 and 5 together and ability group within this grouping. 
Reassess in year 5 then age group years 6 and 7 together with new ability 
groupings depending on the childrens results from the testing.

I can see so many benefits for the children and teachers from doing this. 
Especially for kids on either extreme. Grouping those, say on the lower 
third, together will allow a teacher to program specifically for those kids. 
Schools would be able to attract teachers who have an interest in certain 
education, be that gifted or special needs and allow those teachers to focus 
their attention and training on the children that need their skills the 
most. Grouping will allow the upper third to have some healthy competition 
amongst those of like abilities instead of always being aware that they are 
the top of the class without trying, conversely those in the lower third 
would at last have the chance to be at the top of a class. What a huge bump 
to the self esteem of a child that would be, They would finally have 
something to work for.I am sure the parents would cope once they had their 
once bottom of the class child come home so excited because they had come 
first in a spelling test for the first time ever. I seriously doubt the 
child would care that the words were not as hard as the words the kids next 
door were doing.

I am booking an appointmet to have a talk with my childrens principal. The 
school is extremely open to new ideas and methods and I would like to hear 
their input. The school is actually 2 in 1. We have a Language development 
school and a regular primary school on the same grounds. All the children 
play together but are seperated for class times.  If we can do this and 
seperate out language students I cant see why ability grouping of all 
students would be a problem.

Kristy


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kathy Gilbert" <gilbert at tig.com.au>
To: <oz-gifted at rite.ed.qut.edu.au>
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2005 3:29 PM
Subject: [Oz-gifted] Re: Ability grouping


> Hi Kristy,
>
> Hoagies has a page devoted to ability grouping info:
> http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/grouping.htm
>
> I've always liked the idea of ability grouping, but in the earlier years 
> found my daughters' primary school hardly ever used it.  They liked to 
> have their "shining lights" (their words not mine) in all classes so other 
> children were carried along and spurred on to greater heights.  They 
> didn't see it as a real problem for the actual shining lights who had very 
> few, if any, peers, especially when the brightest were split up.  So even 
> within age grouping, those who were brightest were placed in different 
> classes.  Maybe that's why I like the idea of OC and Selective Schooling, 
> because at least then there is much more chance of finding a child who is 
> an intellectual peer and thus one who may have similar interests/makeup, 
> even if there are other social or racial differences.
>
> I can see why it would be hard for a mixed ability school to group totally 
> intellectually.  Many parents would be devastated if their child was 
> mainly with those who were a lot younger.  The same problem doesn't occur 
> with an occasional accelerated child, in an age based class.
>
> Kathy
>
>
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I dont know enough about this but would like to see if anyone has some 
>>input.
>>
>>We would never consider age grouping of kids for many area's, swimming as 
>>an example, so why is it so important to age group for education purposes? 
>>I understand the social aspects that are thrown around often but dont feel 
>>this should be a deciding factor. My eldest is the youngest in his class 
>>but friends with the eldest. Its a MAG grouped class so the eldest are 
>>actually 2 years older than him. I feel sometimes they underestimate the 
>>social abilities of many children and that given the chance they will find 
>>friends whether they are in the same class or not.
>>
>>Wouldnt ability grouping make it easier on teachers? If they only need to 
>>cater for similar ability students programming should be an easier 
>>process.
>>
>>The argument of having role models for those on the lower end of the scale 
>>can be countered by stating that ability grouping would allow those 
>>children to excel within their group instead of constantly being at the 
>>lower end of a class.
>>
>>I am sure there are many reasons why this wouldnt be possible. I guess I 
>>am more curious to know if it has ever been considered or if it is used at 
>>all. Makes a whole lot more sense to me than age grouping of kids.
>>
>>Thanks
>>Kristy
>
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