Should we ‘stream’ school students based on ability? New research suggests yes – but we need to be cautious
SolStock/ Getty Images Educators have long debated whether students should be “streamed” – or organised into different classes based on their academic performance. Is it better for students to be learning with students of a similar “ability”, or a mix? In Australia, most high schools stream students according to their ability, especially for maths . Streaming can also occur in the primary years . New research from the United Kingdom suggests streaming can help some students.
New research from the UK indicates that streaming students by academic ability in mathematics can benefit high-achieving students. The study, which compared schools with streamed versus mixed-ability classes, found that higher-ability students in streamed settings made three months' more progress over two years. Notably, this approach did not negatively impact the self-belief or academic results of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who showed only slightly less progress than their non-streamed peers.
This research adds a new dimension to the ongoing debate in Australia and globally about ability grouping in schools, suggesting potential benefits for some students while highlighting the need for careful consideration of equity.
📌 Kaynak
Bu özet The Conversation AU kaynağından otomatik derlenmiştir. Tamamı için orijinal habere gidin.
Orijinal haberi oku →