There is still little consensus on whether and how teaching is affected by small and large classes, especially in the case of students in the later primary years. This study investigated effects of class size on teaching of pupils aged 7-11 years. We used a multimethod approach, integrating qualitative information from teachers' end-of-year…

Describes benefits of small classes based on 28 years of experience as elementary teacher. Includes establishing a successful classroom community, more time for students, fewer discipline problems, personalized assessment, and more opportunity to use best teaching practices. (PKP)

Reviews research that finds teachers assigned to smaller classes do not significantly alter the instructional methods they used in larger classes. (PKP)

The authors examined class size effects on teacher-pupil interactions, pupil engagement, and pupil-pupil interaction. They extended previous research by recognizing the hierarchical nature of observation data and the possible influence of other variables. The study used a time sampling method involving 257 children (aged 10-11 years) in 16 small…