When working to connect homogeneous curricula with heterogeneous groups of pupils, teachers have to sort pupils according to the categories allowed for in the national school system. In this article, we compare German organizational differentiation, where pupils are divided into stable groups, to Norwegian pedagogical differentiation, where…

This article presents a research study on the interactional styles of teacher educators in the English language teacher education classroom. Two research methodologies, ethnomethodological conversation analysis and self-evaluation of teacher talk were applied to analyze 34 content- and language-based classes of nine English language teacher…

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of racial and gender diversity on group process and problem solving in an academic setting. The importance of this dynamic is its value in preparing students for the workplace. The supposition is if a group is homogeneous, commitment and performance is improved. Data for the study…

The purpose of this study is two-fold. Firstly the authors examine, given the amount of time allocated to literacy instruction, whether homogeneous grouping helps improve class manageability over the kindergarten year and whether individual students' externalizing problem behaviors will decrease in tandem. Secondly, they investigate whether the…

This paper reports on a small action research project carried out by a Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in a small rural, full primary school in New Zealand. It focused on improving the literacy outcomes for Years 5-8 boys in the school by way of a boys'-only writing group. Results show that the boys'-only learning group had a positive…

This study examined how instructional challenges presented by gifted students shaped teachers' instructional strategies. This study is a qualitative research grounded in a social constructivist framework. The participants were three high school science teachers who were teaching identified gifted students in both heterogeneously- and…

A commentary precedes this reprint of a study that investigated the academic, psychological, and socialization effects of ability grouping on gifted learners. Conclusions drawn from 13 research syntheses supported sustained periods of instruction in like-ability groups for gifted students. The commentary discusses the research findings and…

Research in classrooms must be sensitive to new dimensions of teaching tasks that emerge at the group level. There are at least two tasks that can be identified as being affected by changes in group characteristics. The first task is to set the stage--the teacher must establish the proper context or setting to support academic activities. The…

Found that mildly learning disabled elementary school students obtained significantly higher reading achievement in a self-contained special learning disabilities classroom than did students in a regular classroom with outside support from a learning specialist and students in a learning center setting. (FL)

A commentary precedes this previously published article that uses case studies of two highly gifted preschool students to illustrate potential pitfalls in program planning. Three key components (assessment, flexible scheduling, and counseling) are stressed as critical to the success of any gifted program. (Contains references.) (CR)

A commentary precedes this previously published study that indicates fifth-grade and eighth-grade students in homogeneous classes perceived that their teachers held higher expectations of them than did students who were heterogeneously grouped. The statistical methods used in the study are explained, along with key findings. (Contains references.)…

Many secondary teachers perceive a wide range of studennt ability levels within a class as a constraint on effective teaching and classroom management. This study was conducted to determine which levels of teaching effectiveness, which learning environments, and which classroom management problems were associated with very heterogeneous classes,…