With the rise of accountability policies since the early nineties, the daily operation of English schools has profoundly changed. Through the in-depth analysis of ability grouping practices in one English secondary school, this paper aims to explore how the accountability shift and datafication impacted the practice of student grouping and…

There is a complementarity between Uganda's aim for 'education for all' and the pedagogy indicated as underpinning Uganda's child-focused thematic curriculum. However, child-focused pedagogies are rare. The case is made that child-led research is an appropriate model for developing inclusive classroom practice. This research is the first to…

Australia currently faces a skill shortage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professions unlikely to improve if the current trend of low enrolments in high-level mathematics in secondary school continues. Many factors seem to contribute to this trend, and amongst them, research recognises student "attitudes"…

This study documents the inclusive, deliberate, and unintended educational practices in Japan for mathematically gifted students. It also aims to identify various schools' strengths and challenges in improving the mathematics education of these students. Case studies with multisite designs were undertaken in five middle schools selected using…

This article discusses "Choice and Challenge" as a tool for school improvement and as a "practicable pedagogy" that attempts to embody the principles of "learning without limits," rejecting ability grouping and labelling. As considered here, "Choice and Challenge" emerges specifically from practice at the…

Within the United Kingdom and internationally, the practice of separating pupils by ability endures as a characteristic feature of mathematics and science classrooms. Although there is extensive international research literature on ability grouping within classroom-based subjects, limited research exists in the context of physical education (PE).…

Mixed-ability classes have been found to be one of the greatest detriments to students learning at English language institutions (ELIs). There has been a growing concern over the impacts of the mixed-ability classes calling for a study aimed at suggesting solutions for this situation. This study involves thirty-three female EFL teachers who work…

How teachers position themselves and their students can influence the development of afforded or constrained local moral orders in ability-based teacher-led mathematics lessons. Local moral orders are the negotiated discursive practices and interactions of participants in the group. In this article, the developing local moral orders of 12 teachers…

Due to variation that exists in providing Tier 2 reading intervention instruction, the purpose of the study was to identify processes and instructional strategies currently being utilized by K-2 teachers of the Gallup, New Mexico elementary schools. 17 teachers from 9 of the 10 elementary schools participated in the study. A survey instrument was…

Although some literacy researchers consider grouping students for reading instruction to be a proven educational practice, the support for this belief is lacking from a research synthesis perspective. With this idea in mind, Slavin comments in the middle of his review on the effects of grouping: "there is not enough research on within-class…

The monitorial system of education was the most promising device in the field of primary education at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its astonishing spread across the five continents represents one of the earliest processes of internationalization in the field of elementary schooling, which has rarely been analysed from the point of view…

Author was head of geography for nearly ten years before becoming deputy head at The Woodlands School, Coventry, a school that has pioneered the move to non-streaming at the secondary stage. He writes here on the practical problems arising in this transition, and how they may be overcome. (Editor/RK)

Considers the pros and cons as to what has been gained from the move toward non-streaming over the past ten years. (Editor/RK)

Compares classroom practices of 20 years ago to those of today and points out that though we know more now, our techniques have not changed much. Suggests that behavior problems may result from insensitive instruction. (RW)

Seriously questions the current beliefs that reading scores in urban schools will remain low due to ever-increasing poverty and minority populations, and that a child's learning patterns are irreversibly set in preschool years. (Editor/RK)