Scholars have paid little attention to the strategies used by parents of gifted children who learn in mixed-abilities classroom when interacting with their teachers. In this research we studied how parents of gifted children in mixed-ability classrooms position themselves with their children's teachers in conflicted situations. By using multiple…

In the educational literature on peer effects, attention has been brought to the fact that the mechanisms creating peer effects are still to a large extent hidden in obscurity. The hypothesis in the study reported in this article was that the Frame Factor Theory (FFT) can be used to reveal such mechanisms. Using data from the Swedish TIMSS 2015 (N…

School-based learning experiences are often designed with the "typical" student in mind. However, this may not be an optimal approach, given the variability of prior learning that exists in most classrooms. We investigated the variance in achievement within U.S. fourth- and eighth-grade mathematics classrooms using Trends in…

Research to date on the effects of between-school tracking on inequalities in achievement and on performance has been inconclusive. A possible explanation is that different studies used different data, focused on different domains, and employed different measures of inequality. To address this issue, we used all accumulated data collected in the…

"Ability" is one of the most common concepts underpinning education. Generally, "ability" is central to notions of a meritocratic society. More specifically, schools are allocated the right to define, categorise and label students according to their ability. While there has been ample discussion of the role of ability in the…

Kauffman, Felder, Ahrbeck, Badar, and Schneiders (this issue) call for a more temperate approach to inclusion, arguing against its use in educating "all" students with disabilities. We argue in response that the issue should not be framed as "inclusion versus non-inclusion," asserting that our field would benefit by examining…

The global expansion of mass schooling has greatly increased opportunities for low-income families, and governments have devoted much effort to equalising access and quality in education systems. Alongside regular schooling, the so-called shadow education system of private supplementary tutoring has grown rapidly across the world. The fact that…

Grouping students by "ability" is a topic of long-standing contention in English education policy, research and practice. While policy-makers have frequently advocated the practice as reflecting educational "standards", research has consistently failed to find significant benefits of "ability" grouping; and indeed has…

This article draws on European approaches to differentiation that do not entail fatalistic determinism. It describes two challenging initiatives in Denmark, where democratic learning and learning for democracy are enshrined in law. Other examples come from Germany, from the Bielefeld laboratory school and a sixth form college, where planning for…

This is the twelfth edition of the Brown Center Report. Part I examines the latest data from state, national, or international assessments. This year the focus is on the latest results from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) released in December, 2012. Part I also…

This work attempts to determine whether the recent educational reforms in Poland are making it more difficult for discipline to be maintained in schools. It is concluded that the changes have a negative impact upon school discipline because the likelihood of mixed-ability classes in junior secondary institutions is high. The theoretical framework…

In Israel, there are statistical relationships between students' social orientations and the ability group to which they are assigned. However, the direction of effect between the two variables is as yet undetermined. (LHW)

Discusses development of pupil grouping in European compulsory education into two opposite class organization types, mixed ability classes and ability-grouped classes. Categorizes the types along two dimensions with three program types and three grouping types, yielding nine teaching categories. Discusses comparative results of streaming and mixed…

Compares types of ability grouping (mixed, homogenous, acceleration/retention) used in educational systems in the United States, China, Japan, south Korea, France, Germany, and Quebec and how they reflect cultural patterns and shape educational outcomes. Discusses tensions between the competing demands of excellence and equity. (SK)

The Chinese system of education is described, emphasizing the "Key Point" schools which serve gifted and creative students and are better funded than other schools. These students, from primary level to high school, complete informational, political, and behavioral studies and are expected to study up to 16 hours each day. (JDD)