When students can self-select their group members, a common assumption is that students prefer to select friends from similar cultural backgrounds. However, when teachers randomize students in groups from different cultural backgrounds, students are "forced" to work together. The prime goal of this study is to understand the impact of…

Discusses a study of 500 teachers in Great Britain who were interviewed about what they hoped to achieve in their mixed ability classes and the approaches they were using. Examines school policy and its implementation, pupil allocation, teaching advantages and disadvantages, and subject differences and teaching approaches. (CT)

Presents the results of a longitudinal study that identified changes in the organization of British secondary schools from 1969-1979. There were changes in grouping practices, grading frequency, the prefectorial system, sex differentiation, and activities. The results are explained in terms of an action approach derived from Weber. (AM)

This investigation showed no sex difference between boys and girls with regard to practical work at the end of their first year of secondary school and no difference between schools and groupings (all boys, all girls, mixed schools with mixed science classes, and mixed schools with single sex science classes). (JN)

How it works and its advantages in British primary schools; emphasis on the family grouping'', with older and younger students together and students staying with one teacher for several years. (SP)

Examines problems associated with the increase in non-streaming in British comprehensive secondary schools. Science teachers, for example, are being faced with classes that contain a wide range of student abilities. Provides guidelines for providing suitable teaching and learning conditions in non-streamed science classrooms. (JR)

From his 20 years experience in modeling a comprehensive school according to genuinely comprehensive principles, the author gives a considered statement of his objectives and experiences. (This article is part of a theme issue on comprehensive education in Britain.) (Editor/SJL)

Described is a method of teaching mathematics to mixed ability classes. The presentation of topics, the organization within the classroom and the difficulties met by teachers are discussed. The problems of homework and assessment are also considered. The teacher's role is compared with that in a streamed situation. (JP)

The deliberate assignment of students to groups, generally grades and classrooms, is an integral part of education in schools; in addition, tracks, streams, and ability groups are created in many educational systems. The resulting partitioning of students is referred to here as the organizational differentiation of students. The purpose of this…

A survey of more than 2,000 secondary schools has found that basic skills in reading and math are just as good in unstreamed schools as in those using ability grouping and that exam entries in mixed-ability schools are often higher. (Author)

Most existing studies of pupil-pupil interactions in special education have been psychology-based and have not considered the significance of students' social background. An ethnographic study examined the attitudes of academic and remedial British secondary students toward handicapped or otherwise deviant students. Results raised questions about…

In this British study, two samples of secondary school students (total n=46) with poor literacy skills were given daily, individual help in small groups for their English and Humanities lessons. Comparison with similar students receiving more general instruction in either small groups or the mainstream found that experimental groups made far…

This article questions whether the British National Literacy Strategy is raising the achievement of lower attainers and suggests adaptations, based on a Literacy Acceleration program. Literacy Acceleration is described as providing secondary-age students with reading difficulties with daily, specific teaching and individual attention within groups…

Examines the effects of school types and ability grouping within school types on individual student performance. Results demonstrate that students in high ability groups gain more and students in low ability groups gain less over a five-year period than they would be expected had they not been separated into ability groups. (Author/PS)

Reports the results of a study that explored student pass rate by focusing on the effect of combination multimedia/workshop teaching in small groups, reduced practical assessment with opportunity for informed improvement, and continual theoretical assessment via phase testing. (Contains 19 references.) (Author/DDR)