The author, a veteran ESL teacher, describes a set of specific supports to help long-term English language learners make academic progress that he and other teachers piloted at Luther Burbank High School in California. The interventions included a daily academic support class; monitoring this group's academic progress; "cohorting" them…

Most co-teachers agree that there just isn't enough time for co-teachers to appropriately and effectively preplan every aspect of every activity in every lesson. This lack of time leads co-teachers to turn to models that fail to maximize the benefits of a two-teacher classroom. Wilson suggests that if co-teachers use their limited planning time to…

Whenever educators talk about raising achievement, grade-level standards are most frequently the end goal for student learning. But what about students who have already met some, if not all, of those standards and who master material quickly and in-depth? Advanced and gifted learners often languish in our schools because teachers don't have the…

A low-performing California school district experienced a dramatic turnaround when faculty members began studying student assessment data and working together to ensure students had the support they needed. Sanger Unified School District began its reform journey in 2004 when district leaders launched an effort to focus deliberately on student…

Reviews results of four recent studies exploring the effects of various student-grouping schemes on academic achievement. Grouping plans included multiage classrooms, full-time ability grouping, and within-classroom grouping. Two studies investigated administrator attitudes toward student grouping. Several studies found that grouping plans…

Open spaces, it has become apparent, do not necessarily guarantee freedom in the classroom. Freedom to learn, to grow, and to select your own learning activity does not seem to be a function of walls or lack of walls. (Author)

Argues that individualized instruction is financially and logistically unfeasible and socially undesireable. Suggests that the group-centered classroom is a more desirable instructional approach, and presents nine arguments in its favor. (JG)

Marian Matthews insists that she selected a school with exemplary cooperative-learning practices for her interviews with gifted students summarized in the October 1992 issue of "Educational Leadership." The students interviewed cared about their classmates but did not understand their differing values. Neither artificial incentives nor…

A recent study comparing whole language and skills-oriented instruction found that students in whole language classes spent more time on cognitively complex literacy tasks. Educators need to balance the use of narrative and expository text, integrate subject matter areas, and use a variety of instructional grouping strategies. Includes 10…

Detracking alone is not the best means of raising student achievement. Students with different abilities, interests, and motivation levels should be offered differentiated instruction that meets their individual needs. Unfortunately, only a small number of teachers employ differentiation in their classrooms. Training and instructional grouping…

The research on identifying and educating gifted youth supports the use of multiple identification measures, accelerated instruction, and ability grouping. (Author/TE)

Shortly after Amityville (New York) High School teachers introduced the learning style concept, their classes began to experiment with alternative groupings, varied instructional strategies, and individualized response activities. Student achievement gains were easily estimated, but gains in self-esteem are immeasurable. (MLH)

Students in work groups are more active learners and more motivated and enthusiastic about mathematics than students working in achievement groups. Acutely needed are curriculum materials for teachers to use with work groups and greater curriculum coordination across grades. Sidebars provide two lesson synopses for grades three and five. Includes…

Certain grouping arrangements in elementary and secondary schools appear to be instructionally effective for students, but the psychological drawbacks may offset any advantages. The relative benefits and disadvantages of within-class grouping and between-class grouping are discussed, along with the problems with ability grouping. (TE)

The Marzano thinking skills model (emphasizing learning preparation, content thinking, and basic reasoning skills) will enhance learning opportunities for students whom the present system overlooks or labels unteachable. Schools can restructure teaching and evaluation methods to educate all young people for a successful future in the information…