Ability grouping is a widely debated topic because of its many
advantages and disadvantages.
Its critics site many disadvantages to ability
grouping. Jeanie Oakes argues that
homogeneous grouping is ineffective because it does not promote student
learning, motivation, or self-esteem.
She also says that it is inherently racist because many minority
children are in slow tracks and it is wrong to deny access to deeper academic
content based on ability. Ability
grouping also denies all students authentic, real-world interactions with
people of all ability levels.
However, others argue the advantages of ability grouping.
Allowing gifted students to work together allows them to be challenged by their
peers and lets them experience not being the smartest kid in the room. This also creates an environment where middle
and lower level students are not competing with and being overshadowed by
gifted students. It can also lower the affect
that watching gifted students success can have on lower ability students. Without gifted students, those students are allowed
to shine. Kulik found that the
achievement of low-ability students is not harmed by homogeneous grouping while
higher ability are allowed to excel.
At my school, classes are not divided by ability but within
my room, I find it beneficial to use a mix of homogeneous and heterogeneous groupings.
I believe there are times where grouping gifted students together can allow for
deeper and more challenging learning, while other times being in a mixed
ability group allows gifted students to take on a leadership role.
