This paper examines the mathematical experiences of students with additional and diverse needs in multi-year classes within the educational context of small regional South Australian (SA) schools. Qualitative research methods were used to collect data about how students communicate their mathematical thinking. Opportunities for students to…

Milwaukee's gay-friendly Alliance High School was conceived to be a welcoming and confirming school for kids who have been teased and bullied and had their interests marginalized in traditional schools. The result is a group of teens who feel they have found a safe place as they explore who they will be and how they will live the rest of their…

Describes one multi-age classroom that includes children from 6-11 years of age (traditionally grades 1-5). Explains how this unique learning community began; how student groupings were established to promote social interaction and peer collaboration among a wide age span of children; what the class looked like in actual practice; and what the…

Sixteen children with developmental disabilities and 32 nondisabled children (all between 1.5 and 4.5 years of age) were placed in either a same- or mixed-age grouping of 6 children. Observation six months later showed that children in mixed-age groups took more conversational turns with partners with disabilities than did children in same-age…

Two studies were conducted on the effects of multiage classrooms. The first study investigated verbal interaction among children of different age groups and student-teacher interaction in multiage classrooms. Existing multiage classrooms in various settings were observed and information was recorded on the ages of the children initiating and…

Discusses development and implementation of a writing workshop that combined prekindergarteners' language development with first graders' writing experiences. (BB)

No morning bell is needed at San Diego's Belle Benchley School, where mixed age groups touch things off spontaneously. (Editor)

In nongraded, multi-age classrooms, children have the opportunity to learn a great deal from their more proficient classmates. Children in multi-age, nongraded programs often learn that children differ, and they learn to assist each other in productive ways. The organizational scheme has the potential to remove much of the competition of…

A confusing variety of terms is used in discussions of age grouping practices. This digest examines terms that have important implications for teaching and the curriculum. The terms "nongraded" and "ungraded" typically refer to grouping children in classes without grade-level designations and with more than a 1-year age span.…

Parents of children in a large primary school in New South Wales were asked questions related to their attitudes towards and beliefs about composite (multigrade) classes. Parental concerns about composite classes are commonly reported as negative and this study confirmed this concern. Issues identified as causing concern for parents were a belief…

Noting that the recent call for holistic models of schooling dictates a thorough investigation of more natural groupings of students, this collection of articles reviews available literature on multiage, nongraded, continuous progress classrooms. Divided into six sections, the chapters explore the overriding concerns and the pros and cons of such…

Studied the longitudinal stability of measures of peer acceptance, social status, and social reputation and the role of children's ages relative to classmates during the transition from same-age kindergarten to mixed-age ungraded primary classes. Found that overall peer acceptance and aggressive social reputation were moderately stable. Half of…

This guide is designed for elementary school teachers to assist them in developing multi-age classrooms as part of their school restructuring efforts. Each of six sections presents a story from teachers who describe the challenges and joys of multi-age teaching, from parent backlash to school district support and praise. Section 1, "Step by…