A SERIES OF THREE CONFERENCES WAS HELD TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A LONG-RANGE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR AN UNGRADED, K-12 SCHOOL, BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CONFERENCE ON SCHOOL MATHEMATICS. OVER 50 MATHEMATICIANS, MATHEMATICS EDUCATORS, AND PERSONS INVOLVED IN THEORETICAL AND APPLIED PSYCHOLOGICAL…

This report on ability grouping or "streaming" in secondary schools is an overview of research on the subject done in schools in many different countries. Referring to an extensive bibliography, the author gives examples of conclusions reached through observation and experiment on the part of educators. The complexity of the subject is revealed by…

At Abington High Schools' North Campus, Abington, Pennsylvania, beginning French and Spanish students were grouped according to ability after the first marking period in an effort to meet their individual needs. A summary of the project shows that the grades of ability-grouped students tended to improve and that there is no clear correspondence…

Using data collected through interviews with headmasters, other administrative personnel, teachers, and pupils from a random stratified sample of 33 comprehensive schools in England and Wales, a study was conducted of the use of the house system, with schools classified into four types: using the house system extensively, 11; using it moderately,…

This paper examines the research literature concerning the effects of homogeneous vs. heterogeneous ability grouping on the mathematical achievement and attitudes of students. The studies examined concern all grade levels from 1 through 12, and relate to grouping on the basis of general ability and on the basis of prior mathematical achievement.…

Presented is the final report of the California State Department of Education on the involvement of 929 gifted children (grades 1-12) in 17 experimental educational programs during the 1958-59 school year. The experimental programs evaluated are divided into three categories: special groupings, acceleration, and enrichment in the regular class. A…

This collection of articles describes the institutions, policies, and professionals that shape, curtail, and delineate children's lives. The basic premise underlying the discussion is that children are equal persons under the law with rights, as opposed to needs, which connote dependency. The collection is divided into three main parts dealing…

The Anchor Test Study provides a method for translating a pupil's score on any one of eight widely used standardized reading tests for Grades 4, 5, and 6 to a corresponding score on any of the other seven tests, as well as furnishing new nationally representative norms for each of the eight tests. In addition, the Study presents new estimates of…

Every school system in the country seeks a way to evaluate its educational effectiveness as well as the academic success and failres of its students. A majority of schools assume that intelligence, and therefore academic success, can be measured. Accordingly, standardized tests are used to determine intellectual capacity and level, and test…

This paper discusses negative consequences for students placed in low ability classes and presents some alternative grouping and instructional practices which have been proven effective in heterogeneous classrooms. (LMO)

Assesses the measurement qualities of a computer-managed test of children's reading vocabulary, and the resultant representational patterns of vocabulary knowledge. Describes the test's administration, and its high reliability. Reveals that it shows that children of all ability levels know a range of very common to very rare words. (SKC)

Summarizes some of the criticisms which have been directed at basal instruction. Discusses how whole language approaches enhance the ability to teach children to read, and engage students in a democratic and democratizing educational experience. (MS)

Assessment of fourth-year pupils in two neighboring London schools (one grammar, one comprehensive) over a full academic year indicated that student attitudes, motivation, and proficiency, often influenced by placement in ability groups, significantly affected second-language learning. (Author/CB)

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)

This paper applies a theory of growth in academic achievement to the study of the effects of ability grouping on reading achievement. The theory sees students' ability and effort determining how they utilize opportunities for learning provided by instruction. (Author/JAZ)