Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Ability Grouping: Principal Findings and Implications for Evaluating and Designing More Effective Educational Environments

Abstract

Given the assumption that the quality of an educational environment is directly related to the degree to which the experiences encouraged in that environment facilitate the achievement of specified educational objectives, the issue of whether ability grouping tends to enhance or reduce school learning experience is of particular educational significance. That is, if grouping students for instruction either homoor heterogeneously, on the basis of performance on standardized reading, arithmetic, and I.Q. achievement tests tends to restrict the nature and quality of instruction that can be provided in the classroom, then regardless of some presumed educational or administrative advantage, the practice fosters an unsound environment for the education of children, and should be discontinued.2 If, on the other hand, evidence suggests that a specific pattern of ability grouping tends to enhance the nature and quality of instruction that can be provided in the classroom, then the practice should be initiated or continued in the interest of maintaining quality education. Initially, it may appear that a reconsideration of the evidence dealing with the issues related to the ability grouping debate is unlikely to broaden one's knowledge or alter one's position with respect to the relative merits of ability grouping practices. Certainly, educators and research investigators have read any number of studies and discussions addressed to the subject and undoubtedly have given careful consideration to the possible advantages and disadvantages of various ability grouping schemes of organizing administrators, teachers, and children into instructional units. However, notwithstanding the longevity of the

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