Tracking? Grouping Examining the impact of tracking on student learning
By Donna Brody
EDI 600 Psychological Foundation of Education
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
February 26, 2009
One of the topics discussed in chapter 6 that I’ve always had interest in is that of tracking. It is true that my opinions are not based on scientific fact. My opinions are based on my own experience in school and those of my children who are currently in 8th and 11th grades.
I have always been a proponent of tracking. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, tracking worked out just fine for me. I was in the honors classes and got a good education. Now, however, as a parent of a 17 year old who is a good student and a 13 year old who is a struggling student, I thought I could judge more fairly. My younger son had school anxiety when he was younger. Eventually, he got over his anxiety, but felt he could never be successful and lost his motivation. I always felt if he had been tracked into an appropriate class, he’d have experienced success and be more motivated today. He’s entering high school where there is tracking and I’m hoping he will experience success when in classes with students with similar abilities. Certainly for the student with more ability, tracking offers many advantages too. My 17 year old can take honors classes in the subjects he enjoys and excels in while being in an average foreign language class, which has always been harder for him. I just felt that tracking was the answer for both of these very different students.
Upon reading the scientific facts, however, I am trying to open my eyes to other options. Of the four types of ability grouping, only two types have shown positive effects. The Joplin Plan was found to have moderately positive effects compared to heterogeneous classes. This is regrouping for specific subjects, usually math and reading, across grade levels. It seems to me to be a very difficult and impractical plan to institute in a school. Within-class ability grouping has been studied for grades 1-12 in math and science and also been found to produce modestly positive result.
I think within- class ability grouping would be something I would favor as a teacher. It would require a balancing act of working with one group while having the other group occupied with some independent type of work. If this is the only way (other than the Joplin Plan) to do ability grouping fairly and successfully, however, I think it is well worth the effort.
Long Island University, C. W. Post
February 26, 2009
One of the topics discussed in chapter 6 that I’ve always had interest in is that of tracking. It is true that my opinions are not based on scientific fact. My opinions are based on my own experience in school and those of my children who are currently in 8th and 11th grades.
I have always been a proponent of tracking. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, tracking worked out just fine for me. I was in the honors classes and got a good education. Now, however, as a parent of a 17 year old who is a good student and a 13 year old who is a struggling student, I thought I could judge more fairly. My younger son had school anxiety when he was younger. Eventually, he got over his anxiety, but felt he could never be successful and lost his motivation. I always felt if he had been tracked into an appropriate class, he’d have experienced success and be more motivated today. He’s entering high school where there is tracking and I’m hoping he will experience success when in classes with students with similar abilities. Certainly for the student with more ability, tracking offers many advantages too. My 17 year old can take honors classes in the subjects he enjoys and excels in while being in an average foreign language class, which has always been harder for him. I just felt that tracking was the answer for both of these very different students.
Upon reading the scientific facts, however, I am trying to open my eyes to other options. Of the four types of ability grouping, only two types have shown positive effects. The Joplin Plan was found to have moderately positive effects compared to heterogeneous classes. This is regrouping for specific subjects, usually math and reading, across grade levels. It seems to me to be a very difficult and impractical plan to institute in a school. Within-class ability grouping has been studied for grades 1-12 in math and science and also been found to produce modestly positive result.
I think within- class ability grouping would be something I would favor as a teacher. It would require a balancing act of working with one group while having the other group occupied with some independent type of work. If this is the only way (other than the Joplin Plan) to do ability grouping fairly and successfully, however, I think it is well worth the effort.
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