TY - JOUR
T1 - Urban Middle-Elementary Students' Perceptions of Grouping Formats for Reading Instruction
AU - Elbaum, Batya E.
AU - Schumm, Jeanne Shay
AU - Vaughn, Sharon
PY - 1996/12/1
Y1 - 1996/12/1
N2 - The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary school students' perceptions of grouping formats for reading instruction. Participants were 549 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade urban, mostly minority students, including 23 students with learning disabilities (LD), in 3 schools in a large southeastern district. Students' perceptions were assessed by means of a questionnaire that included both closed- and open-ended items. Results revealed no grade or gender differences. Students reported that whole-class instruction and working alone were used more frequently than group or pair instruction; some students reported that they had no experience with certain grouping formats, particularly pairs, in their current reading class. Students at all levels of reading ability liked mixed-ability groups and mixed-ability pairs most, followed by whole-class instruction. Same-ability groups and working alone were the least liked grouping formats. Students perceived that in mixed-ability groups students get more help from classmates, work more cooperatively, and make more progress in reading than in same-ability groups. Same-ability groups were perceived to be desirable only for nonreaders. The implications for classroom practice are discussed with an emphasis on general education classrooms that include students with LD.
AB - The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary school students' perceptions of grouping formats for reading instruction. Participants were 549 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade urban, mostly minority students, including 23 students with learning disabilities (LD), in 3 schools in a large southeastern district. Students' perceptions were assessed by means of a questionnaire that included both closed- and open-ended items. Results revealed no grade or gender differences. Students reported that whole-class instruction and working alone were used more frequently than group or pair instruction; some students reported that they had no experience with certain grouping formats, particularly pairs, in their current reading class. Students at all levels of reading ability liked mixed-ability groups and mixed-ability pairs most, followed by whole-class instruction. Same-ability groups and working alone were the least liked grouping formats. Students perceived that in mixed-ability groups students get more help from classmates, work more cooperatively, and make more progress in reading than in same-ability groups. Same-ability groups were perceived to be desirable only for nonreaders. The implications for classroom practice are discussed with an emphasis on general education classrooms that include students with LD.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0007027029&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0007027029&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0007027029
VL - 97
SP - x2-500
JO - Elementary School Journal
JF - Elementary School Journal
SN - 0013-5984
IS - 5
ER -