Changes in the way students are grouped can radically change the way they are taught in schools across the nation. Few educators agree on the nature of the most effective replacement for ability grouping. This digest discusses the pros and cons of ability grouping as it relates to reading instruction in a classroom, the limitations of grouping, and the importance of teacher attitudes toward children in low and high groups. It also includes a section on cooperative learning, demonstrating how heterogeneous grouping can be effective when students are working on a specific project or activity. This article summarizes and reviews literature on ability grouping, citing the research and view by educators such as Robert Slavin, Anne Wheelock, and Jeanne Oakes.
Much evidence is provided about the harmful results of ability grouping.
The article concludes with a discussion of several court cases brought against ability grouping and their outcomes. A brief description of cooperative learning, what it is, how it works, and the reasons to use it. Four specific programs are cited, with name and address of the person to contact for more information. The article concludes with a brief summary of the benefits of cooperative learning, and reference to the research documenting its effectiveness. This is a technical, academic summary of research about ability grouping.