DOCUMENT RESUME ED 369 066 CS 011 684 AUTHOR Ediger, Marlow Grouping Pupils for Language Arts Instruction. TITLE PUB DATE 94 NOTE 14p. Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.) PUB TYPE (120) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. "Class Organization; Cross Age Teaching; Elementary DESCRIPTORS Education; *Grouping (Instructional Purposes); *Language Arts; Mainstreaming; Team Teaching IDENTIFIERS Educational Issues ABSTRACT A major task involved in teaching pupils is to group them wisely for instruction. Most elementary schools group learners in terms of a self-contained classroom. While it may seem extreme, all curriculum areas on each grade in the elementary school may be departmentalized. In some ways, departmentalization harmonizes more with a separate subjects curriculum as compared to the self-contained classroom approach in grouping pupils for instruction. The controversy continues over homogeneous versus heterogeneous grouping of pupils for instruction in the language arts--each system has advantages. An open-ended approach to grouping pupils is to use learning centers. A dual progress plan in grouping pupils for instruction is generally implemented on the intermediate-grade level. The team teaching approach emphasizes that two or more teachers plan together the objectives, learning activities to achieve these ends, and the evaluation procedures to ascertain how much pupils have learned. Some educators advocate having pupils of different age levels taught in a single classroom. Mainstreaming of pupils has made for an increased amount of heterogeneous grouping of pupils in the United States. Teachers, administrators, and parents need to have an open mind in terms of how learners should be grouped so that each pupil can attain as much as possible in the school curriculum. (RS) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY r- ic U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office c Educahonat Research and Improvement Marlow Ediger 1994 EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES )4This document non bean reproduced as INFORMATION CENTER IERIel received Porn the person or ORNiniTahon oripinahnp it GROUPING PUPILS FOR LANGUAGE ARTS INSTRUCTION Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction Quality Pants 01 stew or op.mons stated intros CIOSU. leant do nal necessonlv represent oncost OEM position or policy A major task involved in teaching pupils is to group wisely for instruction. Means of grouping pupils should reveal respect and acceptance of each learner. Learners need to be placed within a group in which optimal achievement is possible. Flexible grouping should be in the offing whereby pupils can get to know and appreciate learners formal approaches which are outdated from diverse backgrounds. Rigid, in grouping pupils for instruction should be avoided. Teachers and principal need to study and apprise diverse means of grouping pupils, for Ultimately, the best grouping procedures should be used in learning. skills, which pupils achieve a swell as possible in knowledge, and attitudes. The Self Contained Language Arts Classroom Most elementary schools group learners in terms of being in a self contained classroom. Thus the teacher teaches a single set of pupils in a classroom fax most of the school day, except for music, art, and physical education. The teacher has numerous opportunities to get to know pupils well in a self- contained classroom. Thus the teacher should be able to provide for diversities among learners so that each may achieve as much as possible. Teachers here should also be able to provide for different learning styles of pupils. I believe that teachers in the self- contained classroom can plan objectives, learning opportunities, and evaluation procedures well due to observing the same set of pupils frequently in the classroom setting. There are ample opportunities then to understand each pupil so that he/she might learn as too, can get to develop selected expectancies much as possible. Pupils, of teachers due to seeing them teach each sequential day of teaching. I feel that pupils develop feelings of security when they know what to expect of teachers. Should there be a conflict which hinders a pupil to benefit from a teacher's instruction, he/she could be transferred to another classroom and teacher. Further advantages of the self- tgli rwsisu 2 contained classroom include the following: 1. the language arts teacher can relate subject matter from different curriculum areas effectively. the teacher may use knowledge acquired from each pupil to 2. more adequately provide for individual differences in language arts among learners. 3. the teacher might communicate with parents more effectively by knowing more about each peeere end child due to the self- contained classroom. Departmentalization and the Pupil One may departmentalize all curriculum areas on each grade in the elementary school. This would seem rather extreme, especially on the primary grade levels where the self- contained classroom holds sway. For selected educators, to departmentalize completely on the intermediate grade levels would be equally severe. However, Intermediate grade children are older as compared to primary grade pupils and can must more so to complete or modified modified departmentalization is departmentalization. Generally, emphasized on the intermediate grade levels. Thus a teacher may teach in departmentalization. Or, reading might be taught language arts only, by a single teacher to several classes of pupils. With the teacher may specialize in teething one departmentalization, Here, the teacher might truly develop proficiency in academic area only. knowledge and skills of teaching one curriculum area only. I have observed numerous teachers teach two curriculum areas only, such as language arts and science which is then a modified approach in a departmentalized elementary school. These teachers appear to fee! more proficient in teaching when they can concentrate on teaching two curriculum areas only, as compared to the entire gamut of courses that a self contained classroom my emphasize. There are disadvantages in a departmentalized plan of instruction in that a teacher may not be able to assist pupils to perceive relationship of subject matter taught as compared to the self contained classrolm. 3 However, I have talked to departmentalized teachers who plan together with teachers of other academic areas in relating content. These teachers appear to feel that departmentalization in grouping of pupils does not necessarily make for a separate subjects curriculum. Thus a language arts teacher here can work with other teachers to emphasize relationship of subject matter taught. These teachers do feel that a little but the inconvenience is involved in planning with other teachers, consensus is that classroom teachers should always have opportunities to work together in planning the objectives, learning opportunities, and evaluation procedures. I believe that departmentalization harmonizes more In some ways, with a separate subjects curriculum as compared to the self contained If teachers and classroom approach in grouping pupils for instruction. administrators do want more of integration of content in the curriculum, teachers in a departmentalized plan of instruction must work cooperatively with others to make this come about. Perhaps a moaned plan can help such as one teacher teaching both language arts and science and a second teacher teaching both mathematics and the social studies to different classes of intermediate wade pupils. The modified plan would assist pupils to become oriented to a strict departmentalized procedure when entering the senior high school years. The sequence could be quite abrupt when a pupil has experienced a self contained classroom only and then the next school year experiences a strict departmentalized plan of grouping for instruction. A more gradual sequence would be recommendable. Homogeneous versus Heterogeneous Grouping Controversy There is continuous controversy over homogeneous versus heterogeneous grouping of pupils for instruction in the language arts. Homogeneous grouping emphasizes a uniform group of achievers being taught in a single classroom. Here, the principal and teachers determine how best to arrange pupils in a given grade so that similar attainment levels of pupils are taught in one room. A wide range of achievement is not wanted in homogeneous grouping. The belief emphasized in homogeneous fouping is that pupils of simile. achievement can best learn from each other. Learners might then challenge each other more so if the attainment levels are equivalent in a classroom. learners are of mixed achievement With heterogeneous grouping, levels in a classroom The fast, average, and slow are placed in the same room. There are numerous reasons for doing so according to its advocates. Democracy is more in evidence here as compared to Learners also need to work together with each homogeneous grouping. other regardless of ability levels. I believe there should be both When grouping learners for homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping. I definitely believe that pupils should be grouped reacting instruction, homogeneously. Why? For example, when teaching directed reading and pupils are reading orally `o reveal word identification strengths and weaknesses, pupils should be somewhat uniform in reading attainment. If not, the fast learners will become restless in listening to slow learners read and slow learners might become embarrassed when fast readers listen to the many problems revealed in oral reading. The problems become even more pronounced in silent reading when the teacher in a mixed achievement level group has pupils read for a definite purpose. The fast readers finish quickly whereas the slow readers take much more time to complete the same reading activity. The teacher here may become ill at ease if the fast readers need to wait for what seems like a long time to have the slow learners complete the same reading selection. At other times, I would recommend heterogeneous grouping such as when pupils view an audio- visual activity in an ongoing unit of study. After the presentation, all pupils in a mixed achievement level classroom can benefit from ciscussing its contents. I believe that one should not become dogmatic on emphasizing one approach only, such as selected educators are doing today in favoring heterogeneous grouping only. These educators quote that research states pupils achieve at a higher rate in heterogeneous grouping as compared to homogeneous grouping. slow learners learn better in heterogeneous grouping Generally , settings. Frequently, advocates of heterogeneous grouping look only at 5 L Mown learners and their higher achievement in heterogenecali grouping. They have one role for the fast learner only and that is to assist the slow learner. There are times when this should be a goal. However, the fast learner needs to have a challenging curriculum of his/her own with proper scope and sequence. As an elementary pupil, I was asked day after day to pronounce words to pupils in silent reading who raised their hands for assistance. At that time, i also wanted time to achieve personal goals in school. There certainly were times when I liked helping others who had difficulties in reading. I believe the dilemma can be resolved between heterogeneous versus homogeneous grouping with looking at what assists a child to achieve optimally. Which plan of grouping pupils for instruction then assists each to learn as much as possible on an individual basis? The heterogeneous versus homogeneous controversy then might be summarized in terms of advantages for each plan of grouping pupils for instruction. Thus the former emphasizes mixed achievement levels of pupils in .xte classroom. 1. pupils of diverse abilities learning from each other. 2. learners working more like the social environment emphasizes 3. in that people of different attainment levels interact with each other. cooperative learning goes along with heterogeneous usually, 4.. grouping advocates in that pupils of diverse ability levels work together on a project. the composition of heterogeneous groups should change, 5. making for flexibility. Homogeneous grouping advocate's believe the following: pupils who possess more of homogeneous characteristics can 1. do a better job of challenging each other. the teacher can do a better job of providing for individual 2. differences in a homogeneous grouping setting. 3. each pupil can do more of hisfher fair share of the work when committee endeavors are emphasized. less looking down upon slow learners should be in evidence 4. When pupils are quite similar in achievement within a classroelft, there can be numerous opportunities to stress heterogeneous 5. grouping when pupils are in physical education, and music classes. art, Learning Centers An open ended approach to grouping pupils for instruction is to use learning centers. The teacher can develop each center and tasks therefore or teacher- pupil planning might be emphasized to develop the language arts tasks for each center. The latter approach may take considerable time to implement but is well worth the time to do so. Being able to plan is so vital for each pupil to do and do well. There needs to be ample input from learners viten teacher- pupil is used to develop the curriculum. The former approach in which the teacher develops all the tasks for the diverse centers can be quite open ended if there are more tasks available for learners to select sequentially than what can be completed. Thus learners individually may work on sequential tasks of their very own choosing and omit those not possessing perceived If tasks do not meet personal needs of individual pupils, the purpose. latter can talk to the teacher and negotiate more worthwhile language arts activities from the pupils' point of view. Humanism is inherent as a psychology when learners individually select their own preferred tasks to complete. Humanists are strong believers in guiding the pupil to make choices and decisions in the curriculum. Sequence here resides within the pupil and not within textbooks nor the teacher. The pupil is the focal point of instruction. Thus the pupil needs to be heavily involved in choosing the objectives of learning opportunities to attain the objectives also must be instruction, and evaluation procedures whereby the learner pupil centered, appraised the self needs to be in evidence. A humane curriculum should thus be an end result. Pupils may select tasks that harmonize with their very own individual levels of attainment. They may choose activities that are worked on individually or activities may be chosen which emphasize committee endeavors. The choice is for the pupil to make. The problems of homogeneous versus heterogeneous grouping have been gently minimized when using a learning centers philosophy in teaching learners. When pupils choose sequential tasks, they may work on an activity individually. Thus it does not matter if the learners are somewhat uniform in achievement or mixed achievement levels are in evidence in the classroom. When a pupil chooses committee work as a task, then homogeneous or heterogeneous grouping may be in evidence. Perhaps, the teacher can guide pupils here to work with learners from both categories. The teacher encourages, stimulates, and motivates learners to achieve optimally in a learning centers approach in teaching pupils. 4 The Dual Progress Plan The dual progress plan in grouping pupils for instruction is generally implemented on the intermedate grade level. The curriculum areas of mathematics and science are taught as being ungraded. there Pupils indvidually, however, achieve as are no grade levels here. much as possible. There are separate teachers for mathematics and for science, resulting in departmentalization. Those who wish to teach a separate academic discipline in the elementary school in mathematics and in science may do so. Teachers might also teach English and the social studies as an integrated classroom. There are homeroom responsibilities here for the teacher in teaching English and social studies. Guidance and counseling of pupils may be stressed during homeroom time. Teachers who teach both social studies and English emphasize the graded concept here. Thus there are definite grade ;reel standards for pupils to attain in social etudes and English. The social studie English teacher is in a modified self- contained classroom with two curriculum areas only, that need to be taught by one person. Team teaching could be emphasized here in the dual progress plan. It could also be stressed in homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping. Team Teaching and Grouping Pupils for Instruction The team approach in teaching learners emphasizes that two or more teachers plan together the objectives. learning activities to achieve these ends, and the evaluation procedures to ascertain how Notice the teachers must plan instructional much pupils have learned. strategy cooperatively, not individually. With cooperative planning, participants may think critically about ideas presented from team members. The best possible procedure presented should be used in teaching pupils. More than one mind is better than a single mind in preparing for teaching. There are three levels of teaching using a team approach. Large group instruction is one level. After planning for teaching. one team member may teach pupils in large group instruction. How many pupils are there in large group instruction? If two elementary school classrooms are joined together, there might be filly pupa from the two If three classrooms are joined rooms. together for large group instruction, there might be seventy- five learners from the three rooms. Could a team approach be used in large group instruction? The answer is in the affirmative. What is salient m large group instruction is that the can do a good job of motivating pupils. Thus audio- teacher/ teachers visual aids that engage pupils in learning should be used in large group instruction. Teachers not involved in direct teaching in large group instruction may assist in monitoring learner progress. The second level of team teaching is to assist pupils in small group endeavors. Within the small group, teachers guide pupils to deify and discuss what was presented in large group instruction. Teachers here should use a variety of materials such as audio- visual and printed content such as in textbooks and tradebooks to assist each pupil to attain as optimally as In small group endeavors, pupils will ask possible. questions and identify problem areas. The teacher needs to guide pupils to relevant information. locate A third level of team teaching is to emphasize individual study. pursue or Each pupil will have a topic too an area of interest to develop within the framework of individualized study. The leaner identifies a problem or wishes to pursue a task of personal interest. These kinds of learning activities can be planned by the pupil and teacher. There must Planning needs to accrue to achieve be a purpose in doing the project. th purpose or goal. Next, the pupil needs to follow through with the work involved to attain the purpose. criteria should be developed Ultimately, to appraise the completed project. There should be heavy involvement by the pupil in working on the project method. Individual study goals must grow out of the large group session as well as from the small group work stressed. There is a definite relationship. among large and small group instruction as well as of the individual endeavors emphasized in the language arts. There can be an interdisciplinary team as well as team members emphasizing a separate academic area domain. The former would be more typical of elementary school teachers in which the concept of the self contained classroom has been stressed in teacher education training at a college or university. Thus most elementary school teachers have not majored in a single academic area such as English, but they have experienced a general education curriculum plus professional course work and student teaching in becoming a licensed teacher. U an elementary teacher was educated at a collegeluniversity school of education with a double major such as English and elementary education, then a team of teachers with similar training may teach in a departmentalized classroom. An interdisciplinary English only, team also could comprise of team members having majors in English/elementary education; and historylelementary education; biology/elementary education. These teachers would then plan the learning activities, and evaluation procedures for teaching a objectives, given set of learns in large and small groups as well as in individual work. Relationship of dyerse academic disciplines might the be in evidence. In team teaching, a leader of the team may be appointed and receive additional salary for beim.; the designated leader. Team teaching has also be emphasized in which there is no designated leader, but leadership emerges within each planning session. 10