Mixed Ability Grouping and Its Effects on Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Mixed ability grouping has been debated for many decades on its effects on teaching and learning. Students’ graduation results at the end of ninth grade in 2018 were not satisfactory in Azerbaijan and as one of the factors affecting teaching and learning, we decided to investigate teachers’ and students’ experiences with mixed ability grouping in local public schools. This study involved nine teachers and 16 students from three Baku public schools. Their responses were obtained via focus group discussions which were held online. The questions asked during these discussions mainly addressed to learn teachers’ and students’ challenges with mixed ability grouping and how they dealt with such problems. The results indicated that both teachers and students had experiences with students with diverse learning abilities and they both faced challenges with mixed ability grouping. Teachers’ major challenges were lack of motivation, shortage of time, and design of lesson plans, whereas students’ difficulties included conflicts among students, lack of time, student interruptions, and feeling of shyness. Various teaching strategies (e.g., group and pair work, use of a set of cards, role-plays, visuals, games) were employed by teachers to mitigate the adverse effects of mixed ability grouping while students mainly sought teachers’ and peers’ assistance in case of difficulties. Our policy suggestion is the implementation of ability grouping as a pilot project in several public schools to reach better student learning outcomes.