Secondary school teachers’ attitudes towards and beliefs about ability grouping



Table 5

Percentages (and number) of responses to statements relating to effects of ability
grouping on teaching

Statements

Type of ability
grouping

Strongly
agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly
disagree

Setting leads to teachers

MA school

7.1 (36)

34.6 (175)

19.6 (99)

29.1 (147)

8.9 (45)

ignoring the fact that a class

PS school

4 (20)

24.2 (122)

15 (76)

40.8 (206)

14.9 (75)

always contains a range of
abilities

Set school

2 (12)

24.8 (151)

14.1 86)

42.1 (256)

16 (97)

Total

4.2 (68)

27.7 (448)

16.1 (261)

37.6 (609)

13.4 (217)

x2= 61.61, df = 8,
p = .0001

MA school

9.5 (48)

29.2 (148)

24.7 (125)

28.1 (142)

7.3 (37)

Only very good teachers

PS school

10.7 (54)

29.3 (148)

23 (116)

26.7 (135)

8.7 (44)

can teach mixed ability
classes successfully

Set school

8.1 (49)

31.9 (194)

24.7 (150)

27.3 (166)

6.7 (41)

NS

Total

9.3 (151)

30.3 (490)

24.2 (391)

27.4 (443)

7.5 (122)

Teaching is easier for the

MA school

10.9 (55)

42.9 (217)

19.2 (97)

21.9 (111)

4.7 (24)

teacher when classes are set

PS school

15.8 (80)

46.3 (234)

17.4 (88)

15.4 (78)

3.8 (19)

Set school

11.3 (69)

47.7 (290)

18.6 (113)

18.6 (113)

3.3 (20)

Total

12.6 (204)

45.8 (741)

18.4 (298)

18.7 (302)

3.9 (63)

x2 = 15.78, df = 8,
p = .046

In mixed ability classes

MA school

3 (15)

42.5 (215)

14.6 (74)

34.2 (173)

5.5 (28)

teachers tend to teach to the

PS school

4.8 (24)

51.3 (259)

16 (81)

22.8 (115)

3.4 (17)

average child

Set school

2.6 (16)

51.2 (311)

18.9 (115)

23.5 (143)

2.8 (17)

Total

3.4 (55)

48.5 (785)

16.7 (270)

26.6 (431)

3.8 (62)

x2 = 34.84, df = 8,
p = .0001

Setting makes classroom

MA school

6.9 (35)

48.4 (245)

22.1 (112)

18.2 (92)

3.6 (18)

management easier

PS school

13.9 (70)

52.1 (263)

15.4 (78)

14.9 (75)

2.2 (11)

Set school

12 (73)

51.2 (311)

14.6 (89)

18.9 (115)

2.3 (14)

Total

11 (178)

50.6 (819)

17.2 (279)

17.4 (282)

2.7 (43)

x2= 29.02, df = 8,
p = .0001

Setting enables pupils’

MA school

15.2 (77)

41.1 (208)

15.8 (80)

23.3 (118)

4 (20)

curriculum needs to be
better matched

PS school

Set school

25.1 (127)

47.3 (239)

(14.9) 75

8.7 (44)

2.4 (12)

22 (134)

53.5 (325)

16.3 (99)

6.6 (40)

1.3 (8)

Total

20.9 (338)

47.7 (772)

15.7 (254)

12.5 (202)

2.5 (40)

x2 = 100.73, df = 8,
p = .0001

30



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