The manifestations of the practice of within-class homogeneous ability grouping
Abstract
This article casts the analytical spotlight on the practice of within-class
homogeneous (same) ability grouping where learners are placed in small groups for instruction
based on their perceived performances, reading levels and interest. Very few studies have
focused on within-class ability grouping, especially in a South African context, where this
homogeneous style within-class grouping is the dominant practice in Grade 1 classrooms,
despite literature’s cautions against its continuous use.This article aims to address the following questions: what are the manifestations of the
practice of within-class homogeneous ability grouping, and how does it account for learner
achievement levels in Grade 1 classrooms?.