How can we engage all primary school students in rich mathematical learning, support them to make connections, and develop their mathematical language and reasoning? In this article, we draw on one school's experience in considering an approach to mathematics instruction that could support teachers in addressing this question, specifically…

This paper examines the mathematical experiences of students with additional and diverse needs in multi-year classes within the educational context of small regional South Australian (SA) schools. Qualitative research methods were used to collect data about how students communicate their mathematical thinking. Opportunities for students to…

Multi-grade primary classroom contexts provide opportunities to address the different needs of diverse learners through differentiating instruction. This mixed-methods study is a smaller component of a larger study undertaken in Australia, with other elements reported elsewhere. The study used ecobehavioural assessment to examine the relationships…

In this study, teachers from primary schools in a rural district of New South Wales were surveyed about their views on non-compliant behaviour, its frequency in the classroom and its effect on classroom management. Teachers generally agreed on definitions of moderate to serious non-compliant behaviours but some teachers rated minor non-compliant…

This longitudinal quantitative study compared literacy achievement of students from second through sixth grade based on two organizational systems: graded (traditional) and nongraded (multiage) classrooms. The California Standards Test (CST) scaled and proficiency scores for English-Language Arts (ELA) were used as the study's independent variable…

Postdevelopmental perspectives in early childhood education and care increasingly reference alternative ways of understanding learning, growth and development in early learning. Drawing on these ideas, this paper examines research findings which focused on early childhood teachers' understandings of multiage grouping. The findings suggested that…

On the basis of a comprehensive best-evidence synthesis of the literature on the effects of multigrade and multi-age classes, Veenman (1995) concluded that there were no significant differences between multigrade and single-grade classes in cognitive or achievement effects. Subsequently, Mason and Burns (1996) challenged Veenman's conclusion,…

Parents of children in a large primary school in New South Wales were asked questions related to their attitudes towards and beliefs about composite (multigrade) classes. Parental concerns about composite classes are commonly reported as negative and this study confirmed this concern. Issues identified as causing concern for parents were a belief…

The article discusses the educational situation in Queensland and offers an alternative to the present open education plan. It suggests: that traditional education is appropriate for teaching basic skills, as in specific areas of mathematics where one level of mastery may depend on certain knowledge at a lower level; that curricula which are…

A final-year student teacher from the University of Southern Queensland (Australia) describes her student teaching experiences in a one-room school in the isolated town of Birdsville, focusing on the harsh natural environment, the demands of a multiage classroom, and positive attributes of the small school and community involvement. (SV)

A final-year student teacher from the University of Southern Queensland (Australia) describes her student teaching experiences at Gunpowder State School, an isolated one-room school in central Queensland, focusing on techniques for managing the multiage classroom and teacher-community relationships. (SV)

Research on classes that are mixed age by choice, not merely multigraded, has found positive effects on student achievement, mental health, social development, and liking for school. Multiage classes generally have more parent support, but teacher continuity is also necessary for success. Implications and challenges for Australia's rural schools…

In Australia, many teachers begin their careers in rural schools, a posting for which they are often ill-prepared. This book addresses the concerns of beginning teachers or other teachers about to take up rural appointments. The first chapter examines the context of rural schools, differentiates between "rural education" (education…

To enable teachers to become "transformative intellectuals" (Huckle, 1996), a critical form of educational inquiry that enables them to investigate their practice, is required (Robottom, 1987). Such an approach was used in developing assessment resources and materials "with" teachers, not "for" teachers. The important…

This book contains a compilation of papers presented at the International Conference on Education and New Developments (END 2017), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). Education, in our contemporary world, is a right since we are born. Every experience has a formative effect on the constitution of the…