This paper presents the results of a research project whose main purpose is to analyse the concept of multigrade teaching resources and the teaching materials used by teachers in rural schools, in particular the role of textbooks. The use and dimensions of teaching materials are studied in order to promote inclusion and learning in multigrade…

This monograph reviews literature on school and class size for its relevance to the concerns of CREATE [Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity]. It estimates the numbers of small schools and numbers of children learning in small schools worldwide. It assesses the implications of school size, large and small, for…

Examination of interviews and surveys provides an overview of the problems and needs of rural school teachers in multigrade classrooms. A review of research and teacher reports in the U.S. and other countries compares instructional methods in multigrade and single grade classrooms. Implications for teacher preparation, classroom organization, and…

Multiage/multiability grouping is when more than one grade level of students is grouped in a classroom. This report summarizes the research on multiage/multiability grouping in the primary grades. The paper, which is intended for use in Kentucky's educational system, focuses on quantitatively based comparative research syntheses. The text…

Contains contributions from five educators concerning the following topics: (1) the "Super Sounder" system of presenting phonics instruction to beginning readers, (2) teaching vocabulary in a multigrade classroom, (3) language experience and basal readers, (4) pacing as a key to successful drill work, and (5) creative ways to encourage reading.…

Describes how principals assign teachers and students to single-grade and combination classes. Presents research showing unexpected constraints that fundamentally changed the basis of class assignment and, consequently, the nature of classroom compositions. A case is made that multitrack calendars reduce principals' flexibility to make purposive…

Summarizes evidence from experimental research, ethnology, anthropology, and history about merits of multiage classrooms. Indicates studies show no consistent benefits of age segregation and some affective and social advantages from multiage grouping. Concludes that multiage and multigrade classrooms are socially and psychologically healthy…

In multigrade instruction, children of at least a 2-year grade span and diverse ability levels are grouped in a single classroom and share experiences involving intellectual, academic, and social skills. "The Multigrade Classroom" is a seven-book series that provides an overview of current research on multigrade instruction, identifies key issues…

A review of 21 quantitative studies of students in grades K-6 indicates that there are no significant differences in overall student achievement between multigrade and single-grade classrooms, while multigrade students strongly outperform single-grade students on measures of affect, attitudes, and social relationships. Contains 23 references. (SV)

Small, sometimes multi-cultural, rural schools need specialized preservice teacher education programs to prepare teachers. After outlining the classroom, school, and sociocultural characteristics affecting a teacher's success and survival in a rural community, this paper discusses the apparent lack of rural content in teacher preparation programs…

Using results of a best-evidence synthesis and a meta-analysis of an extensive international database, it is argued that there is no empirical evidence at the moment showing that student learning suffers in combination classes. No support is found for the selection bias suggested by D. Mason and R. Burns (1997). (SLD)

S. Veenman argues that his reviews of the literature lead to the conclusion that combination classes are neither worse nor better than single-grade classes. This rejoinder discusses disagreements with Veenman's findings, which are hampered by a narrow reading and interpretation of the literature on potential positive effects of combination…

In multigrade instruction, children of at least a 2-year grade span and diverse ability levels are grouped in a single classroom and share experiences involving intellectual, academic, and social skills. "The Multigrade Classroom" is a seven-book series that provides an overview of current research on multigrade instruction, identifies…

Research on combination classes, in which students from two or more grades are placed with one teacher for most or all of the school day, is reviewed. Consistent research findings are that combination classes, distinguished from multiage/nongraded classes, have at least a small negative effect on student achievement. (SLD)

To be financially viable, Catholic elementary schools with enrollments of under 100 students need to recognize their smallness and seek structures and methods appropriate to their size. This book addresses the needs of very small schools with current or potential multigrade classrooms, and describes organizational and instructional approaches…