Class size and it’s affects depend on several variables. The students temperament and executive functions are primary but little research has been done on this question. Since most schools randomly sort enrolling students there is no behavior/learning screening which leads to uneven distribution of challenging pupils. In one of my studies of 1100 preK students, we screened after the sort by birthday and gender(which is a random effect)and found for class size of 25 the spread of more difficult students per class was 6 to 15.
Would you like to teach a class with 6 challenges or 15 out of 25? In another study of high, mid and low testing kindergarten class rooms executive function testing showed a difference from a third of high testing classes showed greater than a std dev at risk to over two thirds of the low testing classes. The students capabilities certainly dictate need for differentiation of class size.
That’s fair, and I think NYC special ed policies and procedures already take that into account, as students identified as having particular learning needs are commonly placed in ICT classrooms with two head teachers (one general educator, one special educator). Which brings me back to ratios. Before I change my mind I need to see compelling evidence that supports the superiority of absolute class size reductions over ratio reductions.
Agree…. still won’t chance my arm in that WhatsApp group, though. 👀
Lolllll wise
Class size and it’s affects depend on several variables. The students temperament and executive functions are primary but little research has been done on this question. Since most schools randomly sort enrolling students there is no behavior/learning screening which leads to uneven distribution of challenging pupils. In one of my studies of 1100 preK students, we screened after the sort by birthday and gender(which is a random effect)and found for class size of 25 the spread of more difficult students per class was 6 to 15.
Would you like to teach a class with 6 challenges or 15 out of 25? In another study of high, mid and low testing kindergarten class rooms executive function testing showed a difference from a third of high testing classes showed greater than a std dev at risk to over two thirds of the low testing classes. The students capabilities certainly dictate need for differentiation of class size.
That’s fair, and I think NYC special ed policies and procedures already take that into account, as students identified as having particular learning needs are commonly placed in ICT classrooms with two head teachers (one general educator, one special educator). Which brings me back to ratios. Before I change my mind I need to see compelling evidence that supports the superiority of absolute class size reductions over ratio reductions.
It depends. My take is class size depends on student capabilities with larger size with most capable and smaller with lesser. My
studies excluded special ed.