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made of teaching assistants (TAs), increasing the frequency of child-adult interaction,
though children may become unduly dependent on their support. The concept of one
teacher being wholly responsible for the education of one class has gradually been
replaced by more emphasis on specialist teaching, especially for older primary children.
At the same time there has also been a slight increase in numbers attending private
school, where the pupil-teacher ratio tends to be much better than in state schools.
Although the majority of teachers welcome moves to reduce class sizes, the restriction on
numbers has led some parents to complain that it has worsened the problems they have
experienced of trying to get places for their children in popular, over-subscribed schools.
Common sense suggests that smaller classes must inevitably lead to higher standards
and greater pupil achievement because teachers have more time to spend with each
individual child. However, other factors impact upon attainment, including pupils
academic ability, level of motivation for the subject and availability of adult assistance
and resources. The clearest evidence of positive effects of smaller class size is found
among infant children; reducing class size can be especially helpful for disadvantaged
and minority ethnic pupils.
The positive effects of small classes diminish if teachers persist in using instructional
methods and formal classroom procedures that are more suited to larger, whole-class
teaching styles. The greatest potential benefit to pupils in smaller classes is the quality of
teacher-pupil interaction, facilitated by the teacher s insights into the children s
educational and social needs. For new school entrants, a more favourable adult-child ratio
increases the likelihood that the children will adjust rapidly to the requirements and
routines associated with school.
There is some disagreement among educationists about the length of time that the
positive effects of smaller classes persist after pupils move to larger classes, but there is a
consensus about the fact that class size reduction for new entrants to school (aged 5
years) facilitates greater academic success. The impact of smaller classes for older
primary-age children (aged from 7 to 11 years) is less clear, though when class size drops
below twenty there appears to be a sharp accompanying improvement in attainment,
especially for less confident pupils.
Class size has implications for the type of teaching approach used by teachers
dealing with larger and with smaller classes. Smaller classes offer the chance of a more
relaxed classroom atmosphere, due in part to the individual attention that each pupil
receives, thereby reducing the frustrations in waiting for help from an adult. Furthermore,
in whole-class discussions and times when pupils are brought together, children are
statistically more likely to be chosen to answer questions and given greater opportunity to
contribute ideas than pupils of similar age in large classes. The smaller the class size, the
greater the chance that pupils receive a high proportion of educational resources.
Teachers are likely to spend more time in larger classes on non-teaching activities and
A-Z 31
have to deal with more complex issues regarding classroom management owing to the
logistics of coping with more pupils.
Larger class sizes do not necessarily disadvantage pupils but they make a teacher s life
more onerous owing to the heavier workload of marking and report writing. Teachers
dealing with larger numbers of children have to employ teaching and management
strategies that allow them to avoid an excessive workload. For example, they may make
greater use of pupil self-assessment (to reduce the extent of marking), more
straightforward homework tasks, employment of computer software in producing
reports, and collaborative learning. A study commissioned by the DfES in December
2004 (DfES 2004c) indicated that test results in mathematics, English and science were
not appreciably different for children in larger and smaller classes, though the demands
on teachers of large classes were considerably heavier.
Further reading
Blatchford, P. (2003) The Class Size Debate: Is smaller better? Maidenhead: Open University
Press.
DfES: www.ed.gov/pubs/ReducingClass/Classsize.html
Department for Education and Skills (2004c) The Effects of Class Size on Attainment and
Classroom Processes in English Primary Schools (Years 4 to 6) 2000 2003, Brief No. RB13
04, by P.Blatchford, P.Bassett, P.Brown, C.Martin and A.Russell, Institute of Education,
University of London.
Robinson, G.E. and Wittebols, J.H. (1986) Class size research: A related cluster analysis for
decision-making, Arlington, VA: Education Research Ser
CODE OF PRACTICE
The duties of schools and teachers are clearly laid out in the special educational needs
Code of Practice and the Special Needs and Disability Act (http://www.dfes.gov.uk/sen/).
The Code outlines the framework for identifying, assessing and making provision for [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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