STREAMING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: the benefits of grouping students by ability

Streaming in Schools: Grouping students according to their abilities

Streaming refers to the grouping of students by ability. Students within a certain ability range are grouped together as a class. The objective is to allow like students to move ahead at a pace which matches their abilities. I am a strong advocate for streaming in high schools. In my experience the results of streaming are more often beneficial than otherwise.

Within a streamed setting the teacher is able to set a pace for the class and maintain that pace. There is hardly any risk of leaving anyone behind. The class is challenged at a level gauged to be appropriate for the entire group.

The teacher can move ahead at a brisk pace with a group of twenty five bright students as they do not require much supervision and little or no individual attention. The converse is true for a class of slow students where a more reasonable number to work with would be ten to fifteen students if teaching is to be effective. At any rate the teacher is able to select a pace and move ahead with it.

In this setting students motivate each other because they possess similar abilities. They can move ahead at the same pace because there are no major disparities in ability within the stream. Students are able to grow in confidence and self esteem since no one is made to feel inferior or stupid among his/her peers. In fact, they offer each other friendly competition which is, in itself, motivational.

Lower ability students are easily demotivated in an unstreamed setting where their inabilities stand out in stark contrast to the abilities of the more gifted or even the average students. They may react in a number of ways such as withdrawal, rebellion, indiscipline and even truancy. Withdrawn students are easily overlooked and eventually left behind by the teacher. Rebellion and indiscipline obviously cause problems with authority which only exacerbates the situation. Inevitably, these students eventually drop out.

On the flip side of the coin, gifted students in an unstreamed setting are, likewise, at a disadvantage. Placed among low ability students for whom the pace has to be much slower than their own, they soon lose interest in what is happening in the classroom and seek alternative means of engaging themselves. They may manifest their loss of interest through disruptive behaviour, a careless attitude towards work or rebelliousness.

The fact is that they are grossly under -challenged so they react. They want to move ahead, instead they are forced to stand still or perhaps even go back to match the pace of the less able students in the class who would probably need twice as much time to complete tasks.

In capsule, a streamed class is like a moving train. The conductor is the teacher; the passengers are the students and they are going somewhere together. The unstreamed class is like a group out on a hike. The more fit among the group quickly take the lead only to discover that they must either stop to wait on their lagging companions or go back to meet them. Eventually they may lose enthusiasm for the hike. Likewise, the less able hikers may become frustrated as a result of their inability to keep up and opt out altogether. Clearly both groups are at a disadvantage in this setting.

Undoubtedly, streaming has many benefits for the gifted as well as the challenged student. Grouped with children of similar abilities, students are able to assist, encourage and motivate each other. They feel a sense of belonging since they are learning in an environment in which they feel unthreatened and therefore, comfortable. I am 100% for streaming.