This paper reports ndings from the rst two years of a four-year longitudinal study into the ways that students' attitudes towards, and achievement in, mathematics are in uenced by ability-grouping practices in six schools. Through the use of questionnaires administered to the whole cohort of 943 students, interviews with 72 students and approximately 120 hours of classroom observation, the relative achievement in, and the changes in attitudes towards, mathematics are traced as the students move from year 8 to year 9, with students in four of the six schools moving from mixed-ability grouping to homogenous ability groups or 'sets'. Ability-grouping was associated with curriculum polarisation. This was enacted through restriction of opportunity to learn for students in lower sets, and students in top sets being required to learn at a pace which was, for many students, incompatible with understanding. The same teachers employed a more restricted range of teaching approaches with 'homogeneous ' groups than with mixed-ability groups which impacted upon the students' experiences in profound and largely negative ways. Almost all of the students interviewed from 'setted groups' were unhappy with their placement.

Improving participation rates in specialist mathematics after the subject ceases to be compulsory at age 16 is part of government policy in England. This article provides independent and recent support for earlier findings concerning reasons for non-participation, based on free response and closed items in a questionnaire with a sample of over 1500 students in 17 schools, close to the moment of choice. The analysis supports findings that perceived difficulty and lack of confidence are important reasons for students not continuing with mathematics, and that perceived dislike and boredom, and lack of relevance, are also factors. There is a close relationship between reasons for non-participation and predicted grade, and a weaker relation to gender. An analysis of the effects of schools, demonstrates that enjoyment is the main factor differentiating schools with high and low participation indices. Building on discussion of these findings, ways of improving participation are briefly suggested.

Purpose-This was a pilot project designed to assess the effect of individualized yoga treatment on eating disorder outcomes among adolescents receiving outpatient care for diagnosed eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified).Methods-50 girls and 4 boys, aged 11-21 years were randomized to an 8 week trial of standard care versus individualized yoga plus standard care. 27 were randomized to standard care and 26 to yoga plus standard care (attrition: n = 4). Standard care (every other week physician/dietician appointments) was required to meet ethical guidelines. The control group was offered yoga after study completion as an incentive to maintain participation. Outcomes evaluated at baseline, end of trial, and one month follow-up included: Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), Body Mass Index (BMI), Beck Depression Inventory, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Food Preoccupation questionnaire.Results-The yoga group demonstrated greater decreases in eating disordered symptoms. Specifically, the EDE scores decreased over time in the yoga group, while the control group showed some initial decline but then returned to baseline EDE levels at week 12. Food preoccupation was measured before and after each yoga session, and dropped significantly after all sessions. Both groups maintained current BMI levels and decreased in anxiety and depression over time.Individual Contributions: Dr. Carei designed the trial, wrote the study protocol, obtained institutional approval, implemented the protocol, completed statistical analysis, and contributed significantly to the authorship of this paper. Dr. Fyfe-Johnson implemented the study protocol, provided oversight of integrated treatments, oversaw data entry and coding, and contributed significantly to the authorship of this paper. Dr. Collette Breuner directed recruitment, facilitated institutional approval, oversaw ethical and research code compliance, and critically reviewed and edited this paper. Dr. Marshall provided oversight for study design and statistical methods, provided intellectual and academic feedback, and collaborated on the writing of this paper.Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access