Cognitive and Noncognitive Effects of Multigrade and Multi-Age Classes: A Best-Evidence Synthesis

An empirical model of mixed-age teaching

“…Although multi-grade classes are seen by many as inferior to single-grade classes, student achievements and social skills are comparable in both types of classes (Gutié rrez & Slavin, 1992;Hattie, 2002;Kuhl et al, 2013;Pratt, 1986;Quail & Smyth, 2014;Veenman, 1995). In their research, Ong, Allison, and Haladyna (2000) reported better results for grade 3 students in multi-grade classrooms for reading, writing and mathematics than for those in singlegrade classes.…”

The Promise of Multiage Grouping

“…The Netherlands, Finland, Portugal, and Western Australia have multiage groupings in more than half their classrooms, and Switzerland, Germany, England, Wales, Austria, and many Asian and Pacific countries make some use of these types of programs. In Canada, one in seven classrooms are multiage (Veenman 1995).…”

Bhutanese stakeholders’ perceptions about multi-grade teaching as a strategy for achieving quality universal primary education

“…The fact that teachers were evenly positive and negative and that parents held opinions either way again indicates the ambivalence there is in Bhutan about multi-grade. The fact that there is conflicting opinion and claims about evidence in Bhutan mirrors that in the literature (see Veenman, 1995aVeenman, , 1995bMason and Burns, 1996). That some of the stakeholders had a negative perception about multi-grade teaching is critical because, as Beukes (2006, p. 165) says: ''For children to learn effectively in multi-grade environments teachers need to be well trained, well organized and well resourced, as well as to hold positive attitudes toward multi-grade teaching''.…”