Twin classroom dilemma: To study together or separately?

Abstract

There is little research to date on the academic implications of teaching twins in the same or different classroom. Consequently, it is not clear whether twin classroom separation is associated with positive or negative educational outcomes. As a result, parents and teachers have insufficient evidence to make a well-informed decision when twins start school. This study addresses two research questions: Are there average positive or negative effects of classroom separation? Are twins taught in different classes more different from each other than twins taught in the same class? Twin pairs from two large representative samples from Quebec (Canada) and the United Kingdom were evaluated across a large age range (7 to 16 years) on academic achievement, several cognitive abilities and motivational measures. Our results show almost no sizable positive or negative average effect of classroom separation on twins' achievement, cognitive ability and motivation. Twin pairs at age 12 (Quebec, Canada) and at age 16 (United Kingdom) were slightly more similar on achievement if placed in the same classroom, with slightly greater similarity among monozygotic twins than dizygotic twins. However, the few effects found were weak, and it remains unclear whether they result from classroom separation or other factors. These results suggest that in terms of educational outcomes, policymakers should not impose rigid guidelines to separate twin pairs during their education. The choice of whether to educate twin pairs together or separately should be up to parents, twins and teachers, in response to twins' individual needs. (PsycINFO Database Record

Identical Genes, Unique Environments: A Qualitative Exploration of Persistent Monozygotic-Twin Discordance in Literacy and Numeracy

“…We endorse this "hands off " policy but emphasize that teachers, administrators and parents need to keep each case under review, particularly in the early years, as the twins themselves may not react in the ways anticipated. It may be comforting to know, however, that available research on academic effects of separation indicates that there are no significant, systemic effects on academic outcomes of separating vs. keeping twins together (White et al, 2018).…”

Twins Switched at Birth: Frequency, Life Histories, Twin Relationships, and Critical Issues/Twin Research Reviews: Classroom Placement; Mirror Syndrome; Unusual Twinning; Parenting Stress/Human Interest: Triplet Film; Educational Achievement; Prison Release; Co-Twin Impersonation; Facial Recognition Technology

“…A recent study by White et al (2018) has examined the effects of twins’ classroom placement on achievement, ability, and motivation. Samples included twins from Canada (ages 7–12 years) and England (ages 7–14 years), organized according to whether they were in the same classroom or separate classrooms.…”

The genetic and environmental effects on school grades in late childhood and adolescence

“…However, by age 12 these differences were not significant anymore, implying that there are not long-lasting effects of classroom separation. Contrarily, White et al found small effects of classroom separation on school achievement at age 12 and 16, while no differences between separated and non-separated twins were found at ages 7 to 10 [38].…”