ability grouping in education

Discusses why alternatives to tracking and ability grouping are necessary and examines promising research on untracked schools.

Offers a definition of differentiated instruction, and provides principles and strategies designed to help teachers create learning environments that address the different learning styles, interests, and readiness levels found in a typical mixed-ability classroom.

Discusses the potential benefits of detracking, including raising achievement and narrowing the achievement gap, and offers advice on using the system in schools.

Presents alternate strategies for teachers and administrators for creating a multiage grouping program whereby students who are more than one year apart are grouped together in the classroom and gives a brief history of the movement along with theories on its social and cognitive effects.

Contains tools and strategies to help elementary school teachers and administrators incorporate differentiated teaching in the classrooms with activities for Language Arts, math, science, and social studies. Includes a CD with forty-eight customizable files.

Describes a range of classroom-tested activities and strategies designed to help middle and high school teachers meet the needs of a diverse student population.

Provides instructions, reproducible pages, and teaching tips for multi-level activities which are appropriate for second through eighth grade classrooms and span the curriculum.

Presents an introduction to differentiated instruction, a systematic approach to planning curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of academically diverse learners, and features annotated lesson plans for differentiated units in a variety of curriculum areas, geared toward students in the middle grades.