1. Ally Clark EDU 671 Dr. Kirgan EFFECTIVENESS OF ABILITY GROUPING

2.  Purpose:  this study is to describe the effects of grouping students by achievement levels.  This study takes a special interest in the students in the third grade classroom. AREA OF FOCUS

3. This study is based on evaluations of students who are grouped based on their academic ability such as:  Green- Highest achieving  Yellow- Middle High  Blue- Middle Low  Red- Lowest achieving Negative implications include:  Social impact  Students do not want to be seen differently by their peers  There is a level of awareness EXPLANATION OF PROBLEM

4.  Defined Factors:  Length of study and school year, student involvement  Contexts: this study has taken into account the inclusion factor and the ability of the intervention specialist  Home Life and attendance  Previous academic success/failure  Development of classroom relationship  Approval VARIABLES

5.  What style of grouping is most beneficial to the teachers and students alike  Do the benefits outweigh the negative implications?  What style of grouping would I be most comfortable using in my classroom year-round? RESEARCH QUESTIONS

6.  Subject is well within reach  Attainable goals have been set  Study can be preformed in one classroom  Timeframe is achievable LOCUS OF CONTROL

7.  My goal is to define which style of grouping is the most effective for the teachers and students; and has the least number of negative implications.  To my knowledge there is random grouping, gender grouping, grouping based on achievement, interest grouping, task grouping, student choice grouping and strategy grouping (Shalaway). INTERVENTION/INNOVATION

8.  The participants in this study are  the students in the 3 rd grade classrooms here at Carrollton Elementary  3 rd grade teachers  Intervention specialists  parents  The importance of all of these roles is that everyone forms a team and support system for the success of the system GROUP MEMBERSHIP

9.  The parents of the students involved in the study are informed and asked to sign a consent form to allow the information gathered to be used anonymously.  The child’s identity will not be shared with others  Some parents may not allow their children to have their results presented in the final stage of the study NEGOTIATIONS

10.  The main focus is that the anonymity of the students is protected.  In the beginning of the study all students will be assigned a number only for the purpose of tracking the results that will be presented in the final phase of the study.  Benefits outweigh any negative implications  Variety keeps stagnation at bay ETHICS

11.  Depending approval there are a few forms that this study can take on  Short form  6 weeks  Medium form  Half of the school year  Lengthy form  Entire school year TIMELINE

12.  All that is required for this study is:  Teacher  Participants  Pre and post tests  Spreadsheets to display and track data STATEMENT OF RESOURCES

13. Research Questions Data Source 1 Data Source 2 Data Source 3 Why this tool? Timeframe How are the students broken down into groups and subgroups? interviewsMost effective for extraction. Beginning of Year- week 1 How often are students moved within the groups/ or are they ever moved and why? InterviewObservationClassroom involvemen t Decision based upon length of study approved DATA COLLECTION

14. Have the students improved because of the strategic placement based on ability? InterviewObservationPre and Post testing Quantitativ e measurem ent is necessary Based on length of study approved DATA COLLECTION… CONTINUED

15.  Burke, M. A., & Sass, T. R. (2011, July 1). Classroom Peer Effects and Student Achievement... Retrieved April 7, 2014, from 3. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/eds/detail?vid=4&sid=633541e2-4ba5-4f6e-b8a8- 3bf362287f84%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db= f5h&AN=74443152http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/eds/detail?vid=4&sid=633541e2-4ba5-4f6e-b8a8- 3bf362287f84%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db= f5h&AN=74443152  Current Trends in Education. (n.d.). Current Trends in Education. Retrieved, from http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/ http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/  Lowdermilk, K. Personal Interview. 2014  Mills, G. E. (2014). Action Research: A Guide for Teacher Researchers (5 th ). Boston: Pearson Educational, Inc.  Shalaway, L. (2005, January 1). Organizing Small Groups: Do You Know All the Options.. Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/organizing- small-groups-do-you-know-all-optionshttp://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/organizing- small-groups-do-you-know-all-options  Wright, J. (2014, January 1). Wright Psych- School Psychology and Special Education Information.. Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://www.wrightpsych.com/popular- topics/leveled-classrooms REFERENCES