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‘Marks. Set. Go?’: Pupils’ perspectives on ability groupings in relation to academic self-concept and self-efficacy.

Laura Shaw

(PGCE Primary, 2013-2014)

Emai address: laura.shaw@cantab.net

Abstract

Children’s academic self-concept and self-efficacy are key precursors for positive motivational and performance traits to develop, but in what way are these characteristics affected by the implementation of ability groupings in schools? Placed within a varied background of established research and literature, this research seeks to gain insight into pupils’ perspectives on ability groupings with reference to their identify as a learner, their motivation to learn and their understanding of the practice in itself. The mixed-method research design adopted across a sample of Year 3 and Year 6 children indicated that children across the sample understood the premise of ability grouping, but that it was perceived to prioritise the needs of children in lower achieving groups. Moreover, the divisive, homogenous nature of ability groupings were shown to damage some pupils’ self-perception – in some cases leading to maladaptive patterns of learning – and to diminish the importance of the individual.

Copyright: © 2015. This paper is copyright of the author. (Please read the Journal's copyright information page by using the menu to the left of this page.)

The full paper is available for download as a pdf file: 394-438-shawl


Citation: Shaw, L. ‘Marks. Set. Go?’: Pupils’ perspectives on ability groupings in relation to academic self-concept and self-efficacy. Journal of Trainee Teacher Educational Research, Volume 6, pp.394-438. (Downloaded from http://jotter.educ.cam.ac.uk/, [date of access])