Such powerfully derogatory and divisive terms inject failure and unambitious expectations into the minds of young learners. Many teachers have a real problem with the label ‘bottom set’ or low ability students. Teaching in sets can also mean that individual strengths and weaknesses can easily be missed. Pupils are not exposed to the stimulus of discussions with others at different levels of knowledge and understanding. When children of different abilities are separated from each other, then ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ can label themselves in self-fulfilling ways. Why not just stick to setting by ability?
Using terms such as ‘middle attainers’ can support a more developmental mindset. Indeed, although ‘mixed ability’ is an oft-used phrase in the educational community (and within our blogs), it can carry the assumption that learning potential is fixed. It’s important to address the language we use to talk about ‘ability’ and ‘attainment’. However, as more schools embrace mastery and the principles of Asian maths, whole-class teaching in maths is making a return, with the greater likelihood that teachers will be supporting or teaching children of very different abilities in maths lessons. In a typical class of Year 6 children, there is likely to be a seven-year gap between achievers in maths.Ī number of measures are used to manage these gaps and children may be divided into different, and apparently homogeneous ability groups or sets.
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Learn how to teach mixed ability maths (mastery) in your primary school class and how to differentiate maths lessons for top set, bottom set and all ability levels.
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