Grouping strategies are highly advantageous for gifted students. There are a range or grouping strategies that can be applied to different teaching and learning contexts. These strategies provide academic and socio-affective benefits including increased levels of engagement, enhanced motivation and greater achievement for gifted students. In last week’s post I wrote about the academic benefits of grouping. This post focuses on the socio-affective advantages.
Despite the extensive research supporting ability grouping for gifted students, many schools remain resistant (Neihart, 2007). A common criticism of grouping for gifted students is the perceived negative emotional or social impacts. Parents express fear that if their child is grouped with like-ability peers either in mainstream classrooms or through acceleration, they will experience additional stress and feel isolated from their age peers.
Ability grouping has many benefits in terms of academic achievement, but there is also a variety of socio-affective advantages (Neihart, 2007). Research shows that for some gifted students there are tremendously positive socio-affective benefits (McQuilkin, 1981); for others the effects are neutral (Maddux, Sche- icher & Bass, 1982). But for a smaller number of gifted students the effects of ability grouping are adverse due to a decline in self-concept (Gross, 2003).
A decrease in self-concept could be a result of a changed perception of ability or an understanding of personal patterns of underachievement. Students who move from mainstream classes into ability grouping also sense a decrease in achievement status as they work amongst like-ability peers. Gifted students in like ability groups may also experience increased anxiety due to an increase in workload and task complexity.
Despite concerns that ability grouping has detrimental socio-affective impacts on gifted students, research shows that ability grouping has many socio-affective benefits (Neihart, 2007). Gifted students in like-ability groups develop more satisfying social relationships, have a greater sense of independence and social maturity and experience a positive sense of self-esteem, self-concept and self-confidence. Relationships with like ability peers provide motivation and support networks when progressing through challenging curriculum.
