“It starts with me!” Teachers’ shifting perspectives on developing their practice away from fixed ability grouping

Abstract

The negative and pernicious effects of fixed ability grouping in primary school classrooms are well-documented internationally. This case study of fifteen primary school teachers in England, used three cycles of practice exploration in mathematics, over a six-month period, providing opportunities for practitioners to consider the barriers and benefits of implementing an alternate, principle-based approach to fixed ability grouping. The teachers' perspectives highlighted benefits of an adjusted pedagogy and noted that at an individual-professional level they needed to address their implicit beliefs about children's learning capacity, adjust their professional language and trust children can make effective choices about their learning.