Multi-Age Practices And Multi-Grade Classes

Title
Multi-Age Practices And Multi-Grade Classes
Publication Date
2006
Author(s)
Cornish, Linley
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7714-1213
Email: lcornis2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:lcornis2
Editor
Editor(s): Linley Cornish
Type of document
Book Chapter
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Kardoorair Press
Place of publication
Armidale, Australia
Edition
1
UNE publication id
une:2685
Abstract
Multi-age or nongraded classes are mixed-grade classes formed because of a philosophical preference and belief that learning is favoured in such classes. Multi-age teachers generally implement Vygotsky's ideas about learning - that it occurs in socially mediated situations where peers are important for both academic and social development (Bruner, 1986, 1996; Daniels, 1996; Dixon-Krauss, 1996; Goodlad & Anderson, 1987; Tharp & Gallimore, 1988; Vincent, 1999, Book 2; Vygotsky 1962, 1978; Wood, 1998). The learning process is a socially constructivist one, where students build up their own understandings through exploration in a social context. As a result, multi-age teachers encourage interaction amongst the students and especially interaction of children of different ages and stages of development. A multi-age classroom has a lot of movement, a lot of talking and discussion, a lot of cooperative learning, with an emphasis on helping each other and at the same time developing a self-directed approach to learning. The twin pillars of independence and socially competent behaviour are explicitly taught and practised.
Link
Citation
Reaching EFA through multi-grade teaching: Issues, contexts and practices, p. 27-48
ISBN
090824469X
Start page
27
End page
48

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