Acta Iadertina, Vol. 17 No. 2, 2020.
Preliminary communication
Multigrade classroom: Socio-economic inevitability or pedagogical pick?
Rahela Varga
; Faculty of Education, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
Matea Sabljak
; Faculty of Education, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
Abstract
On a global scale, the number of primary schools organising multigrade teaching is constantly increasing. Due to the insufficient number of students to form a single grade classroom, a teacher is required to simultaneously teach students not only of different ages and abilities but also at different grade levels. Although formed to make up for inadequate socio-economic conditions, certain benefits for students can be detected in such classes. The answer to the question of whether multigrade classroom is a socio-economic necessity, or whether it should become a deliberate choice of a competent teacher for the student benefits, will depend on whether the focus is shifted from the disadvantages to advantages of the multigrade teaching. The aim was to examine participants’ willingness to accept employment in the multigrade classroom. The results showed that the majority of participants would not want to work in a multigrade classroom, especially not at the beginning of their careers, because they find work in such conditions more challenging. Participants who themselves had been students in the multigrade classroom had a more positive view on the quality of teaching in the multigrade classroom. Concluding remarks point to the fact that the multigrade teaching is dominantly perceived as socio- economic inevitability among the participants of the study.
Keywords
student well-being; heterogenous students; learning outcomes; multigrade classroom; quality of teaching
Hrčak ID:
252882
URI
Publication date:
26.2.2021.
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