Effects of Linguistically Heterogeneous Versus Homogeneous Grouping for English Learners

• In Event: Exploring Heterogeneity, Discourse, and Linguistic Awareness in Multilingual Literacy Learning

Abstract

Every day teachers face decisions about how to group students. For teachers in multilingual classrooms, the potential challenges and benefits of grouping decisions are magnified because these decisions are affected by students’ language proficiency and classifications as much as their reading levels and social skills. Pervasive dilemmas arise in such contexts: Should teachers group all of their English learners (ELs) together homogeneously, so that they can target instruction to their language levels and concentrate on their unique needs? Should they group ELs with non-ELs (i.e., heterogeneously), so that the ELs can benefit from peer modeling and interaction in English? Both homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping approaches have some support from theory and practice. For instance, teachers report that homogeneous groups may be easier to teach and allow for targeted, direct instruction in English skills (e.g., Estrada, 2014; Chorzempa & Graham, 2006). Likewise, policies that highlight ELs as a qualitatively different subgroup of students encourage linguistically homogeneous grouping with ELs receiving separate and different instruction (e.g., Gándara & Orfield, 2010). On the other hand, researchers have documented the negative effects of tracking by ability in general (e.g., Gamoran et al., 2005; Oakes, 2005; Long, Conger, & Iatorola, 2012; Hanushek & Wößmann, 2006) and by EL status in particular (e.g., Callahan, 2005; Gamoran, 2017). Findings of negative effects of homogeneous grouping of ELs are consistent with foundational sociolinguistic theory which contends that access to, and interaction with, native speakers is key to learning a second language (e.g., Wong Fillmore, 1991; van Lier, 2002).

In this study, we investigate the effects of linguistically heterogeneous grouping compared to homogeneous grouping for ELs on their English language and reading comprehension skills. We examine this question in the context of a small-group language- and discussion-based literacy curriculum (Cultivating Linguistic Awareness for Voice and Equity in Schools or CLAVES). Eighty-four ELs (46% female) in fourth and fifth grade participated, with the largest home language group being Chinese speakers (57%), followed by Spanish speakers (24%), and speakers of several other languages (19%). Students participated in 12 weeks of the CLAVES curriculum in small groups of four students. While all ELs received CLAVES, they were individually randomly assigned to small groups that were either linguistically heterogeneous (2 ELs, 2 non-ELs) or linguistically homogeneous (4 ELs). Outcome measures included a standardized test of reading comprehension, the Core Analytic Language Skills Instrument (Uccelli et al., 2014), and curriculum-aligned language skills (composite of taught vocabulary and morphology).

Preliminary analyses using multilevel modeling indicate that ELs in linguistically heterogeneous groups outperformed their counterparts in homogeneous groups on reading comprehension (d = .25), but not on curriculum-aligned language skills (d = .01) or Core Analytic Language skills (d = -0.02). This indicates that students language skills regardless of grouping, but they benefited more from the heterogeneous environment for the more distal outcome of reading comprehension.

Authors

• Michael J. Kieffer, New York University

• Patrick Proctor, Boston College

• Andrew Weaver, Marist University

• Sasha Karbachinskiy, New York University

• Qihan Chen, Boston College

• Qun Yu, Boston College

• Gabriella Solano

• Aaron Talbot Kennedy Coleman, Boston College

• Shaelyn Cavanaugh, New York University

• Xiaoying Wu, New York University

• Elise Cappella, New York University

• Rebecca Silverman, Stanford University