Tales from the Pond

This book presents an alternative interpretation of a§practice that tends to attract a great deal of§negative press that of ability grouping. Often§viewed as elitist and a means of reinforcing the§status quo in unequal societies, the educational§practice of grouping on the basis of ability has§engendered distrust in egalitarian Australia for many§years. This study challenges this notion through§examination of a disadvantaged rural secondary§school s attempt to create a learning environment§that is appropriate for highly able students, while§not disadvantaging mainstream students not involved§in the program. The metaphor of a pond is woven§through the study, representing Marsh's Big Fish§Little Pond Effect, which is critiqued. Through a§mixed methodological approach, the views of students§in both the grouped and mainstream settings were§examined to determine their levels of satisfaction§with their educational experience. The study found§that although the ability based setting provided a§suitably nurturing environment for the able students,§it was not viewed as desirable by mainstream§nonmembers, suggesting that appropriate provision may§require different educational responses.