Blog 4 – Does Class Size Matter?
What is your instant thought when it comes to class size? Without thinking about any evidence, I automatically assume smaller = better as there would be less homework to mark, more time to spend on planning better quality lessons, a better student to teacher ratio so that you can be a bit more helpful in class. In this blog I will be putting these common preconceptions of smaller class sized to rest.
Smaller = Better
Blatchford (2012, p.57) says ‘what could be more obvious: fewer pupils in a class is surely better for the pupils and for the teacher?’ This is what the majority of people think when discussing class sizes. Some of the benefits of a smaller class size is paying more attention to individual pupils, less disruption to learning, less paper work so that time can be spent creating engaging, challenging lessons. Achilles argues that small classes are so important that they should be the corner stone of education policy (1999).
There have been many Class Size Reduction Schemes (CRS) seen globally in East Asia, US, the Netherlands and Canada. The Scottish Government went even further to place a cap of 25 pupils to a class (Blatchford, 2012). Even Wales has started to consider the option of reducing class sizes for better quality teaching as Kirsty Williams, our Education Minister has plans in place to put £36 million into the reduction of class sizes to raise standards by 2021. (Welsh Government 2018). Kirsty Williams says in this report that smaller class sizes are crucial for both improved attainment in those early years of education and helping teachers to manage their workload. Although this sounds accurate, there is no evidence to validate this statement.
Mitchell (2008) says Class size needs to be given very careful consideration. Evidence points to benefits being obtained when the class size is reduced to 15 or so. There is not sufficient evidence to support this statement but. As one group of researchers put it:
at the extremes (Very large vs very small) the size of the class will have discernible and meaningful effects on students’ learning. With the more usual class sizes, however, the findings are less consistent but seem to favour - at least slightly - smaller classes.
I believe it is important to note that many people disagree with the smaller class concept and are actually more inclined to believe that bigger class sizes are better for learning such as Andreas Schleicher (PISA Head), and Bill Gates just to name a couple. They believe that there is no sufficient evidence to prove that smaller class sizes are better. Bill Gates is an advocate for bigger class sizes, his theory is that there should be a number of good quality teachers and pay them a better wage.
‘This goes against the gut feeling of many teachers’ (DeBruyckere, 2015, p.171). A servey for teacher and Lecturers by the Association of Teachers ans Lecturer’s found that almost all surveyed felt that there should be a maximum number of children in their class and that bigger class sizes increased work load, increased stress levels and decreased class attention.
Hattie, J (2009, p. 121) conducted a meta-analysis into the quality of learning connected to class sizes. He says that ‘it appears that the effects of reducing class size may be higher on teachers and student work related conditions, which may or may not translate into effects on student learning.’ He also found that ‘There is a different concept of excellent teaching in larger classes than when teaching smaller classes of 25-30… for classes of 80 or more students (University) it is probably necessary to assume that individual students are self-regulated to learn; the major task of the teacher is to deliver content more chalk and talk lessons no toleration of deviant behavior.’ (2009, p.121)
Class size doesn’t matter
There is a video on youtubeabout class size not making a difference. Dobbelsteen (2002) says that the quality of the teacher is more important than class size. It is better to have a class of 28-30 pupils with a god teacher than a class of 22-24 pupils with a mediocre teacher.
If we reduce class sizes there are a number of things to consider such as needing more class assistance, needing to build new schools therefore requiring more funding from the Government and most importantly more teachers.
Economist Hanushek argues against reducing class sizes an says that many arguments come from teachers who are looking to make their lives easier, reducing class size is not cost effective and a good use of public funds (2011). Has Kirsty Williams put this funding in the right area? Could this money have been used in more effective ways such as buying better teaching resources, improving health and well-being by funding healthier foods and physical education schemes?
To conclude, class sizes will always be necessary at some point of reasons of cost! Institutions such as the OECD continue to see little effect from smaller class size on their results. Blatchfod (2012, p.72) says that just reducing class size and hoping for the best is not likely to be effective.
What do you think? Are smaller classes better for teaching quality, or are larger classes better for behaviour and more independent learners?
References
Achilles, C.A. (1999) Let’s Put Kids First, Finally: Getting Size Right. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
Blatchford, P. (2012) ‘Class size: is small better?’ cited in Dillon, J. (2012) Debunking myths in Education. Open University Press: New York
De Bruyckere, P. Kirschner, P. and Hulshof, C. (2015). Urban Myths about Learning and Education. Burlington: Elsevier Science.
Dobbelsteen, S., Levin, J., and Oosterbeek, H. (2002) The Casual effect of class size on scholastic achievement: Distinguishing the pure class size effect from the effect of change in class composition. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 64(1), 17-38
Hanushek, E. (2011) The Economic value of higher teacher quality, economics of Education Review, 30: 466-79
Mitchell, D (2008) What Really Works in Special and Inclusive Education: Using evidence-based teaching strategies
Welsh Government (2018) Available at: https://gov.wales/newsroom/educationandskills/2018/new-fund-sees-appointment-of-80-new-teachers-to-reduce-class-sizes/?lang=en(Accessed 5 December 2018)
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