Student-teacher ratio
Posted September 22, 2009 · by Kris Zorigian · in Differentiation
The claim
Students with learning and behavioral problems learn better in classrooms with smaller student-teacher ratios.
The facts
Part of the Individuals with Disabilities Act says that it is necessary to ensure that all students receive a fair chance at learning. This necessity means that each student should be allowed to participate in a classroom setting that is most beneficial to their individual needs. According to the research, small group instruction is extremely advantageous when dealing with students with learning problems. Small group instruction consists of reducing student-teacher ratio to a more manageable number, which creates a number of benefits. The following are some of the benefits of reducing student-teacher ratio:
- Makes efficient use of time when delivering instructions: One misconception about special education is that instruction must always be slower in order for students to understand. This is not always the case, especially when dealing with students with behavioral problems. Often students can become bored during instruction and their attention can shift from the topic at hand. Reducing student-teacher ratio allows for more effective time use when instructing students, which helps keep their attention focused.
- Allows for more personal interaction between students and teachers: Research has documented the success of one-on-one instruction concerning students with disabilities. Unfortunately, achieving a one-on-one situation is typically out of reach for a general education teacher. The research also claims, however, that small group instruction can be just as effective as one-on-one instruction. Students in small groups still experience a more personal relationship with the teacher through more direct instruction.
- Allows students to learn from each other: One of the negatives of one-on-one instruction between a student and a teacher is that it eliminates the experiences gained by all students when they interact with each other in groups. Students with disabilities in particular benefit from sharing experiences with their typically developing peers. Students with disabilities experience observational learning from others that they would not experience in a one-on-one setting. Therefore, in addition to the more intimate instruction they are receiving from their teachers, these students would be exposed to the opportunity to learn from and get to know their classmates.
- Encourages independence as a learner: According to researchers, students with disabilities show an increased success rate in a reduced student-teacher ratio setting. These successes in the classroom often result in the students’ having increased independence. After experiencing academic success, these students can become more confident in their abilities and appear more competent in the eyes of their typically developing peers in the classroom. This view can lead to an increase in social acceptance for those struggling learners, which is key for these students to continue to achieve in the school setting.
- Allows for increased teacher and peer feedback: Reducing student-teacher ratio allows for more interaction between the entire group and the teacher. The teacher can provide more detailed feedback concerning particular areas of concern for students with disabilities. This increase in feedback allows these students to feel more comfortable in the classroom and increases student ownership in their work. In addition to teacher feedback, there is also more peer feedback as students in small classes tend to work together more often. Research has shown that students with disabilities become more invested in the classroom when they receive more feedback about their work.
- Allows for more control over behavioral problems: Reducing student-teacher ratio in a classroom that contains students with behavioral problems is quite obviously beneficial. It limits the number of students who could be negatively affected by a student acting out, and it also allows the teacher the opportunity to control those outburst situations more effectively. Smaller class groups provide less distractions for students with behavioral problems and the increased student-teacher interaction allows the students to stay on task more consistently.
It should be noted that reducing student-teacher ratio does not mean that students will automatically improve academically. Reducing the ratio only means there are fewer students being taught by a teacher. The decreased number of students in the classroom should not be a cue for the quality of instruction to decrease. Teachers must continue to put forth the same amount of energy and effort into preparing high-quality lessons to reach students with disabilities.
Conclusion
This week’s claim is fact. Research supports the claim that students with learning and behavioral problems learn better when placed in classrooms with smaller student-teacher ratios. Although the research claims that one of the ideal situations for teaching students with disabilities is in a one-on-one setting, it is acknowledged that this is not practical in most situations. Conversely, research says that small group instruction can be just as effective as one-on-one instruction and has benefits that are not applicable in a one-on-one setting.
You mention that one-on-one instruction is not very practical, and that research shows that small groups are as effective. How many students in one group will still be effective? I have found that when I have a small group of four or five, my special education students get lost in the shuffle. What should I do to alleviate this?
Please forward this information to government leaders who have increased class size and removed support personnel but kept their travel budget. Those who make the decisions in regards to our classrooms have forgotten that all students benefit from smaller class sizes. Teachers also benefit because it allows for more time for individual attention to students that need that type of instruction.
Bella,
The research conducted describes a student-teacher ratio of 3:1 as producing results most similar to 1:1. These studies indicate that ratios of 6:1 and higher begin to differ more and more significantly from the 1:1 ideal.
Some ways to keep these students from getting “lost in the shuffle” is to try and keep them stimulated. Try including multiple senses into your instruction. For example: provide these students with both verbal and visual instructions simultaneously. Multisensory instruction can be quite effective when it comes to a child’s attention.
FYI: Suggestions for particular types of instruction will be a topic of future posts.
As Anne has pointed out, circumstances that allow for class sizes smaller than six, no matter the rationale, are decreasing due to budget constraints. As an alternative high school teacher I am now working with at best a 12:1 ratio and sometimes up to 17:1. I have contemplated this topic extensively in these early weeks of school. I am curious as to what research may say for these types of situations in addition to multisensory instruction. It seems that student-teacher relationship and student-teacher direct interaction are critical pieces to effective small group instruction. Does research provide additional “advice” or “strategies” to help simulate the small group experience within the context of a larger group?
Is there really any merit to that multisensory stuff though? I read an article that disproved that. It talked about how students did not learn better with different visual or auditory instruction. What is it called? Learning styles? I went to a workshop on that and it sounded good, but I wonder how much is proven. I would like to know more about practices that have some proof behind them…are you going to address those. At our first faculty meeting, we had someone come from our district to talk about using evidenced practices in reading. I would like to know more about that.
I have couple of points. First, some of my children don’t have the cognition for the setting they are in, but the smaller class size does make somewhat of a difference. Teaching to their learning style definitely makes a difference (several of us in a Special Ed class at UNC_CH did a research project on just that). I use a lot of visuals and tactile learning in my class.There are many websites to give interventions and strategies. See also articles by Melissa Miller, PhD., NCDPI, NC LEARN, and RtI. These interventions work well with those children on the spectrum as well. Would make more if they were in their appropriate placement. They are receiving 3:1 support.
Second, If we are proving the need for 1:1 support, I think it is invaluable to those children who can not access the general curriculum with out it(children with physical/visual handicaps and some children with behavior needs). Unfortunately, this support is not given in the appropriate circumstances (whose in charge of the decision making process, and what are the defining guidelines for receiving this service)?