The Relationship of Student Ability and Small-Group Interaction to Student Achievement

This study examined student ability and student behaviors during small-group interaction as hypothesized mediators of the effectiveness of small-group learning. Fifth-grade students (N = 43) completed ability and attitude pretests. Students were stratified on ability and randomly assigned to small groups within class. The small groups were assigned randomly to either a treatment or control condition. The treatment group was trained in small-group interaction. Students received regular classroom instruction in mathematics for 4 weeks. Each day after the teacher presented new material using direct instruction, students worked on assignments in mixed ability groups of four students. Achievement, retention, and attitude toward mathematics were assessed. A Mann-Whitney comparison showed that trained students participated in more task-related interaction than did control students. Results suggested that task-related interaction in the small group enhanced the achievement and retention of high and low ability students but did not facilitate the achievement of medium ability students.