Ability grouping: The invisible hand shaping relational dynamics and wellbeing in education?

Key digested message Grouping by ability is a contentious issue within research, yet this pedagogical practice continues to persist across education systems globally. The strong link between highly differentiated education systems and academic/social inequity requires deep consideration of the role of ability grouping in shaping how children experience teaching and learning in school. This mixed methodological study presents findings from analysis of data from a national survey with primary school teachers and three intensive case study schools. Key findings indicate that: ■ Ability grouping shapes the relational dynamics in the classroom, casting an ‘invisible hand’ over children’s social worlds. ■ Demarcating the boundaries of ability in a classroom attributes value-ability to each group, accruing benefit for those assigned to the high ability group and resulting in exclusion for those in lower levels. ■ Grouping by ability maps out a geography of affect for how children feel and embody their identity as a learner, with pride attributed to being positioned as higher ability, and shame associated with being placed into lower ability groups. ■ The emotional labour in navigating the complex relational dynamics as shaped by the ‘invisible hand’ of ability grouping impacts on children’s wellbeing, with profound implications for those assigned to the lower level.