Effect of `Ability Tracking` on Student Performance

Running Head : ABILITY TRACKING

Effect of Ability Tracking on Student Performance

[Author : Insert Your Name Here]

[Author : Insert Your Institution Here]

December 5 , 2008

Effect of Ability Tracking on Student Performance

Many factors can influence students ' academic performance . Some argue that more challenging course material can put less prepared students at a disadvantage , while others argue that insufficient challenge leaves bright students bored and unmotivated . In essence , the one size fits all ' approach to curriculum has for many years been set aside in public schools in favor of ability

tracking . The fit of students to curriculum difficulty is argued by some to be the key to ensuring student success it ensures that teachers give equal focus to students of all ability levels , and also can encourage students with lower ability to participate more in class because they are less likely to feel intimidated (Slavin , 1990

Of course , how students are tracked varies some schools allow students to be placed into an advanced class for one subject and a lower ranking class for others , while others do not allow this kind of mobility (Slavin , 1990 . Even if done carefully , tracking can influence choice of peers and views toward other students . Gamoran (1992 ) finds that friendships are more easily formed among students in the same tracks than among students in different tracks . A related concern is that tracking leads to students being stigmatized , and ultimately leads to poor academic performance and negative attitudes toward education (Gamoran , 1992 . Ansalone (2003 ) discusses how tracking...