1. The Impact of Ability Grouping
on Foreign Language Learners:
A Case Study
Presenter: Yang, Hao-Ting (Tim)
Instructor: Dr. Pi-Ying Teresa Hsu
Date:2012.11.26
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2. Citation
Tsao, C. H. (2003). The Impact of Ability Grouping on Foreign
Language Learners: A Case Study. Hwa Kang Journal of TEFL, 9 ,
79­­102.
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3. • Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Findings
• Conclusion
• Reflection
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4. Introduction
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5. Background
Upgrading teaching quality and improving learning
efficacy have always been the most important
objectives across all educational institutes in Taiwan.
Teachers often encounter difficulties achieving these
goals when students of the same class exhibit a broad
range of proficiency and experience in the English
language.
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6. BACKGROUND
Fooyin University
grouped placed into
in the same class. three levels of classes
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7. PURPOSE OF STUDY
This study was to probe into the effects of ability
grouping on English learners.
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8. Literature Review
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9. Literature Review
The practice of grouping students of similar ability or
achievement together for instruction is a common feature
of schools worldwide.
(Ireson, Hallam ,Mortimore, 1999; Mills,
Swain , Weshler, 1996; Yu, 1994)
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10. Literature Review
Grouping ability coupled with appropriately­
differentiated instruction is beneficial not only to high­
ability students but also to average­ and low­ability
students.
(Gamoran , Nystrand, 1990;
Mills, Swain , Weshler, 1996)

11. Methodology
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12. Methodology
Subjects 865 students
Instruments questionnaire
940 returned
Procedures
865 be valid
SPSS
Data Analysis t-test
one-way ANOVA
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13. Findings
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14. How does ability grouping affect the students
psychologically, academically and socially?
(Psychologically)
Most students (close to one­third) were neither encouraged
or discouraged by the placement system.
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15. (Academically)
The academic impact of tracking on students was not obvious for
the majority.
In grading part, Close to one half (46.9 percent) of the entire
student body believed that tracking would result in unfair grading.
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16. (Socially)
Ability grouping had not produced a strong social impact on the
majority of students.
There was still a small number of students (ranging from 18.7
percent to 25.4 percent) who felt they were negatively affected
in the social sphere. 16

17. Are there any significant differences among the three
ability groups in their attitudes toward the system?
The result revealed no significant differences among groups in
their attitudes toward tracking.
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18. Do the students support and value the ability
placement system?
The result showed non­significant differences among the three
groups
We can conclude that the middle group was not as supportive
as the upper or lower group.
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19. Conclusion
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20. 20

21. Reflection
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22. Reflection
I think we can conduct on the relationships between
ability grouping and both academic and non­academic
outcomes for students.
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23. Thank you!
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