It seems that Dr Anna Mallia (‘Why is non-streaming a good idea only now?’ – 27 January) knows nothing about the new research in education, which is in favour of authentic, inclusive engagement.
The advantages of this system are by far greater than the streaming system where less able children are considered as a burden by both fellow pupils and teacher, and not as an opportunity to learn with the others.
A classroom should be small community like a family where everyone helps each other – not a rat-race among the pupils and competition between them. The concept of resilience in the classroom is not yet recognised. Once this concept is recognised and applied, pupils will be helped to develop their emotional and cognitive skills irrespective of their abilities.
I encourage Dr Mallia to read Dr Carmel Cefai’s international publication (Jessica Kingsley’s Publishers, London and Philadelphia, 2009) about this subject which is based on studies done in Malta among Maltese primary school pupils. In this book Carmel Cefai who is the Director of the European Centre for Educational Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health, a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Malta and also Co-chair of the European Network for Social and Emotional Competence (ENSEC) gives a very practical model how this concept can be applied and shows by evidence how a teacher with the right approach can make this model work.
This model will remove pressure on pupils and teachers to prepare for exams and live as a community where everyone has an opportunity to learn according to his/her ability.
Streaming, on the other hand, is oriented to prepare pupils to excel and get the best marks in their exams and to be better than other pupils. Streaming leads to a culture which is exam-oriented, where children are classified and glorified individually according to the mark they get in the exams. Those who are not good at exams are considered a burden on the class. On the other hand in inclusive education where collaborative class work is practiced pupils are thought to share, to learn in a group and help each other. Pupils are also empowered to develop their respective skills and abilities.
Naturally this process has to be introduced at an early stage in the education system, so that with time our pupils will become familiar with this new environment as a community and this new method of learning.
Research shows that there are more behavioural problems in schools where there is streaming. Children who are considered to be inferior to others will have emotional problems, they feel that they are being abandoned and they feel they cannot succeed.
Our children are not objects, they are persons with mixed abilities and should be given an equal chance to succeed in life. Experts agree that streaming negatively affects students but at the same time it cannot be removed haphazardly without preparation.
Mixed-ability classrooms are a challenge and it is a step in the right direction that we are moving towards this new system. We also need to apply democracy in our classrooms!
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