Nongraded Primary Education. ERIC Digest, Number 74.

In nongraded education, children of different ages and ability levels are taught together and make continuous progress rather than being promoted once per year. Research studies support nongraded primary education by indicating that young children vary in their rates of intellectual development and learn best through hands-on activities with concrete materials. In addition, participation in mixed-age groups has social and cognitive benefits. Teaching multi-age classes requires more teacher preparation time and knowledge about child development, integrated curriculum, and instructional strategies. The implementation of nongraded education is facilitated by the following: (1) understanding and support by teachers and parents; (2) practical training for teachers; and (3) support by both administrators and school boards. (MLF)