Blatchford, Peter; Catchpole, Gemma; (2003) Class size and classroom processes. In: Keeves, J P and Watanabe, R., (eds.) The International Handbook of Educational Research in the Asia-Pacific Region. (pp. 741-754). Springer: Dordrecht, Germany.

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Abstract

In recent years there has been much debate about the size of classes in schools. The commonly held view of many teachers and parents, supported by some experimental research in the United States, is that children educated in small classes will academically outperform those taught in large classes. A contradictory picture is provided by results from international tests. These would seem to indicate that children from Asia-Pacific countries such as Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore which generally have larger classes, are better at science and mathematics than those from countries which have smaller class sizes such as the United States. Despite this, there have recently been moves by countries in the Asia-Pacific region to reduce class sizes. In this chapter we argue that further progress in this area rests largely on clarification of classroom processes connected to class size differences. The vast majority of research has been carried out in the United States and Europe but we also review research from other countries. We highlight cultural differences between countries, including those in the Asia-Pacific region, both in their teaching practices and views on education. We examine issues that remain unanswered and identify areas for educational research.

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