Paul, I would be interested in seeing research that shows a strong link between reducing class size and increasing performance. The research I have seen strongly suggests that the most important factor in improving student performance is changing what teachers do. Reducing class size can reduce the amount of disruption in a class, but there is little research base (that I have seen) to suggest that if we reduced the size of every class in the country to 15 students that much would change in what students know and can do. As an English teacher, I would prefer having fewer total students, but I could probably teach as well if, at least twice a week, I had all 112 of my students in a lecture hall together. That would give me eight hours of extra time to respond thoughtfully to their writing. Scott Woods BASIS Scottsdale --- On Fri, 5/29/09, Paul E. Doniger <[log in to unmask]> wrote: From: Paul E. Doniger [log in to unmask] Yes! And all research in education that I've ever seen agrees that class size is a vital component in successful learning. This is especially important to the writing classroom. Paul E. Doniger "If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction" (_Twelfth Night_ 3.4.127-128). From: Scott <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 8:30:56 PM Subject: Re: Class size ATEG Digest - 28 May 2009 to 29 May 2009 - Special issue (#2009-127) I too am normally reluctant to classify a remark as stupid; however, the list member who indicated that class size was irrelevant in teaching writing must have been brought up by a school board member. My alma mater, MSC, whose regular Freshman English program I have praised highly, had a secondary program in basic writing skills for those who had failed the English placement exam. I had scored a 100 in the exam but my advisor had accidentally put my test in the "Dummy English" pile; therefore, I had to take a non-credit English class on the same semester as my first Freshman English class. My advisor apologized to me later but I replied that I had learned more in Dummy English than in regular English because the class size was quite small--around ten students--and we wrote a theme each day instead of one a week. The professor in the Dummy Class was also an excellent teacher. Having taught across the academic curriculum, I can aver that, in my experience, class size is more important in English composition than in any other academic class, including mathematics and foreign languages. N. Scott Catledge, PhD/STD Professor Emeritus *************************************************************************** To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/