ED356074 PS021304
Title: The Social Interactions and Task Activities of Young Children
in Mixed-age and Same-age Classrooms: An Observational Study.
Author(s): Winsler, Adam
Pages: 12
Publication Date: March 1993
Notes: Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for
Research in Child Development (New Orleans, LA, March 25-28, 1993).
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
Language: English
Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting papers (150)
Geographic Source: U.S.; California
Journal Announcement: RIEAUG1993
This study
compared the task activities and social interactions of 10 five-year-old
kindergarten children in a mixed-age (MA) classroom of children
age 4 through 6 to those of ten 5-year-old kindergartners in an
organizationally equivalent same-age (SA) classroom. Compared to
children in the SA class, kindergartners in the MA class remained
engaged in their classroom activities for longer periods of time
and exhibited more prosocial behavior. This study offers some empirical
support for MA classes in early childhood education and suggests
contexts in which cross-age interaction is most likely to be beneficial.
(MDM)
Descriptors: Age Differences; *Age Grade Placement; Cross Age Teaching;
*Interpersonal Competence; *Kindergarten; *Kindergarten Children;
*Peer Relationship; Primary Education; *Social Behavior
Identifiers: *Mixed Age Groups
