ERIC Number: EJ1083917
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1913-9020
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
An Investigation of Teachers' Perceptions of the Effects of Class Size on Teaching
Almulla, Mohammed Abdullatif
International Education Studies, v8 n12 p33-42 2015
This study investigates the perceptions of Saudi Arabian primary school teachers in Years 4, 5 and 6 and discusses the effects of class size on teaching. The data comes from 30 teachers who teach small classes in two private schools, and 37 who teach large classes in two state schools in Alhafouf, Saudi Arabia. The study discusses whether different numbers of students in class could have an impact on teachers' perceptions and teaching practices. The data show that teachers in both small and large classes believe that class size has some impact on their teaching. Teachers in large classes report that they usually use a limited range of teaching methods, which tend to be more teacher-centred. The data show that all teachers in both small and large classes believe that class size has some impact on their teaching. In addition, the majority of participants say that they prefer to teach a class which contains 15 to 20 students. It has been highlighted in this study that there are many barriers and difficulties, especially with regard to lesson time, which most teachers in large classes could face regarding the management of students' behaviour and the assessment of students' performance. Empirical evidence suggests that class size is still the major aspect affecting teaching.
Descriptors: Elementary School Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Class Size, Private Schools, Large Group Instruction, Teaching Methods, Barriers, Classroom Techniques, Student Behavior, Academic Achievement, Foreign Countries, Teacher Effectiveness, Instructional Effectiveness, Semi Structured Interviews, Questionnaires
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Saudi Arabia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A