1

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF MULTIGRADE CLASSES TO THE

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS

Introduction

Multi-grade is a teaching approach in which a teacher teaches several

grade levels of primary students in a single classroom. It is appropriate for

schools in remote or mountainous areas where school teachers are in short

supply and are required to teach several grade levels at the same time. In

support of the Department of Education's (DepEd) and Commission on Higher

Education's (CHED) Multi-grade Program of Philippine Education (MPPE)

Omnibus Policy, CNU will formally add a three-unit multi-grade course to the

curriculum of students pursuing a Bachelor of Elementary Education during

the second semester of their third year of college (CNU, 2019).

Multi-grade teaching is a more general concept that refers to the

instruction of students of various ages, grades, and abilities in the same

group. In different countries, the multi-grade class system is referred to as

"composite" or "combination" classes, "double" or "split" classes, "mixed-age"

classes, "vertically grouped" classes, "multiple classes," "family classes," or

"multilevel classes." In multi-grade schools, a limited number of teachers

attempt to be successful in their educational work while simultaneously

working with a large number of students of various ages, educational levels,

and needs. It follows that for children to learn effectively in multi-grade

environments; teachers need to be well trained, well resourced, and able to

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meet highly demanding teaching tasks and to hold positive attitudes to multi-

grade teaching.

Many countries have multi-grade grades. The majority of these

educational systems do not report data on multi-grade teaching prevalence. In

England, 25.4 percent of all primary school classes in 2000. In France in

2000, single-teacher schools accounted for 34% of all schools, with 4.5%

being single-teacher schools. In 2001, 42% of primary school classes in

Ireland. In Norway, 34% of all primary schools were closed in 2000. In Nepal,

almost all primary schools were closed in 1998. There were 21,100 primary

schools and 41,000 multigrade teachers in Peru in 1988. In 1986, 84% of

primary schools in India had three or fewer teachers.

Multi-grade classrooms should be taken seriously because they are

thought to play an important role in providing access to education for

everyone in rural areas that are remote, segregated, and underdeveloped. In

most cases, a multi-grade school is the only feasible school formation in a

rural setting, and efforts should be directed toward improving teaching and

learning conditions in this setting. Multi-grade teaching is portrayed as an

effective pedagogical method for encouraging independent and individualized

learning. Although multi-grade classes enhances students in far long rural

areas’ knowledge and chances to learn, it is undeniable that it could affect a

child’s academic performance with the matters of how they were engaged in

the multi-grade class. This research paper ought to know the irrefutable effect

of multi-grade classes to those products of multi-grade classes. Furthermore,

they wanted to know whether or not the multi-grade class enhances once

academic performance or lessens it (MUSE, 2016).

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Statement of the Problem

1. How multi-grade classes do affects student’s academic performance?

2. What are the positive and negative effects of multi-grade classes on

student’s academic performance?

3. Is there a significant difference between conduct of classes in multi-

grade class and normal class?

Scope and Delimitation

This paper will gather relevant data through interview, face-to-face or

online gathering, to whichever the respondents are comfortable with. This

research study limits its respondents to 3 to 5 respondents who are products

of multi-grade classes. This research paper will focus of those respondents

who have experienced and who’s a product of multi-grade classes and not

those respondents who are still having their multi-grade class. Researchers

opted to choose the respondents who were already a product and not those

who are currently enrolled to see and measure how multi-grade classes affect

their academic performance. The researchers of this study believes that those

respondents who already experienced rather than currently experiencing the

event has more input and knowledge.

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Review of Related Literature

Multi-grade Class

The word "multi-grade teaching" refers to a situation in which a single

teacher is responsible for teaching students in more than one curriculum

grade within a given time span. Multi-grade schools are those that provide

classes with several grades. Formal education is supposed to be imparted in

a mono-grade teaching setting in most of the world's education systems,

where one teacher is responsible for a single curriculum grade within a

timetabled span. Despite the fact that this is the rule, there are schools in

many countries around the world where all classes behave as multi-grade

classes. These are known as "absolutely multi-grade colleges." In some other

schools only some of the classes function as multi-grade classes while others

function as mono-grade classes. These are called as “partially multi-grade

schools”. 

In different countries, the multi-grade class structure is referred to as

'composite' or 'combination' classes, 'double' classes, 'split' classes, 'mixed-

age' classes, and 'vertically-grouped' classes (Veenman, 1995). It is

characterized as a class in which students from two or more adjacent grade

levels are taught for the majority, if not all, of the day in the same classroom

by the same teacher. Multi-grade classes are based on the conventional

grading scheme, in which students keep their grade level labels and progress

through school with their grade level cohort (Mason & Burns, 1996; Veenman,

1995). For Mason & Burns and for Veenman, the definition also implies that

grade level curriculum an achievement expectations will be retained.

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In comparison to the multi-grade class structure, which is seen as

resulting from a conscious decision based on a specific pedagogical and

philosophical approach, both researchers see the multi-age grouping as

originating from administrative and economic necessity (unequal grade level

enrolment numbers, along with set staff: student ratios).

Multi-grade education has long been thought of as a teaching situation

resulting from a teacher shortage. Multi-grade teaching, according to

educationists, has a major role to play in achieving the goals of the World

Declaration for "Education for All," signed in Jomtien in 1990, and the Dakar

Framework of Action, signed in 2000. For children who live in low-population

areas or other marginal circumstances where a single teacher for each

curriculum grade is not feasible, multi-grade teaching might be the only choice

available.

Multi-grade class formation

Key issues concerning the formation of multigrade classes are the following:

 Student selection: According to some studies reviewed by Veenman

(1995) and Mason and Burns (1996), students were purposefully

assigned based on their ability, work habits, and actions. Mason and

his colleagues (Mason and Doepner, 1998; Mason and Burns, 1995)

discovered that administrative limitations discouraged principals and

multi-grade teachers from selectively assigning students to multi-grade

classes, despite their desire to do so.

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 Teacher selection: Both Veenman (1995) and Mason and Burns (1996)

cited evidence of purposeful selection of good teachers for multi-grade

classes, though the evidence is less conclusive than that for single-

grade classes. Again, administrative constraints were reported by

teachers to have had significant effects on selective teacher

assignments.

 Veenman (1995) reported that little is known about the optimal multi-

grade class size, despite including in his analysis Canadian and

American studies supporting the need for small classes, as well as

Swedish studies (Marklund, 1962, 1969, cited in Veenman, 1995)

finding a significant impact on achievement across six subjects when

class size exceeded 25. Nothing is known about the consequences of

an unequal distribution of numbers in the class between the upper and

lower grades (Mason & Burns, 1996).

 Grade level variations: The grade combinations that occur in

multigrade classes vary greatly. Veenman (1996) found there was a

significant amount of variance in effects found for grade level, with the

initial positive effect decreasing as grade level increased.

 Number of years in multi-grade classes: Veenman (1996) discovered

that students in multi-grade classes for one, four, and six years had

very minor negative effects (-0.02), but not for two years. However,

given the dubious assumptions that underpin the report, it's difficult to

put much faith in the results.

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Effects of Multi-grade Teaching on Student Learning Outcomes

Many teachers are hesitant to use multi-grade teaching because they

believe it is a second-rate method of instruction. They believe this because

they have never seen the results of formal multi-grade instruction. There is

proof from around the world that the results of accomplishment are the same

in both mono-grade and multi-grade instruction when done properly.

Academic achievement is one of the many factors that go into academic

success. Academic success is influenced by a variety of factors, including

socioeconomic status, student attitude and motivation, peer and parental

support.

Students, parents, teachers, and authorities in our country, as well as

many other Latin American countries and continents, are concerned about

school success. The conceptualization of academic success is where the

difficulty of the performance begins. It's also known as school readiness,

academic achievement, and school success, but the differences between the

terms are more clarified by semantics because they're used interchangeably.

Academic performance can be used in university populations, and school

performance in normal and alternative basic education populations, according

to convention.

Academic success, according to Caballero et al. (2007), entails

achieving the goals, milestones, and objectives set forth in the curriculum or

course that a student is enrolled in. These are reflected in ratings, which are

the product of an evaluation that includes passing or failing certain exams,

subjects, or courses. Academic success, according to Torres and Rodriguez

 8

(2006, cited by Willcox, 2011), is defined as the level of knowledge

demonstrated in a subject or field compared to the standard, and it is typically

calculated using the grade point average.

Intellectual level, attitude, motivation, abilities, interests, study

behaviors, self-esteem, and the teacher-student relationship all play a role in

academic success. Diverging performance occurs when there is a

discrepancy between academic performance and the student's anticipated

performance. An unsatisfactory academic performance is one that falls short

of expectations. It's possible that it has something to do with the teaching

methods (Marti, p. 376, 2003).

Many teachers, administrators, and parents continue to wonder

whether or not multi-grade organization has negative effects on student

performance. Research evidence indicates that being a student in a multi-

grade classroom does not negatively affect academic performance, social

relationships, or attitudes. Multi-grade teaching is not an experiment or a

modern educational trend for many rural educators; it is a requirement forced,

in part, by economic and geographic conditions. In a world dominated by

graded schools, deciding to combine grades can be challenging, particularly if

constituents feel betrayed. Recent school consolidation plans, however,

represent a renewed interest in multi-grade organization (Cohen, 1989) and

small-scale organization in general. Such study through ultimately challenge

the graded school's standard.

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CHAPTER II

Research Design

According to Silverman (2020), data from direct fieldwork observations,

in-depth, open-ended interviews, and written documents are analyzed in

qualitative research. Naturalistic inquiry is used by qualitative researchers,

who analyze real-world environments inductively to produce rich narrative

accounts and case studies. Patterns and trends emerge from inductive

interpretation through events, the product of qualitative study. The aim of

qualitative research is to answer questions about how to better understand

the nature and experience aspects of people's lives and social worlds. The

subjective interpretations, actions, and social backgrounds of the study

subjects, as perceived by them, are central to successful qualitative research.

Research Instrument

The researchers opted to conduct interview through face to face or

online gathering to which the respondents can choose to whatever they are

most comfortable with. The interview questions were self-made by the

researchers in which it is in-line with the research topic. Data will be collected

through the respondents who already experienced being in a multi-grade

class.

Research Respondents/Participants
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Although some qualitative research experts avoid the question of "how

many" interviews are "enough," there is some variation about what is

recommended as a minimum. A vast number of blogs, book chapters, and

books recommend advice and recommend a group size of 5 to 50

participants. The respondents of this study are limited to those products of

multi-grade classes. The researchers limit the number of respondents to 3 for

this study. These respondents were asked thru a validated letter of permission

to have a little of their time to answer some guided questions in an interview.

Data Gathering Procedure

In the conduct of the study, the following steps were undertaken:

1) Permission to Conduct the Study. In the gathering of data, the

researchers will send a letter duly signed by the research adviser,

favourably endorsing to the office of the Dean of College and the

research coordinator to allow the researchers to conduct the study

through an interview. The letter states the researcher’s intention and

purpose for conducting the study.

2) Administration and Retrieval of the Instruments. After asking for

permission, the researchers will then conduct the interview to the 5

respondents who were asked for consent to participate in the interview.

The respondents were free to choose anytime of the day to be

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interviewed and how the interview will be conducted, either face-to-face

or online gathering.

3) Collecting and Processing of the Data. After the retrieval of the data

collected from the interview conducted, data will be analysed and then

researchers will process the results.

4) Interpretation and Analysis of Data. When the data is obtained and

analysed, the said data were interpreted based on the study’s purpose.

The researchers will then on formulate the summary and

recommendations.

Data Analysis

The researchers will use thematic analysis in analysing the data

obtained from the respondents. A method of evaluating qualitative data is

thematic analysis. It's typically used to describe a group of texts, such as

interview transcripts. The researcher analyses the data carefully in order to

recognize recurring themes – subjects, concepts, and trends of significance.

Thematic analysis can be done in a variety of ways, but the most common

method involves six steps: familiarization, coding, generating themes,

reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing up.

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QUESTIONNAIRE

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF MULTIGRADE CLASSES TO THE

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS

Research Questionnaire

1. How multi-grade classes do affects student’s academic performance?

2. What are the positive and negative effects of multi-grade classes on

student’s academic performance?

3. Is there a significant difference between conduct of classes in multi-

grade class and normal class?

Research Questions Guide Questions

1. How multi-grade classes do
affects student’s academic
performance?
2. What are the positive and negative
effects of multi-grade classes on
student’s academic performance?
1.1 In what way does multi-grade class
affect your academic performance?
1.2 What are the challenges you’ve
experienced during your time in multi-grade
class?
1.3 How can multi-grade change your
academic performance?
2.1 What are the positive effects of multi-
grade classes?
2.2 What are the negative effects of
multi-grade classes?
2.3 In your own view, is multi-grade
classes is more advantageous or
disadvantageous?

3. Is there a significant difference

3.1 What is the difference between
between conduct of classes in multi-
normal class and multi-grade class?
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3.2 What can you infer in your

experienced in both normal and multi-grade
classes?

grade class and normal class?

3.3 Which do you recommend normal class
or multi-grade class? Why?
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CHAPTER III

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In this chapter, the researchers present the results of the data gathered

with those students who were a product of multi-grade class.

Multi-Grade Classes’ Influence to Student’s Academic Performance

After the scrupulous analyzation, the researchers come up with the

following themes namely: Conform and Exacting.

Conform

One of the struggles of the students in a multi-grade class is the need

to conform to whatever is offered in their table. Since they have different class

standing while being in a same class, the rules for the other level students

also needs to be followed by them.

Kinahanglan namo musabay sa ilahang lesson. Maskin dili pa ingon

ana ka angkop sa amoa kay wala man mi’y mabuhat, naa man mi sa isa ka

room, mao ra ang ginatudlo (Respondent 1).

For the reason that they have different academic capacity and yet

circumstances force them to be with a class which they don’t belong makes it

hard for them to equally perform same as what their other classmates are

doing.
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Lisod kaayo po. Need pa namo muadjust sa amoang surroundings kay

mas ahead sa amoa among mga kauban tapos usahay ma-bully mi nila kay

dili mi dayon kasabot sa lesson (Respondent 3).

From these responses given by the respondents, the researchers

inferred that it is really challenging for these students to conform and adapt to

the changes and differences offered to them. Despite these challenges, they’d

continue their learning and did the best they can do for their academic

performance.

Exacting

Exacting or making great demands on one's skill, attention, or

academic performance is another thing these students have to face. They are

filled with demand to catch up to the lesson even if they are not that capable

to that lesson.

Sobra ka demanding. Need nimo nga mu-apas sa level sa

understanding sa imong mga classmate maskin pag dili jud ka kasabot kay

ilang pagtuo dapat kasabot ka ana kay getudloan man ka. Unya dili baya

ingon ana permi ang kaso kay dili baya tanan paspas makasabot sa mga

lesson (Respondent 3).

In any classroom, there are certain standards and objectives which the

teachers laid out upon and to be achieved by the students. Apparently, multi-

grade students felt that they are demanded and force to exert much more

effort in learning and pressured to catch up with the lessons.

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Positive and Negative Influence to Student’s Academic Performance

After the scrupulous analyzation, the researchers come up with the

following themes namely: Diversity and Mediocre.

Diversity

Being in a multi-grade class, it is to be expected that differences

between age, attitude, mood and intelligence is present. Students who belong

to a multi-grade class has to experience first-hand the positive effect of multi-

grade class which is being surrounded by diverse people who also help them

to adjust and cope-up with the challenges inside the multi-grade class.

Nakatabang man pod sa akoa ang akong mga classmate maskin pa

man ug daghan mi’g kalahian. Tong mga classmate nako nga mas

maguwang sa akoa ginatabangan ko unsaon pagbasa ug tarong. Unya gina

apil pod ko nila ug magduwa sila maskin di mi parehas ug edad (Respondent

2).

The respondent believes that their differences are one of the positive

effects of multi-grade class to their academic performance. The respondent

presents how their diversity brought them up together and how it didn’t stop

them to being close with each other.

Mediocre

Respondents considered themselves as mediocre students while they

are still studying in a multi-grade class. Being a mediocre student means that

they are of only moderate quality, an average student. In a class where

 17

everyone is expected to achieve excellent academic performance, it is a

disadvantage for students to consider themselves as mediocre.

During my time in a multi-grade class, I can consider myself as an

average student. Isa siguro sa disadvantages sa multi-grade class kay dili ka

ka excel ug taman unlike sa normal class, kay tungod sa kadaghan sa

imohang agiang challenges before ka maka-adjust og taman ug maka focus

sa imong academic (Respondent 1).

Respondent believes that being an average student or having an

average academic performance is one of the disadvantages of being in a

multi-grade class. Wherein they can’t fully express their learning because they

are more focused on adjusting to the different environment and the fast pace

lessons.

Significant Differences

After the scrupulous analyzation, the researchers come up with the

following theme namely: Analogous.

Analogous

Respondents compared the conduct of normal class and multi-grade

class as analogous or somewhat similar with each other. They couldn’t point

out a significant difference between the two other than normal class only one

grade in a room while multi-grade class caters two or more grades.

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Og kalahian lang, wala man jud kaayoý kalahian ang pagklase kay

same ra man siya. Same ra man ang way sa pagconduct sa lesson. Ang

dako lang nga kalahian jud is kanang lahi-lahi ug grade ang naa sa isa ka

room maong lisod jud siya para sa amoa mu excel ug taman because of the

adjustments (Respondent 2)

Respondents was also asked if their academic performance have

changed while being in a multi-grade class and transfer into a normal class.

Naa jud koý nakitang kalahian sa akoang grades og akoang

performance sa klase. Dili nako maulaw mutingog ug dili ko makasabot dayon

kay kabalo man ko nga parehas ra mig grade sa akong mga classmate ug dili

ko nila sawayon ug maglisod kog sabot (Respondent 3)

Due to the testimony of Respondent 3, researchers infer that there may

be a part where multi-grade class affects the student’s academic

performance. Although being in a multi-grade class cannot be only reason to

affect a student’s performance because there are still a lot of reasons why an

academic performance of a student can increase or decrease, being in a

class where difference is evident, it may or may not take toll to the students.
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CHAPTER IV

RECOMMENDATIONS

The major findings of the analysis are summarized in this chapter. On the

basis of the study's related results, the conclusions are explored. The final

section addressed actionable guidelines that are essential for future

endeavors.

SUMMARY

For the first part of the interview where respondents was asked on the

influence of being in a multi-grade class to their academic performance, two

themes emerged namely conform and exacting. It is hard for the respondents

to adapt and adjust to their class because of the prevalent differences inside a

multi-grade class. It is exacting in a way that they are also pressured and

demand to catch up with the lessons which they believe they cannot learn

properly because of their surroundings.

Although 2 respondents believe that the differences in a class can

cause students to decrease their academic performance but Respondent 2

testifies that the diversity which multi-grade class offers helps in making

student’s academic performance increase because of the help and

cooperation of everyone.

Lastly, they believe both normal class and multi-grade class is

analogous in nature, wherein they are similar in some ways and that they
 20

have the same of conducting classes. The very significant difference they can

infer is that the evident differences between students and performance.

Conclusions

According to MUSE (2016), although multi-grade classes enhances

students in far long rural areas’ knowledge and chances to learn, it is

undeniable that it could affect a child’s academic performance with the

matters of how they were engaged in the multi-grade class. With the data

gathered during the interviews, and the results which shows that although

multi-grade is an effective way to cope up with lack of education in rural areas

in the country, it has evident results that could affect a child’s academic

performance.

There are a lot to consider when it comes to a multi-grade class

formation. According to Veenman (1995) and Mason and Burns (1996),

student selection, teacher selection, class size, grade level variations, and

number of years in multi-grade classes are just some of what to consider in

making a multi-grade class. It can be there are discrepancies in the formation

of multi-grade class which could affect a student’s academic performance, but

it is undeniable that being in a multi-grade class can still affect one’s

academic performance, be it carefully formed or imprudently made.

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Recommendations

Based on the conclusions drawn, the following recommendations are

offered:

1. More trainings and seminars for the multi-grade teachers to prepare

them.

2. An orientation before the start of class to prepare the students of

what to expect.

3. To make more available rooms and supplies for the students in

rural areas for them to use in class.

4. To give orientation to parents on how they can help in making their

children more comfortable in a multi grade class.

5. Future studies should be conducted.

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