People have different views with regard to the question of whether children should be streamed. While I accept that grouping children according to their ability can come with certain costs, I believe that the positives far outweigh the negatives.
On the one hand, I agree that streaming can have serious drawbacks. Firstly, children placed in bottom groups may lose motivation and interest in their education. Many parents have high expectations for their children, and being placed in lower groups may regain students’ confidence and self-esteem because they feel themselves less intelligent than others and fearful of disappointing their parents. Secondly, when children are arranged into different classes depending on their skills, it is difficult to work collaboratively with peers of varying abilities. In a mixed-ability class, more advanced students can develop their communication skills by tutoring those who are struggling, and all of them can gain knowledge from each others’ perspective and experience.
However, I would agree that grouping children according to their strengths and weaknesses is more likely to produce tangible benefits. Firstly, in classes composed of students with similar abilities, teachers can work at the right speed for their students. For example, in mathematics lessons, teachers can progress faster through complex problems without needing to slow down for students who may not grasp the material as quickly. A second advantage is streaming creates a competitive environment, encouraging children to maximize their potential. If students want to achieve favorable results in a class that contains excellent individuals, they have to continually develop their skills, and expand their knowledge not only through teachers’ lessons but also additional resources such as reference books.
In conclusion, it seems to me that the potential benefits of grouping children according to their ability are much more significant than the drawbacks.