Face Off: Are smaller class sizes always better for students?

When the number of students decreases, teachers can allocate more time to cater to the individual learning needs of each pupil. In every class, each student has their own strengths and weaknesses. Can it be efficient for the teacher to answer every student’s questions in a large class? Absolutely not. Instead, the teacher can only cover the syllabus in a general manner.

In smaller class sizes, teachers can devise a personalised lesson to help every student. Students are less afraid of raising questions and losing face in a smaller class, according to a study by Dr Gary Harfitt at the University of Hong Kong.

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The involvement of each student can be increased in smaller classes. A large class in a discussion can only let a few “representatives” present their ideas. The rest are only listeners, putting a damper on the essence of a group discussion – that is, participation.

Another example is a lab experiment. Since lab equipment is finite, students usually need to take turns, meaning not every student is able to gain the valuable hands-on experience of conducting the experiment. In a smaller class, students have a larger role in activities, increasing motivation to learn. According to a study by the University of Washington and the University of Maine, students who didn’t engage in hands-on learning were 1.5 times more likely to fail a course than students who did.

Finally, the social relationships of students can be enhanced with a smaller class. By decreasing the number of students, the class becomes more tightly knit, in contrast with large classes where some students are isolated from others. The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development states that small class sizes are beneficial to strong relationships between teachers and students.

If schools make the transition to small class sizes, students can learn better, bond better, and lead us better to the world of tomorrow.

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When asked “Are smaller class sizes better for students?”, the common answer is “Yes!” But while smaller classes may seem more beneficial for students due to their emphasis on one-to-one learning, there are actually more drawbacks to small classes than one may think.

Firstly, logistical issues can arise from smaller class sizes. Since there will need to be more teachers and facilities for more classes, new schools may have to be built and they may not always be in convenient areas. This could increase travel times to and from school, reducing time for extracurricular activities or studying. There’s also the obvious issue of having to hire more teachers. This would affect students since there may be such a demand for teachers that schools might hire those that are not suited to teach, reducing the education quality.

Diversity in education is especially important in order to embrace a diverse and inclusive student body. When a class size is small, its diversity will naturally decrease as well. This lack of diversity and spirit will lead to a narrower range of perspectives in classroom discussions, thus a lesser chance of making friends.

Anxiety can also stem from the fact that there is no way to “blend in” in such a small class. Everyone is on display and their academic strengths and weaknesses are emphasised.

There’s also the issue of limited activity options. Many classroom activities, especially in PE or group projects, require a minimum number of participants, and a limited class size cuts back the potential benefits of these activities since there is far less insight and range of opinions.

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There are statistics that show a positive increase in test scores from small classes, stemming from studies that have been taken in many countries around the world. The only problem? These results don’t align at all, and a Michigan State University research study found that the inconsistency of these benefits can be seen across experiments conducted globally.

To add, many of these experiments have been inconclusive; the ones that do yield results tend to be on a small scale, and focused on reading and mathematics instead of non-cognitive skills.

Therefore, while small class sizes may yield better results at times, it is not always better for students.