Small-group instruction to improve student performance in mathematics in early grades: Results from a randomized field experiment

Hans Bonesrønning, Henning Finseraas, Inés Hardoy, Jon Marius Vaag Iversen, Ole Henning Nyhus, Vibeke Opheim, Kari Vea Salvanes, Astrid Marie Sandsør and Pål Schøne

Journal of Public Economics, 2022, vol. 216, issue C

Abstract: We investigate whether small-group instruction improves student performance in mathematics in the early grades using a large-scale RCT covering 159 Norwegian schools over four years. The students − 7–9 years old - are pulled out from their regular mathematics classes into small, homogenous groups of 4–6 students for mathematics instruction for 3 to 4 h per week, for two periods of 4–6 weeks per school year. Unlike many other recent tutoring experiments, all students are pulled out, not only struggling students. In our intention-to-treat analysis, we find that students in treatment schoolsincreased their performance by0.06of a standard deviation in national tests, with no differential effect by baseline test score level, parental education, or gender. Our study is particularly relevant for policy-makers seeking to use additional teaching resources to target a heterogeneous student population efficiently.

Keywords: Education economics; Small-group instruction; Tutoring; Tracking; Class size; Field experiment; Intervention; Randomized controlled trial; Teacher-student ratio, mathematics; C93 (Field Experiments); H52 (Government Expenditures and Education); I21 (Analysis of Education) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Working Paper: Small Group Instruction to Improve Student Performance in Mathematics in Early Grades: Results from a Randomized Field Experiment (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:216:y:2022:i:c:s0047272722001670

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2022.104765

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