Open-Area Education: An Advantage or Disadvantage for Beginners?

Abstract

112 beginners in traditional classrooms and 57 in an open-area school within the same middle-class area were apparently well matched in perceptual, motor and cognitive skills at school entry. Statistical analysis of first-year achievement showed that while no significant differences in number concept were observed, the traditional group were more highly proficient readers ( p < .001) than the children in open-area class who showed a failure rate double that of their traditional peers. Reasonable proficiency in perceptual, motor and intellectual skills was a necessary but not sufficient condition for success in reading in the open-area class. The egocentric, behaviorally immature child had a better chance of success in the traditional class. Furthermore, there was no indication that any advantage accrues even to the well-integrated child in the open-area system in his beginning year.