An investigation was conducted of 35 teachers' views about combination
classes, a common format typically created by uneven enrollments and
involving the teaching of students from two adjacent grades for the en
tire day. Most teachers, when asked about their feelings toward, and o
rganizational and teaching strategies for, combination classes, respon
ded negatively and preferred not to teach them. Teachers felt students
should be assigned to combination classes homogeneously by ability, i
ndependence, and behavior, but they reported that such approaches were
limited by organizational constraints. Although 4 teachers taught the
ir classes via whole-class methods and 7 used two groups, 24 used a mi
xed grouping strategy, usually dividing the class into separate groups
for reading and mathematics and teaching a single group in science an
d social studies. Few teachers discussed developmental approaches ofte
n used in multiage or nongraded programs, approaches often advocated f
or combination classes. Results are interpreted as a consequence of th
e lack of understanding of developmental theories underpinning multiag
e programs and the contextual constraints of teaching combination clas
ses.