小班教學早於二十多年前已在美國試驗，今天無論在歐洲以及亞洲的部分地區也先後對小班教學進行研究和推行。研究一般指出，要讓小班教學產生最大成效，課堂教學及評估要適宜作出若干調適。據 Evertson & Rando1ph ( 1989 ) ，教學方法要跟學生人數的減少而改變，才會提升教學成效。• 教學方法種類繁多，教師是否只是隨意選用與他平常採用的一些不同方法便可發揮小班教學的成效？由於各地的教育體制有所不同，推行小班教學的背景和目的也各異，採用哪些有效的小班教學方法，不可一概而論。本論文旨在分析香港試行小班教學的背景和目的及當前的教育與課程改革的形勢，再檢視有關的教學方法，然後提出香港小班教學應走的路，以及建議教師為甚麼要多採用合作學習去促進香港小班教學的發展路向。
Small class teaching is experimented and implemented in some countries of Europe and Asia after it was first tested in the United States as early as 1980’s. Research generally suggests that teachers should adapt their teaching, such as using different teaching strategies and assessment modes in order to maximize the benefit of small class teaching. According to Evertson & Randolph (1989), to enhance the effectiveness of teaching, teaching methods should be changed when the number of students reduces. As each teaching method has its particular use, teachers should consider the aims of small class teaching and the education system in context when adapting their teaching. This paper first discusses the background and aims of small class teaching as well as the current curriculum reform in Hong Kong, then compares the effectiveness of different teaching strategies for different purposes, and finally makes recommendation to the use of cooperative learning in small class teaching.
