According to Irmsher (1996), although we live in a world where far more is known about student learning than ever before, most schools do not apply this knowledge to organizational structures as part of their efforts to facilitate student learning. However, one application that is increasingly being implemented and tested is block scheduling (Queen, 2003). The purpose of this paper is to review block scheduling as it has been applied to elementary school learning of the Language Arts curriculum. The paper first defines block scheduling, then goes on to delineate its underlying philosophy. Following this, the paper then presents an examination of research the effectiveness of block scheduling at the elementary school level. An emphasis is placed on review of block scheduling from the perspective of administrative concerns. The final section of the paper formulates conclusions based on the reviewed material.
Simply put, block scheduling is a means of organizing the day so that there are fewer, but longer, class periods (Powell, 1999). While there is a good deal of variation in the implementation of block scheduling (e.g., four ninety-minute blocks, alternate day blocks, two large blocks combined with three standard sized blocks per day, etc), Powell (1999) reports that the underlying purpose is always to allow the school greater flexibility for instructional activities, and so boost student learning and achievement. While block scheduling is most often implemented in middle schools and high schools, it is also used at the elementary school level (Snell, 1996).
According to Cromwell (2003), the philosophy behind block scheduling is that it is a means of increasing student learning because blocks operate to provide students with less fragmented learning experiences which are said to interfere with learning. Also, the conceptual framework of block scheduling holes that block scheduling gives students less time to simply idle about,...