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MIXED
ABILITY CLASSES
29 November,
2004
TEACHING
MIXED ABILITY CLASSES
Mixed ability classes may arise
when grouping is based on anything other than linguistic skill or ability.
It may arise due to
* Grouping by age (the norm in a
secondary school and university),
* Grouping by department or job (e.g. all secretaries together),
* An inadequate or non-existent level placement system, (e.g. a level test
that is only written and doesn't show differences in spoken ability),
* A restricted budget (a company has a budget and wants to train as many
people on one course as possible. Unfortunately, this is re-enforced by the
opinion that all training is about imparting knowledge, rather than
practicing skills)
* Excessive absenteeism by some students and then falling behind
Mixed ability becomes more of a
challenge to handle, the lower the real level of the class. Differences
between higher-level students are less noticeable than differences between
lower level ones.
In China, I am sure we have all
come across mixed ability classes, indeed some would venture to say that most
classes here are mixed ability. The very fact that it is quite normal is a
key fact to point out to teachers and students alike.
Why? Well, other than streaming a class, which solves the issue of teaching
mixed abilities, it is a reality, the norm, not unusual or wrong, or some
kind of mutation to suffer.
By letting students know it is
normal we can reduce the stress, loss of face and sense of failure that
weaker students may feel.
So what are the challenges of
teaching mixed abilities and what strategies can we adopt to handle them.
CHALLENGES:
* Getting all the students to
learn and participate.
* Stronger students easily get bored.
* Avoiding loss of face. This maybe older students in front of younger ones,
bosses in front of secretaries.
* Planning different activities for different students in one group.
* Weaker students may refuse to go to a lower group because they believe they
can keep up by working hard.
* Stronger students, mainly children, cover the back of weaker students by
whispering answers or "helping" by doing the work for the weaker
student.
STRATEGIES:
HELP
Have "assistants" to
give remedial work.
If the teacher is a native English speaker, it could be a good idea to have a
Chinese teacher give a follow up class. This will allow Ss to check things in
a more familiar environment.
Give extra classes (is the
teacher willing? Will the student pay?)
Be available for the Ss to
consult you individually (in class, in the break, after class)
HOMEWORK
Setting extra homework for
weaker students!
This was actually considered a bad move, as it will demotivate. Also, Ss may
feel it's a punishment and hence see homework as a negative thing. There may
be a case for giving weaker Ss less homework, so they are challenged but not
demotivated, and stronger ones can get more homework to push them more.
T could prepare 2 sets of homework (low and high level) and then let Ss
choose which one they want to do.
Send e-mails (such as articles)
to Ss after class. In the class ask the stronger ones to summarise one.
Review the last lesson in L1
(i.e. the Ss' mother tongue)
This way Ss themselves can clear up any misunderstandings. It's done in an
informal environment where weaker Ss are not limited by the level of English.
Preview and review.
An excellent study technique (often underused!) to help keep Ss up to the
same level.
WORKING
TOGETHER
Stronger Ss help and support
weaker Ss.
They can even teach some points (Peer Teaching). It's often easier to lean
something from someone at higher level than you, but of your own nationality,
than from a native-speaker.
When Ss work in groups (e.g.5
groups of 4 Ss) distribute the top 5 Ss amongst these groups. They then work
as activity coordinators.
In one class we discussed the Ss, who were doing a survival English course
before going abroad, discussed their fears and feelings about the foreign
culture. By using lots of visual aids and tapping into their personal lives,
feelings and emotions, they were able to take the focus off their linguistic
differences.
Pair stronger Ss with weaker
ones.
This way they can lead them. However, to avoid boredom, pairs should be
changed regularly, so strong ones are not always with weak ones. It's a good
idea at the start of a course to explain to Ss that changing partner and
place is going to be an important part of the course and they need to get
used to it and to do it speedily!
To make changing places more fun, ask them to sit next to someone born in the
same month or someone younger than them, etc.
Group weak Ss separately from
strong Ss.
This is basically in-class streaming! It can be done for communicative
activities; so weaker Ss are not dominated or inhibited by stronger ones. At
the same time, stronger ones are more challenged and can push each other
more.
TASKS
AND FOCUS
Focus on the middle level.
Set different activities for
different Ss.
Here, in reading or listening for example, you can have 2 levels of tasks or
questions (based on one text) or alternatively, have 2 different levels of
materials /texts. The difficulty of an activity is often not to do with the
level of the "text", but with the difficulty of the task/questions.
Teach formulaic language.
For example, for teaching SUGGESTIONS some set, or formulaic, phrases could
be "Would you mind..?" "If I were you,....."
However, the teacher wouldn't explain the grammar only the usage. This way,
weaker as well as stronger Ss have the tools to communicate and carry out an
activity.
Likewise the T could focus on
skills rather than language.
For example, writing a letter or e-mail. Again, Ss are given formulaic
phrases and shown how to write a letter.
Focus less on language and more
on content.
Project work or task-based teaching will allow all Ss to express themselves,
personality and all, to the best of their ability. Level is less important as
achievement is based on doing the task not just on their ability to use the
language perfectly.
Task management.
If Ss have to do a presentation for example, don't handle weak and strong Ss
in the same way. Let strong ones get up and speak for 5 minutes, but don't
let the weak ones have the floor. 2 minutes of unintelligible ummming and
erring may send everyone to sleep!
It would be better to guide them through the points via short headings (The
introduction..., Now the first point...) or questions. The key is for the T
to control the situation and the time, whilst allowing the S to have a go, of
course.
CLASSROOM
ENVIRONMENT
Read written work aloud in order
to identify mistakes. Mistakes are extremely useful for learning, especially
fro peers. Depending on the class atmosphere, this may want to be done
anonymously
Create a supportive environment
where Ss are allowed to build their confidence.
To help stop the weak getting weaker, you need an environment where they feel
"safe" to have a go!
Encourage listening to encourage
thinking in English.
Have large parts of a lesson where you are talking and just exposing Ss to
the language. This immersion in the language is a big opportunity for them to
have to start thinking in English.
The beauty of listening exercises is that all Ss when listening are working
to the top of their ability.
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