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| Challenges and ways of meeting these in mixed ability teaching |
Many teachers find that catering for differences in learning needs is very challenging, particularly if the range of abilities in a class is very wide.
- What challenges have you faced in dealing with classes of varying abilities?
- How have you met these challenges?
Here are some of the challenges mentioned by a group of Malaysian teachers. How far do you share their concerns?
- Time consuming to devise different activities to cater to different groups
- Allocation of time/attention given to different groups
- Insuficient time to cater for all the diferent needs
- Dificult to aim the lesson at the right level in the presentation stage
- Pupils lack of interest or low ability in certain skills and certain types of activity
Here are some possible ways of meeting the challenges
a Planning differentiated activities
It does take time, but this has to be weighed against the satisfaction of seeing children make progress at their level. One way of reducing the problem is to collaborate with other teachers or to develop a materials bank which contains activities at different levels for particular lessons.
b Giving enough time to diferent groups
One way is to make pupils more independent so that they can work on activities without needing the constant attention of the teacher. This will then free you to spend time with individuals who need extra help or to work with particular groups. You could also plan your time so that every day you allocate a certain amount of time to work with particular groups.
c Catering for all the diferent needs
Set work which children can start during class hours and finish off at home. Alternatively gradually prepare a bank of self-access materials in particular problem areas at a range of levels. You can cut up old workbooks and adapt activities. You could also get children to help in making practice activities if you provide them with a model to work from. Then once or twice a week children can work either independently or with a buddy, to practise a particular skill or to work on an identified problem area. This could also be a useful area for
collaborative materials design or adaptation with other English or class teachers.
d Aiming your lesson at the right level
One possibility is to introduce an activity to the whole class and demonstrate what is required very clearly, involving pupils in the demonstration so as to give time for all to observe the procedures and work out what they have to do. Then pupils work in mixed ability pairs or groups to complete the task If one pair or group has problems in doing the activity, another pair who has successfully completed it helps them to do it. The emphasis, however, needs to be on helping them to learn how to do things for themselves rather than doing things for them.
e Catering for pupils lack of interest or ability
Lack of interest may, in fact, hide the fact that the child has a problem in a particular skill or aspect of language, eg speaking or writing He/she may, therefore, come to dislike activities which, for example, involve speaking or writing. So the first step is to find out why a pupil is not interested If the pupil has difficulty m using a skill, then it may help to adapt activities to his/her level or provide more support and try to create time to work with that pupil or other pupils with similar difficulties.