Mixed-level activities! Heterogeneous groups? Mixed-level activities! ETAS day 2017, Biel/Bienne

Program brainstorming on mixed-level groups strategies and examples to tweak the lesson hands-on: personalizing your textbook or using extra materials your results learning disabilites.

Reasons for mixed-levels personal interests background knowledge the pace of which students learn different learning styles learning disabilities any social problems students might be facing. => level and kind of motivation

Reasons for mixed-levels personal interests background knowledge the pace of which students learn different learning styles learning disabilities any social problems students might be facing. => level and kind of motivation

Three assumptions mixed-level classes are a fact don‘t worry about classroom management learner motivation is the key

It‘s all about motivation…

Self-determination theory Source: Deci/Ryan

Self-determination theory (2)

Different level, different task „The material is too hard for half of the class, or it’s too easy. It’s almost like I need two coursebooks.” it does not mean to prepare different lessons! exploit the same text but vary the tasks can be applied to every aspect of language training.

Extending tasks “The quick students finish early and then disrupt the class because they are bored.” don’t let the early finisher become a discipline problem allow the slower students the satisfaction of completing a task successfully choose flexible, personalised and open-ended activites.

Catering for learner styles “The other day we did an activity and xy (who is usually the slowest) responded very well! I had no idea and it has made me see her differently.” Different people learn things in different ways

We need to be flexible!

Some strategies Students support each other -> work in pairs or small groups the teacher supports the students -> grade difficulty, give feedback the material is of interest to the learners -> content based approach

Some strategies (2) the learner’s mother tongue is a resource -> language awareness, culture elements error is a source of learner strength and growth -> scaffolding/peer activites listen to student input -> create co-produced exercises rapport and group dynamics are strenghtend -> create a positve atmosphere (games)

Example 1: different levels create small groups and ask students to write quiz questions based on favourite topics (or the topic of your course book lesson) make sure the questions and topics are fair the group is correcting grammar, spelling etc. the questions are read out loud to the rest of the class and the correct answer gets a point

Example 2: fast finishers assign the speaking actvity (in the coursebook), put students in pairs of similar ability tell the early finishers to repeat the activity but this time giving answers that are completely untrue or turn it into a roleplay (answering the questions as a famous movie star, the president of your country ecc.)

Example 3: learner styles prepare stem sentences for every paragraph of a story (based on your coursebook or not) play a song for every paragraph and let the students complete the paragraph based on their associations go on until the story is finished students read their stories out to the class, to partners or refine them at home.

To keep in mind… Different levels Extending tasks Learner styles form heterogeneous groups form homogeneous groups music grade excercises remove info drawing add/remove info «CLIL»/content movements games/competitions homework creativity language awareness/culture visuals

New technologies in the classroom

To read on/watch on Dealing with difficulties, Luke Prodromou/Lindsay Clandfield (Delta Publishing) How to differentiate instruction in the mixed-ability classroom, Carol Ann Tomlinson (Pearson) Every kid needs a champion, Rita Pierson (TEDtalk)

Thank you! r.scherpe@elionline.com