{ Ideas multilevel classes

What We Know Each learner has their individual strengths and challenges. All activities don’t work with all learners. All teaching approaches don’t work with all learners. No two learners are the same level exactly. Logistics can be a factor. Affective filters play a role in level.

Results All classes are in part multilevel. Everyone benefits from skill-level needs analysis. Wide range variances may happen.

What really is multilevel?

Rewards

learners are able to improve at their own pace

learners become partners in learning

learners become independent learners

learners develop strong relationships with their peers

learners learn to work well in a group

Teachers learn to let learners help

There are upsides.

Challenges

finding appropriate teaching resources and material

organizing appropriate groupings within the class

building an effective self-access centre in the classroom

determining the individual needs of each student

ensuring that all learners are challenged and interested

maintaining learner engagement

Experiment with different types of groupings to find the ones that work best

Simple approaches

Use a simple schedule that is similar each day.

Simple approaches

Isolate students within the class who are interested in peer tutoring

Simple approaches

Consider enlisting a volunteer

Simple approaches

6 strategies, some examples and applications

Strategy 1: Bring on an recurring activity or project that engages learners in the way that allows them to use their available language to contribute and can help them to develop their own skills

6 strategies

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Strategy 2: Each student must be appropriately challenged.

6 strategies

Strategy 3: Create tasks with different levels of difficulties for different groups of learners of different proficiency levels

6 strategies

Strategy 4: Do not give the learners the pressure to be correct and to be the best learners of the class.

6 strategies

Strategy 5: Focusing on topics rather than language skills.

6 strategies

Strategy 6: Each group should be given a certain amount of time to finish an activity from the same project/ text/ teaching material.

6 strategies

Ex. 1 Reading a Short Info Text

Pre-reading Lower level group: What is this? What company made it? What does the company do? Middle level group: Where might you see this? Why is there a map included? Higher level group: What is the purpose of this sign? What type of information is missing?

• What text would you cover? • What question would work with

the lower group? Middle group? Higher group?

• Do you think this cover is appropriate for all levels?

Pre-reading

Ex. 2 Reading short instructions

While-reading Lower level group: Write briefly five tips to save energy in the summer. Middle level group: What is PureEnergy 10? How can you find out more information about this? How much does it cost to run a ceiling fan in a year? Higher level group: What is the recommended thermostat setting for a comfortable room setting in summer? How can you take advantage of the breeze blowing? What does that mean by ‘nature’s air conditioning’?

Ex. 3 Reading an Ad

Pre-reading: Level 1 group: ▪ Who is in the picture? Write down her name. Level 2 group: ▪ Name at least 1 of her songs that you know. If you cannot remember the title, you can sing it to the class Level 3 group: ▪ Describe the singer in the picture.

While-reading activities Level 1 group: ▪ Where is the concert? What is the venue? ▪ When is the concert? Level 2 group: ▪ When will the tickets be on sale? ▪ Which number should you call to buy the tickets? ▪ Who is the special guest of the concert? Level 3 group: ▪ Is telephone the only way to book or buy the tickets? ▪ Which websites should you visit to get information about the concert? ▪ Who are the three sponsors of the concert?

Post-reading activities: Level 1 group: ▪ Collect some of the famous songs of this singer. Level 2 group: ▪ Write a biography of this singer. Level 3 group: ▪ Write a letter to your friend explaining why you are very interested in a show of Beyonce.

Do’s or Don’ts?

Give the students the impression they are doing, not studying.

Provide structure to support and give feedback to different groups

Ask higher level students to help out their lower level partners as a nice gesture.

Choose materials with language that suits the lowest students.

Use activities that develop skills other than language (problem solving, guessing).

Focus on the ‘correctness’ of student answers

Put students in the same groups with those they consider to be higher in level.

Ensure students are allowed to observe silently.

Restrict lower level students to completing the lower level tasks.

Allow higher level students to translate into L1 for lower level students Try to have 1 higher

level with 2 or 3 lower level in a group, or vice versa.

Make learners of lower level feel learning with more advanced students benefits them, not threatens them.

Make learners of higher level feel it is a benefit, not a perfunctory task, for them to mix and help students of lower level.

Brindley, G. (1989). Assessing achievement in the learner-centred curriculum. Sydney: NCELTR, Macquarie University. Burns, A. and Hood, S. (eds.) (1995). Teachers’ voices: Exploring course design in a changing curriculum. Sydney: NCELTR. Christie, F. (ed.) (1990). Literacy for a changing world. Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research. Christie, F. (1998). English language and literacy placement assessment kit. Sydney: NSW AMES. Clandfield, L. & Prodromou, L. (2007). Dealing with difficulties. London: Delta Publishing. Jackson, E. (1993). Non-language outcomes in the language classroom. Sydney: NSW AMES. Joyce, H. (1992). Workplace texts in the language classroom. Sydney: NSW AMES White, R. (1998). The ELT Curriculum: design, innovation and management. Oxford: Blackwell. http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/Dec_2007_ppqn.php

References

Fourc.ca / @seburnt / Tyson Seburn