How to Teach Mixed-Ability Classes

Table of Contents

One-sentence summary

Introduction

The diagnosis

The answer

What to do instead of lectures

The method of Mr. Pimsleur

The method of Mr. Chérel

The tutorial method

How to do it in class

What you need beforehand

How to do it in class

Some suggestions for teachers

Some advantages of this method

Further reading

Appendix 1: Owner's manual

Appendix 2: Teachers' cheatsheet

Appendix 3: Content distribution

How to teach mixed ability classes

by Ciro Andrade

Smashwords Edition

ISBN: 9781310089992

One-sentence summary

Do not establish rigid deadlines or terms for students to cover content, accomplish something or take an exam.

Simply: 1) let them know what you expect of them, what are they supposed to do; 2) provide them with quality materials, and 3) accompany, encourage and help them as they travel through their learning journey.

In other words, let’s switch the focus from teaching, to learning.

«There’s no teaching. There is only learning.» ―Porter Stansberry

Introduction

This short essay tries to present ways to work better with mixed ability classes.

Specifically we refer to teaching English as a Second Language, but these ideas can be adapted to other subjects easily.

These ideas are being used in my own classes these days; these are not theories, but tried and used techniques explained step-by-step.

The limitation of the methods presented basically is the number of students that can be taught. You can do it with a maximum of twelve students. With bigger classes it is difficult to maintain a personalized approach.

Rest assured, as soon as I have developed a method that can be used effectively with bigger classes, I will update this document.

UPDATE: There is an idea that could help adapt this method to bigger classes. We will review it at the end.

I ask you, kind reader, to be forgiving with the author for not following proper academic protocols, such as quoting, etc., and the limitations of the language, since English is not my native language.

You can contact me at [email protected].

The diagnosis

Everyday we can see that our students:

1) Learn at different speeds. Some learn fast, some learn slowly.

2) Are of different ages. Some are young, some are older, and it shows in their different levels of maturity. Sometimes we have to mix children and teens in the same room!

3) Have different skills relating to languages. They are easy for some, difficult for others; some concentrate easily, others don’t.

4) Have different backgrounds pertaining to English. Specifically: some have learned it in school, some haven’t; some have parents who know English and encourage their children to learn it, others have had no previous exposure to it; some have had terrible English teachers at school, etc.

So it’s no wonder that our classes will always be mixed ability classes.

How does this affect the teaching process? Some students will understand our explanations and will be ready to start answering exercises, while others will show by their blank stares that they haven’t understood anything.

The latter will do terribly in tests, and will probably fail the course altogether or resort to cheating. They will try to become invisible in class. They will always be looking at their classmates’ books to verify answers. They will learn to fear making mistakes. They will not learn to speak confidently in English.

It’s no wonder they learn to hate English, if every class they are confronted with the never–ending teacher’s gibberish and prodding to do God–knows–what!

How would we feel if we were taking, say, Mandarin Chinese classes, and the test deadline would be coming up, and we weren’t catching up with the other students, who seem to be learning so fast and easily, and then the teacher asks us to answer a question we haven’t understood, so we can’t answer one word, and the teacher just gives up on us and asks another student who is so smart and we feel so dumb and left out and… You know what I mean.

Well, this is a common experience to our students.

That’s why we should learn to cater to our students. Teaching should not use a one size fits all approach, but aspire to be personalized.

The results obtained with a rigid methodology are not satisfactory by any standard.

Even the president of the country (Ecuador) a few months ago wondered how it was possible to study English for years in schools but fail to pass simple standardized tests, and being unable to have a conversation?

(How will they solve this in public schools with more rigid regulations and mind-numbing paperwork is beyond me, but that’s their problem.)

The answer

Get rid of deadlines and time constraints.

Do not set arbitrary time limits or deadlines or allot a specific term to cover content.

Let the students learn at their own pace. I guarantee you will be surprised by the results.

Who determined that lesson 1 should be covered in two weeks? Why not one week, or three? Had anyone made a study? Did they take into account these particular students? Of course not. It was just the whim of a planner.

Let me repeat that: planning is inherently arbitrary and since it can’t possibly know or incorporate all the variables ―we are talking about human beings here― it will always be wrong.

Of course, planning is not to be forbidden, but should be realistic: you can plan your own activities, but you can’t