II.

TEACHING IN THE MULTI GRADE (for BEED) That she wanted one chocolate each day for the next nine days………..9
On the tenth day, she was fit and fine, up and about……………………10
C. STRATEGIES IN TEACHING
Involve higher grades by using a number chart and asking each
Depending on the purpose of a particular lesson, as a multigrade student to point to the correct number as it is read out. After you have read
teacher you enjoy the freedom to decide: the story, ask students to sit in groups. At the centre of each group place a
pile of flash-cards with the numbers 1-10. Call out the numbers randomly
 What stage of instruction requires your personal attention and
and students try to pick up the announced number first. The group that
coaching and when to work closely with one group or grade.
recognizes the most numbers fastest wins.
 What stage of learning requires self-study or exercises in an
individual student’s workbook, when students should work in groups,
STRATEGY 2: TEACH ONE GRADE WHILE OTHERS WORK
and when they can do exercises individually.
INDEPENDENTLY.
 Which activities can be handled by your peer tutors. It may be useful to decide on a time during the day to devote to each
 What activities can promote more group work independent of you as separate grade group. After a short period of teacher-led instruction, one
the teacher. group can be left with their peer tutor, or student can practice
independently in their workbook while you move on to work with
These approaches can be combined with one another depending on another grade group. Your teacher-led activities can be rotated across your
the situation inside the classroom. You have the experiment with them grades and groups as needed. To promote continuity in learning, it is helpful
until you find the most appropriate fit for your students. In doing this, to remind your students at the beginning and end of each teaching session
you may find the following strategies useful. what they are doing and why.
STRATEGY 1: TEACH ALL GROUPS TOGETHER. Example: using the above lesson on numbers as the whole-classroom
You can decide which lessons or units are suitable to be taught to all introduction, you can work with Grade 1 first on the cardinal numbers 1-10,
students together. In this kind of instruction, you provide the same content, then move to Grade 2 and focus on the ordinal version of these numbers
use the same teaching and learning methodology in transmitting the (first, second, third). If you have a Grade 3, you can later move to that group
content, and expect the same learning outcomes from all students, and work on related concepts such as single, double and triple.
irrespective of their formally assigned grade – but because of your
multigrade classroom, you can have older students work with younger ones STRATEGY 3: TEACH ONE SUBJECT TO ALL GRADES AND AT
both for better learning and to build a sense of classroom solidarity. VARYING LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY.
This strategy allow you to group children of different grades, ages,
Example: whole-class activity and abilities together and teach them the same curriculum theme at the same
Imagine you have planned to teach counting from 1-10 to a lower grade. You time. You can first focus on common elements and then follow this with
can explain the numbers by telling a story to all the groups in the classroom differentiated tasks and activities.
in the following way: A few minutes of explanation and practice around the theme at the
start of the lesson can get students of all levels thinking about and using the
There was a king who had a single daughter, the Princess……………1 concepts and skills they will need. You can then direct more demanding
For the past two days, she was sick…………………………………...2 questions at older or more able students and ask younger or less able students
Three doctors visited her……………………………………………...3 more supportive questions. In this way all students can participate at their
They gave four medicines…………………………………………….4 own level and make some contribution to the lesson.
Every five hours, she was made to eat a nutritious meal……………..5
She felt better in six days……………………………………………..6
On the seventh day, she got up from bed……………………………..7
On the eight day, she told her mother………………………………...8
STRATEGY 4: DEVELOP ACTIVITIES FOR NON-TAUGHT GROUPS STRATEGY 5: DEVELOP PEER, CROSS-AGES AND CROSS-GRADE
Higher grades or older students can sometimes be left on their own TEAHING STRATEGIES
to investigate and gather information by themselves. This leaves you with Cross-age tutoring is based on the pairing of students and is used
more time to work with students who need more support. You may have extensively in most multigrade classrooms so that older-children can help
different expectations of the learning outcomes for non-taught groups. Some younger students with their lessons. The peer tutor begins by asking general
examples of activities for non-taught groups for different subject areas are questions to assess the younger student’s understanding of the topic; then
presented below. generally moves on to more difficult questions. Peer tutoring has been found
to be an effective strategy in multigrade situations as it trains students to use
Example: activities for non-taught groups a sequenced series of questions and helps scaffold their learning to higher
Step Subject Activities Expectations levels.
1 English Ask your students to go Students must find as This strategy works well for children with learning disabilities and
Vocabulary to the school garden. many new words as other special education needs, children from ethnic or linguistic minorities,
Before they begin to possible and put them and children who have not gone through some kind of pre-school
explore, explain what is into sentences. programme. Peer tutoring is used on a regular basis to reinforce concepts
expected of them when which you have already presented at the beginning of class or in a previous
they come back: for lesson.
example, to catalogue as
many words and STRATEGY 6: RELATE LEARNING WITH DAILY EXPERIENCE.
sentences they can think Relating a topic you are teaching to your student’s daily lives,
of while looking around traditions and culture helps them understand a concept more clearly than any
the garden. other mode of teaching.
2 Mathematics Ask students to measure Students learn more
Measurement different parts of their about measurement but Creative Active Learning Strategies
bodies – legs, arms, also gain skills in In summary, the improvement of student learning is your central
feet, heads, etc. – and making comparisons- challenge as a multigrade teacher. Active, child-centred learning is the best
then create a chart of all “bigger than” “smaller way to achieve desired student learning outcomes- academic as well as social
their measurements to than”, etc. and psychological. You can promote active learning by making a few
compare differences. specific change in your teaching methods such as:
3 Social Ask the group to Students will  Placing children at the centre of your attention and helping them
Studies describe the usual understand local progress through their own milestones and stages of learning at their
Science weather in your village seasons, the principle own pace and speed.
Geography by season and different of climates and the use  Providing learning opportunities through multi-age and multigrade
ways to measure the of instruments to activities in the same room to ensure that each student participates in
weather. measure temperature the learning process.
4 Creative Ask students to draw a In such “free play”  Encouraging each student in a group to explore, ask questions, show
activities picture based on a activities students will inquisitiveness to learn something new, and learn by doing and
particular theme they learn to be more through play
are studying: you can creative and gain pride  Building a culture of collective learning in the class by choosing
then display these in the through the display of activities that suit the composition and maturity of each group.
classroom their work.  Using flexible methods such as cooperative learning, per tutoring,
teacher-led instruction and self-reading and study
  Building a classroom environment filled with group activities,
information sharing, and opportunities for individual learning
through the classroom library and reading corners
 Working out a detailed weekly, monthly, and yearly plan for
scheduling activities, subjects and teaching methods
 Keeping a checklist to follow how students are spending their time
during school hours and the activities that waste the most time
 Linking all learning with competency-based assessment

IMPLICATONS AND CHALLENGES FOR TEACHERS

IMPLICATIONS
 Excellence in teaching/professionalism
 Incorporating technology and scientific methods of instruction and
learning
 Consultation with other professionals, conferences, and unions

SEEING CHALLENGES AS OPPORTUNITIES

 Taking advantage of diversity within and between groups