Teaching mixed ability classes

[alex]

Could anybody help me with a major problem I'm having.

I'm teaching a pre-intermediate class and some students are definitely intermediate level, others are false beginner.

What can I do with this mix of levels? I'm getting frustrated, please help!

Alex

[Enigma]

All I can think of, should you still have the class, is to ask the school to split the class. Lower and intermediate can be taught as one group. The "false beginners" do not belong in that group at all. It's a no win scenario, at best!

[schetin]

Hi,

There's another way, though. Whatever level your students are they will lack habits, skills. They usually speak of levels when their knowledge of grammar and their ability to answer some general questions are concerned. If you start developing their habits they will all be equaL I, for one, can combine a group of teachers mixed with low level students and start working with them from scratch.

Regards,

Slava

[VenusEnvy]

Hi Alex! I have this problem in the program that I am teaching in, and I have found a couple of remedies.

- Always have a more advanced activity on-hand for the more advanced students. They usually finished before the lower level students and had extra time simply doing nothing. Come prepared with more advanced activities specially for them.

- Use peer-teaching. If you are teaching a grammar point, use the more advanced students as peer aids. Although I don't recommend taking advantage of them, every once in a while it can be beneficial to both.

- Use grouping and pairwork accordingly. If an activity lends itself to a heterogenous group, simply split the class into two groups and modify the activity to fit their levels. Or, find out which students are compatible with each other (despite proficiency differences) and pair them up.

- It's always easier (for me) to make an activity more difficult. You could add more difficult vocabulary, add another task, or include more reading for those more advanced students.

I hope these ideas will help you. I'm always looking forward to reading others' ideas.

[jonnielsen]

All I can think of, should you still have the class, is to ask the school to split the class. Lower and intermediate can be taught as one group. The "false beginners" do not belong in that group at all. It's a no win scenario, at best!

I agree with enigma. Split the class in two sections in which all of them will be interested and maybe you could do some activities which benefits both of them.