TeachingTeachingHeterogeneouHeterogeneou

s s ClassesClasses

Betty Simelmits

mixed-ability class

multileveled class

heterogeneous class

diversityLarge class

What is Heterogeneous What is Heterogeneous Class?Class?

• every class out there… • It is a class that consists of

learners who display a number of differences in their learning abilities, motivation, previous exposure to learning, learning style, personality, attitude, and....hundred thousand other features that anyone can think of.

• Students are different in many ways. Some are quick, others are slow. Some are confident, others are shy. Some like working with friends, others are happier working alone.

We must recognize we are teaching a group of different individuals

not a single student with 30 faces!

Our Challenges / ObstaclesOur Challenges / Obstacles• A momentary classroom commotion

can make us believe that we are useless as teachers…

• We often feel out of control…• We sometimes feel trapped in the

problems of management…• It is difficult to “understand” the pupils• What is the best way to teach???• How can we ensure that our pupils

perform their maximum potential?

How am I teaching?

Have I reached my goals?

What am I teaching?

Who are my students

Questions that every teacher asks

"WHEN A MAN DOES NOT "WHEN A MAN DOES NOT KNOWKNOW

WHAT HARBOR HE IS WHAT HARBOR HE IS MAKING FOR,MAKING FOR,

NO WIND IS THENO WIND IS THERIGHT WIND."RIGHT WIND."

SENECASENECA

If we want to ensure that all If we want to ensure that all pupils perform to their maximum pupils perform to their maximum potential, we potential, we mustmust::1. cope with the challenges, 1. cope with the challenges, identify the problems, identify the problems, and deal with them and deal with them accordingly. 2.We should reach accordingly. 2.We should reach the pupils in the pupils in class and decide on techniques class and decide on techniques and strategies that could be and strategies that could be usedused

Multiple IntelligenceMultiple Intelligence

What is Multiple Intelligence?• Conceived by Howard Gardner,

Multiple Intelligences are seven different ways to demonstrate intellectual ability.

• Visual, verbal, logical, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal

Learning StylesLearning Styles

What do you know about learning styles?What do you want to know?

VAK

Visual learnersVisual learners• People who have a visual learning style

learn best if a major component of the material or lesson is something they can see or watch. This learner works best with written material and instructions, diagrams, posters, and demonstrations.

• Flashcards, using the board, colored markers

• Reading by looking at pictures or films

Auditory learnersAuditory learners• People who have an auditory learning

style learn best if there is an oral component to the material being learned. These learners filter the information they hear and store the relevant data but don't necessarily form pictures around it.

• Verbal instructions, taped lectures and face to face instruction work best.

Kinesthetic learnersKinesthetic learners• People who have a kinesthetic or tactile

learning style learn best when they can touch or feel what they are learning about. The use of their body and feelings are very important to these learners so hands-on projects work best for them.

• Hands-on experience, variety of classroom activities, moving around, interactive boards, cut-paste activities

What is your learning style??What is your learning style??

How do we cope with the How do we cope with the challenges?challenges?

WHEN THE ANTS WHEN THE ANTS UNITEUNITE THEIR MOUTHS, THEY CAN THEIR MOUTHS, THEY CAN

CARRY AN ELEPHANTCARRY AN ELEPHANT.MOSSI PROVERB

10 Principles 10 Principles • Scarlett O’Hara• Pace• Setting up routines• Interest• Collaboration• Variety• Individualization• Personalization• Choice• Enlarging the circle

• If today was bad, chances are that tomorrow will be better..

• Pace : • We should work according to our

yearly plan, weekly plan and lesson plans.

• We should handle each activity at the pace suitable to it in order to avoid making our pupils board or frustrated.

• Setting up routines: •good organization helps to

promote good control! •Pupils can know what is expected

from them•Set rules and classroom habits•Special place on the board for class

work / homework assignments•Presentation of certain activities on

assigned days (dictations, reading activities ..)

• Interest : • as soon as a group of pupils loses

interest, they are likely to cause trouble or create the kind of distraction that will focus on them. • We should ask the kind of questions that

will create maximum students involvement.

• We should use attractive visuals, activities, games, role-plays, competitions

• Let students prepare some topics of their own, “All about Me” project

• Change activities all the time!!• Experience and success for all pupils.

• Collaboration : • working together and cooperating, pupils

use one another.. TWO EYES SEE BETTER THAN ONE.• Group work, peer work, Jigsaw, dialogues • Use peer-teaching.• Use the more advanced students as peer aids.

Use grouping and pair work accordingly. • If an activity lends itself to a heterogeneous

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 and pair them up.

• Let students interview one another, talk to each other and to you

• Variety : • a variety of activities and

techniques is important, they can accommodate different levels in class. • Follow your course book, which

contains a variety of task, but also find some supplemental materials

• 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.

• Individualization : GIVE A ME A FISH AND YOU FEED ME FOR A DAY.

TEACH ME HOW TO FISH AND YOUFEED ME FOR A LIFETIME.

• It helps us to deal with the weaker pupils and keep everyone challenged, interested and occupied with tasks. • Work cards, leveled worksheets, Learning centers,

portfolio projects, reading and book reports, individual writing, listening activities etc..

• Try to set three levels of the same activities / worksheets / tasks – an easy version, a more difficult version and the most difficult version. Make the tasks more difficult mostly by reducing the amount of help you give.

Full Class Input – Different Full Class Input – Different TasksTasks

• Pupils receive the same input in class. Then, based on the common initial input, pupils can do either different amount of the same task or different task types which correspond to different levels of difficulty

• Allow pupils to work according to their own level, their own pace and their own interests.

Beginning of the lesson – Full class input

work individually pairs / groups

able pupils help less able studentswork together, explain, correct

work with the teacher – in a group

Sum-up – whole class

Advanced pupils work

on their ownDifferent tasks and activities

Intermediatepupils work

on their ownDifferent amount of

the same task or different tasks and activities

Weaker pupils work

on easy versiondifferent tasks and activities

• Personalization: • pupils must feel they are related to

the class, that they count!!• They need feedback in order to

learn. • Use notes or stickers for praising

and encouraging good work and behavior..

• Motivate your pupils!!

• Choice: • allow pupils many possibilities for

choosing- tasks, questions that can be answers in many different ways, and activities.

• Ask open-ended questions and encourage creativity without limiting the students to single no or yes answer

• Enlarging the circle : active attention, asking questions, encouraging greater participation, provide challenges

Remember !Remember !• If you don’t create a procedure – your

pupils will create one!• Be consistent! Be fair! Be clear! Be creative!! • Plan your lessons according to the 10

principles• Accommodate different learning styles in

your lessons• Grade materials – not pupils! • Organize tasks to make them “learner

friendly”• Accept and understand the learner• Be generous with thanks. Let your pupil

know that you appreciate their efforts - rewards are more effective than punishments!