1 / 6

Teaching English Language in Mixed Ability Classes

Teaching English Language in Mixed Ability Classes. The Challenge of Heterogeneous Classes. Table of Contents. Introduction What is a mixed ability class? Main problems in mixed ability classes How to cope with problems: some theoretical contributions

naiya
Download Presentation

Teaching English Language in Mixed Ability Classes

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Teaching English Language in Mixed Ability Classes The Challenge of Heterogeneous Classes Marica Romano

  2. Table of Contents • Introduction • What is a mixed ability class? • Main problems in mixed ability classes • How to cope with problems: some theoretical contributions • From theory to practice: evidence from my training practice • Conclusions • Bibliography

  3. What is a mixed ability class? It is a class of learners who display a number of differences in their… • Language and cultural background • Language learning ability • Learning speed • Learning style • Attitude towards subject matter • Personality features (self-confidence, interests, motivation)

  4. What are the main problems in a mixed ability class? … Differences make it more difficult for teachers to: • Select or design suitable materials for everyone (high achievers, average students and weak students) • Provide each student with effective learning tasks • Get all the students involved and motivated • Keep discipline

  5. How can teachers cope with … Some theoretical contributions suggest that teachers should: • Appeal to all senses, different learning styles and intelligences • Theory on Learning Styles and Language Learning Strategies • Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences • Help students create their own Portfolio to record individual progress • Common European Framework of Reference for Languages • Promote students’ cooperation and enhance social skills • Cooperative Learning • Communicative Language Teaching Approach • Terrell and Krashen’s Natural Approach

  6. What proved successful in my teaching practice? • Flexible class management (individual, pair and group work, different types of grouping) • Clear instructions (also using non-verbal language and students’ mother tongue) • Setting different objectives according to students’ different starting levels • Supplemental, suitable materials (vs. course books designed for an ideal homogenous classroom environment) • Open-ended tasks (vs. questions with only one correct answer) • Individual tasks and extension activities for high achievers

More Related