TESOL

ADDRESSING LEARNING DIVERSITY:

IMPLEMENTING
MIXED ABILITY GROUPING
STRATEGIES WITH
YOUNG LEARNERS
Natalia Pereyra
 The choice to investigate this topic
originates from, firstly, a personal
passion for teaching mix-ability groups.
It is also due to the diverse student
population that has been present in my
classrooms in the past years, and the
need that that generates to create
inclusive learning environments that
cater to the needs of all students.
 Mixed ability, as defined by the
British Council, refers to the
presence of differences within a
group, encompassing various
aspects, such as language
proficiency levels, that can be a
result of varying durations of
learning, diverse learning styles,
individual interests, personal needs,
motivations, and other relevant
factors (British Council, n.d.).
 “The biggest mistake of past
centuries in teaching has been
to treat all children as if they
were
variants of the same individuals,
and thus to feel justified in
teaching them the same
subjects in the
same ways.” (Howard Gardener
in Siegel & Shaughnessy 1994)
Most influential framework
Howard Gardner’s theory of
Multiple Intelligences:
recognizes the diverse abilities
of students
Carol Ann Tomlinson’s theory
of differentiated classrooms:
highlight the importance of
adapting to students’ learning
needs
Vygotsky’s ZPD theory:
emphasizes the weight that
social
interaction and collaboration
has on learning.
 Mixed ability grouping
acknowledges the
diversity among students,
taking into consideration
factors such as language
proficiency levels, learning
styles, needs, interests and
motivations.
 The connection between what I
observed and what I found out was very
strong. What I found was a dynamic and
adaptable approach to teaching.
Teachers were very much aware of their
students' diverse needs and employed
various criteria for grouping, including
learning styles, interests, and proficiency
levels. .
THE END