Unit VI – Practical Tips for Teaching Multigrade Classes

Lesson 1 – Taking Advantages of Diversity

Handling one grade with students from diverse family backgrounds, ethnic/linguistic traditions,
socio-economic circumstances & with different ability levels is difficult enough. Combining more than one
grade in a Multigrade context is even more of a challenge. This requires not only specialized content
knowledge & teaching-learning methods but also personal values which respect & welcome diversity in
the classroom. What is important is that diversity should be seen not only as a challenge but also as an
opportunity for providing better quality education for all your students.
This diversity also comes from other factors like…
1. Socio-economic status
2. Thinking/learning style
3. Exceptionalities – these are students with special needs

6.1 - Answer this:

What are the benefits & opportunities that student diversity can bring to the classroom? The

teaching strategies that a teacher should use is guided by the thinking/learning styles & multiple
intelligence of the students.
Balancing Time & Multi-Tasking
The secret to being a successful multi-grade teacher is to balance the time effectively. This is a
challenge when addressing the different learning needs of groups & individual students.

6.2 – Explain:
1. How can instructional media help to maximize instructional time?
2. Do you agree that the time a teacher spends on disciplining students affect ones
achievement outcomes?

Lesson 2 – Discipline
“Self-discipline connotes internal motivation for one’s behavior, the internalization of domestic
ideals & is most evident when external regulations of behavior are absent.” –George Bear
Discipline is controlled behavior. It constitutes the next important concern of teachers as part of
good management. No matter how well-managed a learning environment is, students will
occasionally misbehave. Teachers must be ready to deal with them with utmost care & considerations.
Some causes of disciplinary problems:
1. Unfavorable learning conditions
a) Overcrowded classroom
b) Poor lighting facilities & inadequate ventilation
c) Furniture & storage cabinets disorderly positioned
d) Inappropriate seating arrangement
e) Near source of noise
2. Teachers poor management skills
The teachers’ lack of adequate knowledge & skills in handling occurrences of misbehavior
likewise contributes to a troublesome setting.
3. Students’ varied background
Disciplinary measures practice in different homes may cause unfavorable consequences as
they relate with one another.
With varied abilities they may greatly differ in expressing self-control, patience & temper
when challenged.
How to prevent discipline problems
1. Employ more group-oriented methodologies like; cooperative learning approach, team learning, peer
tutoring, group projects & collections.
Such strategies promote strong cooperation & shared group responsibility in all classroom
undertakings, this eliminating sources of potential problems.
2. Use varied teaching techniques
Teachers who are sensitive to possible misdirection of efforts & interactions are fast to switch from
one technique to another as the need arises.
3. Develop patience, compassion, genuine respect & care for the students.
As calm & composed reactions in the midst of an untoward behavior can ensure an acceptable solution
for all. A compassionate teacher understands & feels sympathetic towards students’ struggles &
sufferings. A deep concern for their welfare & growth is easily appreciated.
4. The teachers’ personalities influence students’ behavior. A warm, respectable relationship with
students through sincere & straight forward communications can demonstrate trust & credibility.
Unpretentious gestures & genuine modes of receiving students’ explanations bring about much needed
peace of mind. Recognize & appreciate their progress & improvement. Avoid showing unusual closeness
or favoritism & biased treatment for some. Treat them all equally well.
5. The teachers’ teaching style will determine how the students will respond, at times receptive,
sometimes withdrawn.

6.3 – Try to interview a teacher about the disciplinary problems in his/her class.

 What are the..

1. Teacher-related causes of disciplinary problems
2. Student related causes of disciplinary problems
3. Classroom-related causes of disciplinary problems
 What measures are undertaken to reduce the different disciplinary problems?

Ways of Dealing with Discipline Problems Acceptable & Effective

1. Use verbal reinforces that encourage good behavior & discourage bad tendencies.
2. Use nonverbal gestures, frown or a hard work to dissuade them from mischiefs.
3. Dialogue can help in discovering problems & agreeing on mutually beneficial solutions.
4. Focus attention on one who is unruly and is about to disturb the neighbors. Talk to them privately.
5. Award merits for good behavior & demerit for inconsistencies & lapses.
6. A private one-on-one brief conversation can lead to a better understanding of mistakes that need to be
remedied or improved.
7. Give students the freedom to express & explain agitated feelings & misgivings rather than censure
them right away.

6. 4 – What will be your action:

1. Kanor is your pupil. He’s big & elder than the rest. Often times he bullied the
younger & smaller ones by asking money from them. What will be your disciplinary
action for this kind of pupil?
2. Marla is in grade five. She is an average learner however, oftentimes she’s absent
from her class. How will you deal with her?
 Unit VII – Guiding Principles in Classroom Management
“Classroom management is not teaching. It is a necessary condition to teaching.”
As classroom managers, we manage resources to facilitate learning. These include the 3 Ms –
Moment, Materials & Man. In the context of teaching & learning, these are time, teaching materials &
other physical feature like desks & tables, & the learner themselves.
Principles in Classroom Management – by James H. Stronge in his book “Qualities of Effective
Teachers” (2002)
1. Consistent, proactive discipline is the crux of effective classroom management.
“Prevention is better than cure,” so goes the adage.
A proactive approach to discipline prevents unnecessary disciplinary problems from crapping up.
2. Establish routines for all daily tasks & needs. Routines save you a lot of time.
3. Orchestrate smooth transitions & continuity of momentum throughout the day.
Smooth transitions prevent unnecessary lull in classroom activities. No unnecessary lull is created
that will breed classroom restlessness which is the father of disciplinary problems.
4. Strike a balance between variety & challenge in students’ activities.
Strike the golden mean between extremely easy & extremely difficult activities. A very easy tasks may
not challenge the learners. So boredom happens into the classroom then disciplinary problems happen.
5. As classroom manager, be aware of all actions & activities in the classroom. Have “eyes on the back of
your heads.” Be aware of what is happening in the classroom.
6. Resolve minor inattention & disruption before they become major disruptions.
Respond to inappropriate behavior promptly.
7. Reinforce positive behavior
Be generous with genuine praise. It is a way of appreciating & recognizing hard work & good
behavior.
8. Treat minor disturbance calmly. (Ornstein 1990) “Do not make a mountain out of a mole.” If a stern
work or gesture can stop the inappropriate behavior so be it.
9. Work out a physical arrangement of chairs that facilitates the interactive teaching –learning process.
Physical arrangement must allow maximum interaction.
10. Make good use of every instructional moment. Minimize discipline time to have more time for
instruction.

7.1 – Answer this:

1. Why are routines considered as one effective practice in a classroom management?
2. Explain this: Restlessness is the father of classroom disciplinary problems.
3. What is the best way of treating minor disturbances?

Unit VIII – Managing the Physical Environment

“The external environment helps create the atmosphere conducive for learning.”
What constitute a conducive physical learning environment?
A conducive physical learning environment includes…
1. conveniently arranged furniture
 2. flexible seating arrangement
3. clean, well-lighted, well- ventilated noise free & fresh classroom.
Black board or white board for writing & clarifying lesson discussions is very necessary. Bulletin
boards must be available for posting important messages & outstanding achievement of the learners.
Arrange the chairs in such a way that these should be enough space for the children to move around.
The choice of the right size of the chair would depend on the students’ size. If the chairs are too big & too
small, they will feel uncomfortable & their movements will be affected.
Clean rooms & surroundings are wholesome places to stay in. The physical environment must also
be a safe place where curious, overactive & energetic children are always on the go. Avoid slippery floors,
rickety chairs & old furniture.
For lively & fresh look, potted plants must be placed in corners & flowers on the teachers’ table.
There must be proper lighting & ventilation for everybody’s comfort.
Equally important is the psychological atmosphere in the classroom.

The challenge:
Make a sketch of a conducive classroom. Consider the fact that
there will be 2 classes in a classroom. How will you arrange the chairs
& the different furniture.

Unit IX – Developing Teaching Strategies

As a Multi-grade Teacher you have the right to decide…
1. What stage of instruction requires your personal attention & coaching & when to work closely with one
grade.
2. What stage of learning requires self-study or exercises in an individual students’ workbook & when to
work in group.
3. Which activities can be handled by your peer students.
4. What activities can promote more group work independent of you or a teacher.
Strategy 1. Teach all groups together
You can decide which lesson or units are suitable to be taught to all learners together.
2. Teach one grade while other work independently.
Decide on a time during the day to devote to each separate grade group. Then after the teacher led
instruction, one group can be left with their peer tutor or work on their workbooks.
3. Teach one subject to all grades & at varying levels of difficulty.
This strategy allows you to group children of different grades, ages & abilities together & teach
them the same curriculum at the same time. Then it can be followed with differentiated tasks & activities.
4. Develop activities for non- taught groups.
Higher grades & older students can sometimes be left on their own to perform activities according
to their mental ability.
5. Develop peer, cross-age & cross-grade teaching strategies
Cross-age tutoring is based on the pairing of students, so that older children can help younger
students with their lessons.
6. Relate learning with daily experience
Relating a topic to your students’ daily lives, tradition & culture helps them understand a concept
more clearly.
7. Teaching students in Mother Tongue
Even if you are not speaking the language of your students, try studying it so that you can teach the
required curriculum.

Assessing Learning & Teaching Performance in Multi-grade Classes

Assessment is essential to find out how well your students are performing & whether your teaching
is going in the right direction.
The assessment of students maybe done daily or on a periodic basis depending on the size of the
class & your capacity as a teacher to work with each student in the classroom individually. Remember
that assessment is not a one-time event but it is cyclic & continuous. It must be adapted to the type of
activity on which the students are being assessed.
Reflect on the purpose of assessment & plan it at four different times during the teaching &
learning process.
1. Before a new topic is introduced – to determine what experience or understanding students
already have about that topic.
2. During a lesson – to find out if your students are learning the concepts being taught.
3. At the end of a topic – to assess mastery prior to the next topic.
4. At the end of a term – to assess of students have retained their knowledge about the lesson.
In a Multi-grade teaching situation, you will have to use several methods for assessing learner
performance and learning outcomes:

 Individual assessment – select activities that help measure the learning of each student. This may
include collecting basic information through administering a test, checking individual assignments
and projects, using checklists, observing each student’s activities and reading his/her written
work, and keeping anecdotal records of each student’s development. Keeping a portfolio for each
student is an especially rich resource that will help you assess the progress of your students over
time and maintain a more permanent record of their work.
 Group assessment – observe how well each group works as a team – who are the leaders, who
needs encouragement to participate, who prevents others from taking part – and the quality of the
group’s results. What did each individual student contribute to the results and how?
 Self-assessment – ask your students about their favorite and most difficult subjects. What
additional help do they think they need to do better?
 Peer assessment – ask the peer tutors you have selected about the progress each students they are
working with are making. Should different peers be assigned to work with students who are
having problems?
In addition to measuring specific learning outcomes such as reading and arithmetic knowledge, you may
wish to observe and assess the following skills and attitudes:

 Reporting, narrating, drawing pictures, picture reading, filling in maps, etc.

 Listening, talking, expressing opinions.
 Expressing oneself through body movements, creative writing, etc.
 Reasoning, making logical connections
 Questioning by expressing curiosity, asking questions
 Analyzing and drawing inferences
 Learning by doing
 Expressing concern and sensitivity towards students who are disadvantaged or have various kinds
of disabilities
 Showing cooperation by taking responsibilities seriously and sharing and working together

What are the characteristics of a good test? Explain each.

Goodluck!!!

The Golden Rule:

“Adapt the national curriculum to the context of the local community and
of your multi-grade classroom, and implement it flexibly, using a variety of
classroom management and teaching strategies according to the
backgrounds, learning styles and needs of your individual students.”