UNIT DEVELOPMENT IN SPLIT CLASSES

1. UNIT DEVELOPMENT IN SPLIT CLASSES Reference Combined Grades: Strategies to Reach a Range of Learners in Kindergarten to Grade6, Ontario Ministry of Education and Training, 2007

2. Advantages of Split Grades • Social and academic advantages to combined or split grades include: - students do better in the area of socio- emotional development - students develop more positive peer interactions - social skills develop better - students do more collaborative and independent learning

3. - students display greater feelings of comfort and security, and show a more positive self-concept - students show higher satisfaction with achievements - there are more opportunities for student leadership - academic performance is as strong as in single grade classes - help teachers focus on students’ individual learning needs

4. “ The older students really get to know their stuff through explaining it, younger classmates get peer role models, and everyone learns the importance of helping people” - Trish Snyder Today’s Parent, 2005

5. Seeing the Differences Differently • Split classes are an opportunity to help students see and acknowledge the differences in their classmates and to see those differences as assets. • Students have more opportunities to see and understand that learning happens at different times for different people.

6. Factors to Consider in Organizing Classes • Students’ needs • Students’ interests • Social skills • Number of students in each grade • Number of boys and girls in each class • Student achievement in literacy and numeracy • Peer relationships • Student strengths

7. Teaching Units of Study in Split Grades • Two distinct approaches are possible: 1. The teacher addresses new learning to two different groups at different times. 2. Common units are built around “big ideas” or themes, while different specific content is addressed by each group.

8. Planning Considerations for Split Grade Units • Align related topics and strands ( Year at a Glance). • Focus on related “big ideas” and common concepts and skills. • Consider commonalities that may be possible in culminating tasks. • Consider grade and student appropriate variations of content, process, and product. • Focus writing instruction on the conventions that will be required for assessment tasks. • Select common or related reading materials. • Make connections among different subjects where the two grades can be aligned.

9. Designing Unit Plans • Focus instruction on the “big ideas” or fundamental concepts and/or skills common to the two grades. • Look for common: - themes - big ideas/ guiding questions - skills - processes - strategies - products

10. Use Inquiry Approaches • The teacher becomes the guide. • Students research different topics with common themes. • Differentiate performance tasks for individual learning needs • Grade specific content can be studied.

11. HOW? • Focus on developing grade appropriate knowledge and skills • Vary content, process, and products. • Use the same resources where possible to group students by language skill ability. • Plan common lessons. Follow the new learning portion with different consolidation and application opportunities for each grade. • Teach responsively….Re-teach and restructure groups as needed. • Use jigsaw approaches and other cooperative learning strategies. • Teach similar lesson when possible (arts, P.E., health)

12. Seating in a Split Grade • Establish three distinct instructional areas in the classroom: - lower grade students’ seating area - upper grade students’ seating area - class meeting area

13. Flexibility • Flexible seating use to respond to evolving needs is critical to managing flow of students in a split grade class. • Create easy access to learning materials. • Establish strong routines. • Ensure many times during the day when you will be available for discussion with individuals from either grade.

14. Routines • Early in the school year, establish routines for: - entry and dismissal - submission and storage of notes from home and daily agendas - transitions - movement - problem solving for common occurrences ( e.g., bathroom routines) - materials management - individual and buddy reading - book selection - procedures for handing work that is finished or not finished - options when work is completed - clean-up procedures - stages for reading and writing workshops - guided reading schedules - daily agenda

15. Anchor Charts • These provide references for students when you are busy with the other group. • Create them with students ( so they know what is on each one). • Print large enough so that each chart is readable across the room.

16. Common Anchor Charts • T-charts of social skills for daily practices such as partner reading, effective listening. • T-charts for work habits, problem solving, independent work. • Comprehension strategy charts ( sentence starters). • Sample graphic organizers.

17. Common Anchor Charts • Classroom rules and responsibility lists. • Classroom helper charts. • Class routine reminders. • Reading strategy reminders. • Alphabet lines/ number lines. • Daily schedule. • Word lists/word wall. • Writing forms and conventions.

18. Common Anchor Charts • Writing elements or traits. • Media techniques. • Rubrics or criteria for achievement. • Shape and pattern charts. • Illustrations and/ or definitions of numeracy terms. • Higher level questioning prompts.

19. Formative Assessment • Use frequent assessments that allow you to gather information about the students’ development Examples: * reading records * numeracy concept tasks

20. Planning For Differentiated Instruction • Regardless of the student’s grade, he/ she may have difficulty accessing grade designed materials because of variations in literacy development. • Teachers must have an awareness of each student’s “zone of proximal development” to plan for growth effectively.

21. Scaffolding • Teachers must support students’ learning to the level of need of each student. • Effective scaffolding requires that the teacher gradually shift the responsibility for the application of the learning to the student as their developing skills allow them to achieve with success.

22. Explicit Instruction • This is the first and strongest form of scaffolding. • Steps in explicit instruction include: 1. Clearly state the learning goals to the student. 2. Explain how the student is to accomplish the task. Support memory of these steps by: - breaking the task into manageable steps - recording the steps for students to refer to as they work 3. Show students what they are to do ( model and exemplify). 4. Scaffold as students apply the new learning. Gradually withdraw support to move students closer to successful independent use. 5. Provide regular feedback about progress.

23. Flexible Groupings • Allow for support to the level necessary, regardless of grade level. • Require larger blocks of time so that several variations are possible within a block. • The teacher strategically selects the use of homogeneous or heterogeneous groups, or individual conferencing to maximize learning.

24. Cooperative Learning • Gives students an opportunity to optimize learning through purposeful talk. • Allows students to develop friendships that might otherwise not happen. • Students can experience the satisfaction that comes with helping others.

25. Mini-Lessons or Re-Teaching • Teachers lay out their year, month, week, and day to be prepared. • They lay out each lesson block to be flexible and responsive to students’ evolving needs.

26. Stages within a Mini-Lesson • Instruction of the whole class through a direct instruction approach ( modeling). • Instruction for small groups or individuals- some students practice and apply new learning with strong scaffolding. • Instruction of the whole class- students come together again to share, reflect, and consolidate new learning, especially by applying new concept language to what they have done.

27. Choosing Learning Materials for Split Class • In selecting learning materials, the teacher needs to determine the materials in the context of: - what is logistically manageable - what materials are available - what the purpose is for the materials

28. Choosing Lesson Problems • To create common problems across grades: - examine common or similar expectations - examine the core resource materials that are available ( e.g., math texts) - adapt available materials so that they combine, extend, or integrate grade-specific goals -anticipate several possible answers and approaches to the new problem ( anticipatory schema) so that you can be ready to scaffold each one

29. Consider All Possibilities • Regardless of grade level, students faced with a common problem, will group into some predictable categories as they attempt to solve the problem. • These include: 1. Same lesson problem, same problem prompts, same range of students responses. 2.Same lesson problem, same problem prompts, differentiated student responses. 3. Same lesson problems, differentiated problem prompts, differentiated student responses. 4. Different lesson problems, different problem prompts, different student responses

30. Management in a Split Grade • Plan lessons so that students are engaged in different parts of the phases of instruction at the same time. EXAMPLE: - Grade 3 students are involved in new learning - Grade 4 students are involved in consolidation and application

31. Assessment in a Split Grade Assessment is: - frequent - unobtrusive - authentic - respectful - related to individual growth Recorded carefully!