Peter Lucantoni

1. Coping with Multilevel Classes:Differentiation in action through reading and writingPeter Lucantoni

2. Peter Lucantoni • Started teaching in 1979 in UK, lived and worked in Europe and Middle East, now based in Cyprus • Author, Educational Consultant & Teacher Trainer for Cambridge University Press • Cambridge TKT, CELTYL, CELTA & DELTA trainer and Cambridge CELTYL assessor • Examiner for Cambridge ESOL speaking examinations • Classroom teacher

3. Workshop aims What is a multilevel class? What is differentiation and how do we do it? Graded tasks Content learning Conclusions

4. What is a multilevel class? • In a sense, every class is multilevel • Classes are made up of people, and everyone is different • Language classes tend to be highly heterogeneous • Every teaching context is different

5. What is a multilevel class? • Differences in learning styles, speed and aptitudes, as well as motivation • Very clear difference in language levels: skills abilities, vocabulary range, grammatical knowledge, pronunciation, … • Differences in background and world knowledge

6. What is a multilevel class? • In your group, find three things which are common between you (for example, your first language) • Then for each person in your group, find one thing which is not common between you (for example, a hobby)

7. What is a multilevel class? • Think of the students in a class you teach • What is different between the students in the class? • Examples: • Fatma doesn’t like using computers, Ali prefers speaking to writing, Salma is very shy

8. What is differentiation? • Teacher reflects on learners’ needs and matches methods, resources, tasks, learning environment to individual learners or groups of learners • Through differentiation all learners can achieve success

9. How to differentiate • Differentiation does not attempt to enable all learners to achieve the same standard • The point is to help learners to achieve their potential – the best as individuals they are able to achieve • As a teacher you need to use your skills to encourage learners to reach their personal goals

10. You are going to ‘freewrite’ about two topics For each topic, you will be told when to start and stop writing. Write everything you think of, and don’t worry about grammar and spelling You can write words, phrases and sentences Don’t stop to erase anything. Just keep writing Freewriting activity

11. 1 Working as a teacher of English 2 My free time activities Freewriting activity - topics

12. Did you like this activity? Why/not? Would you use it with your learners? Why/not? Did it differentiate between different types of learners? Freewriting activity

13. How to differentiate • Many ways available to teachers • For each method below, think of one advantage and one disadvantage • Use same-ability groups • Use mixed-ability groups • Varying tasks • Varying outcomes • Varying learner support

14. How to differentiate Same-ability groups: • Most common way, sometimes called ‘streaming’ • Most effective way to help teacher match work to different levels • Creates competition between learners • May cause less able learners to develop poor self-image, especially if groupings rarely reviewed

15. How to differentiate Mixed-ability groups: • Prevents stigmatisation • Research shows less able learners work better in mixed-ability groups • More able learners may not reach potential • Less able learners may rely too heavily on more able learners

16. How to differentiate Varying tasks: • Contributes to success for all learners • Learners cover same work and/or meet same objectives • Can be more preparation work for the teacher • Learners need to become used to working on different tasks from friends

17. How to differentiate Varying outcomes: • Helps all learners to be successful • Ideal for meeting individual learner’s needs • Can be more preparation for the teacher • More resources may be required to meet all learners’ needs

18. How to differentiate Varying learner support: • Can allow teacher to spend more time with less able learners • Provides more able learners with opportunity to become more autonomous learners • More able learners may resent less time with class teacher • Less able learners may rely too heavily on teacher support

19. What makes writing difficult? • It’s different from spoken language • Writing is difficult in L1 • Lack of real-world knowledge and generating ideas • Different writing conventions • Unfamiliarity with script • Language difficulties • Lack of motivation

20. name/sound of letters, upper/lower case, position of paper/body, regular size of letters, letter shape/slant, left-right orientation, direction of each letter, pencil control, line as anchor point spelling, uniform letter size, uniform slant, regular spacing of letters within word grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, capitalisation, order, structure, spacing between words content, effect on reader, style, appropriacy, organisation, sequencing, paragraphing, linking words, word count Connected text Phrases Words Letters – a, j, Q, Y

21. Remember that ‘connected text’ does not necessarily mean ‘advanced’ or ‘difficult’ Even low level learners can produce ‘connected text’ How? Connected text

22. What text types might your learners write? You have two minutes. Think about: PERSONAL WRITING eg, diary CREATIVE WRITING eg, poem SOCIAL WRITING eg, writing a postcard PUBLIC WRITING eg, poster Connected text

23. Connected text • Personal writing – notes, diaries, shopping lists, reminders, recipes • Creative writing – stories, poems, shape poems, plays, songs • Social writing – letters, emails, texts, greetings cards, invitations, instructions • Public writing – posters, class magazines, menus, letters to other ss/classes

24. Group writing activity – Dictogloss • In this activity, learners recreate a text • First, put down your pencils and listen to the text • Then, write down everything you can remember about the text • Show your ideas to your partners. Try to agree on what you heard • Listen again and redraft your writing

25. The man with seven lives On a cold winter day, many years ago, a French art teacher named Pierre Chevalier got on a train in Lyon to go to Paris. When he started his journey, he didn’t know that it was the beginning of almost 40 years of accidents and near-death experiences. During the journey, the train came off the tracks and fell into an icy river, killing 12 passengers. Chevalier managed to swim back to the shore. He had a broken leg and needed treatment for shock, but was very happy to be alive. English in Mind 2 (2nd edition), Puchta & Stranks, Cambridge University Press, 2010

26. Did you like this activity? Why/not? Would you use it with your learners? Why/not? Did it differentiate between different types of learners? Dictogloss

27. Tasks Give support or add challenge to same task

28. Giving support to class tasks • How can you help less able students to be successful in completing a task? • Example: allow students to read the tapescript while listening

29. Allow students to read the tapescript during listening Give sentence prompts for open-ended tasks Use L1 to have students repeat instructions or review key vocabulary Use the board Elicit key vocabulary before a listening task Write numbers and their spelling on board Use visual input, TPR, etc. Give line numbers or paragraphs for vocabulary Giving support to class tasks

30. Giving challenge to class tasks • How can you challenge more able students while they complete a task? • Example: have them work on tasks with books closed

31. Have them work on tasks with books closed Have students sit back to back for roleplay task Extend task, if it asks for 4 questions have students create 6 or 7 Give an extension exercise to personalize, such as write a summary of their group discussion Create exercises for future practice and keep an exercise box Giving challenge to class tasks

32. Grading tasks text level of challenge + differentiated tasks level of support = student success

33. Grading tasks • Look at the three graded tasks. • What are the similarities and differences? • Which are the least and most challenging? Why?

34. Grading tasks A Read the text, then look at these sentences. Are they true or false? Correct the false sentences. 1 The first Americans arrived there in 1300. 2 The first Native Americans came from Asia. 3 When the Europeans arrived, there were 300 Native Americans. 4 The settlers called them Indians because they lived in India. 5 The Native American and the Europeans didn’t fight at first. (Adapted from Messages 2 Student’s Book, pg 65, Goodey & Goodey, Cambridge University Press, 2010)

35. Grading tasks B Read the text, then look at these sentences. Are they true or false? Correct the false sentences. Then write three more true/false sentences for your friend. 1 The first Americans arrived there in 1300. 2 The first Native Americans came from Asia. 3 When the Europeans arrived, there were 300 Native Americans. 4 The settlers called them Indians because they lived in India. 5 The Native American and the Europeans didn’t fight at first. (Adapted from Messages 2 Student’s Book, pg 65, Goodey & Goodey, Cambridge University Press, 2010)

36. Grading tasks C Read the text, then look at these sentences. Are they true or false? 1 The first Americans arrived there in 1300. 2 The first Native Americans came from Asia. 3 When the Europeans arrived, there were 300 Native Americans. 4 The settlers called them Indians because they lived in India. 5 The Native American and the Europeans didn’t fight at first. (Adapted from Messages 2 Student’s Book, pg 65, Goodey & Goodey, Cambridge University Press, 2010)

37. Grading tasks • Look at the text ‘A flying disaster’ and exercises a-d, taken from English in Mind 2 (2nd edition) by Puchta & Stranks, published by Cambridge University Press (2010) • How could you adapt the four exercises a-d to give support to your less able learners, and to provide challenge for your more able learners? • Design two further exercises: one to support and one to challenge learners

38. Meeting a famous person • You’re going to write a story about meeting a famous person

39. Meeting a famous person • Write your name at the top of a sheet of blank paper • Write the numbers 1-6 down the left side • Think of a famous person – anyone you want • Write the answers to the following questions. Do NOT write the questions! Write complete answers, not single words or short answers • Do not discuss anything with your partner!

40. Meeting a famous person 1 When did you meet the famous person? I met the famous person … 2 Where were you? 3 Who was with you? 4 What did the famous person look like? 5 What did you do? 6 What happened in the end?

41. Did you like this activity? Why/not? Would you use it with your learners? Why/not? Did it differentiate between different types of learners? Meeting a famous person

42. Content learning • Content teaching is teaching/learning language through content • In other words, the content drives the language, unlike more traditional approaches where the language drives the content

43. Content learning • One of biggest differences among learners is their knowledge of world, talents, interests, general knowledge, knowledge of other subjects • An unsuccessful language learner does not mean they have no knowledge or skills in other areas

44. Content learning What P flies in the sky? What A travels in space? Which E is a planet? Which S shines brightly? Which R can fly to the moon? Which W is the opposite of black?

45. Content learning • Look at the text ‘Medicine in the past’ taken from English in Mind 2 (2nd edition) by Puchta & Stranks, published by Cambridge University Press (2010) • Write six questions based on the content of the text

46. What is a poem? What does it look and sound like? Do you ever ask your students to read any poems? Why/not? Do you ever ask your students to write any poems? Why/not? Poems

47. Poems for the future - modals • In my future life I might … • I could … • I may … • But I’ll definitely …

48. Poems for the future - various • In my future life I’d like to be … • And I’d like to … • And … • Then … • Please …

49. In my future life I’d like to be a cat, I’d like to sleep for twelve hours Then dance around my flat. I’d like to play by moonlight And sunbathe in the sun, I’d like to climb a palm tree And catch my tail for fun. I’d like to dine on fresh fish Then drink a sea of milk, I’d like to live – that’s my last wish, Please ban all dogs from earth! [Adapted from: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/try/activities/poems- future]

50. Did you like this activity? Why/not? Would you use it with your learners? Why/not? Did it differentiate between different types of learners? Poems