Teach English in Hongfanchi Zhen - Jinan Shi

Multi-level classrooms are becoming increasingly popular in today’s society. They include students who are of varying ages, learning backgrounds and techniques, and who may communicate or know English on a variety of different levels. As a result of these differences, it may be more and more difficult for teachers to plan activities and lessons that might be tailored to everyone’s needs. The varying ages in classrooms should always be considered by teachers as it can result in a lack of balance based on the fact that some materials may appear too easy for some students, while others may be completely lost to what is happening. Teachers will therefore have to tailor lessons so that everyone can be engaged and learning. Some ways in which teachers can do this while teaching varying age groups are through collaborative teaching efforts among students, using different teaching methodologies, and knowing the needs and abilities of his or her students. Smith et al in Collaborative Learning: A Sourcebook for Higher Education (1992) defined collaborative learning as a variety of educational approaches involving joint intellectual effort by students, or students and teachers together. With collaborative teaching/ learning, students are usually working in pairs (or sometimes larger groups) mutually searching for understanding, solutions, or meanings, or creating a product. According to Steven G McCafferty et al in Cooperative Learning and Second Language Teaching (2006), the idea that the surest path to engagement in learning a second language lies in students –even beginners- communicating in that language. Letting students teach each other may give teachers the opportunity to introduce new concepts to younger students while keeping the older ones engaged as they assist in reviews or editing younger students work. Collaborative learning not only helps students to teach each other but contributes in a major way to the facilitation of students overall interaction with each other. Partnering and grouping exercises are therefore essential in teaching classes with students of varying ages. Teaching students of varying ages may mean that teachers need to experiment with different types of groupings and activities in order to know what teaching method works best. It is encouraged that teachers use a wide variety of groupings in order to keep things interesting for the class. However, this may not always work based on the activity being carried out or the aim which the teacher wishes to achieve. Some activities may work best with cross ability pairs, others may work well with pairs of like ability/age. Teachers can encourage activities and lessons which are engaging to all, or they may do activities which are tailored to specific levels at any given time. It is important that teachers however try different teaching methodologies and see what works best for the age and overall level of his/ her students. It is important that teachers know their students and their language abilities. Students of various age is also equivalent to students of various language levels. Teacher should identify whether students are beginners or advanced in the language and so on. Students in mixed age classes need to always be doing work which is appropriate for their level. As such, teachers have to pay attention and get to know their students. Students may have to be given regular assessments to keep records of their abilities and based on such teachers may choose to split them up according to their levels. In some cases, for students who are younger, it may be easier to teach them a foreign language as they are in the process of learning their native language as well, and their minds and overall characters are more receptive. Older students however may be a bit more challenging as they have already acquired their native language and may find it hard to adjust to learning a new one. Teachers should always determine the individual needs of students in multi-level classrooms so that lessons can be tailored according to the various age and levels of the students. Teaching varying age groups allow students the opportunity to integrate through listening, speaking, writing and reading with each other. There is no one way or right way specified for teachers to engage with these dynamic groups. It is imperative that teachers use varying teaching methods that work in order to strike a balance, encourage and foster collaborate efforts among students which will help them to learn and teach each other and knowing the needs and abilities of each student so that lessons can be tailored to reach everyone. In essence, it can be seen as knowing your students and knowing the teaching methods which work for them. This will make teaching students of various ages easier for teachers and a great and exciting language learning experience for the students.