Mixed- Ability classroom

[Ros]

* What factors do you consider important in causing mixed- ability?
Order of importance for me:

- Personality
- Motivation
- Aptitude
- Attitude
- Learning style
- Previous exposure

* What do you think of the Teacher suggestions? Every Teacher suggestions have the intention to help Ss to make them feel taken into account asking their opinions about the topics. For teenengers is important to work in groups and Teacher considerated this facor to assign tasks.

*What else would you do in these situations?

I would add this suggestions:
- Ask Students to answer a survey about interers and a multiple intelligences test at the beggining of the school year so that as a Teacher you can consider all these information at the momento of elaborate the year lesson plan.
- Analyse the learners needs and grade the activities according to the predominant level in class.
- Ask Ss to work in pairs or groups of four, so that two Students with hihger English level help the other two Students with a basic level.
- As a Teacher I woul elicit my Stuvents to implement a leaners diary so that they keep a record the things they learnt.

Every group is a mixed- ability group. Do you agree with this? Yes I agree. As a Teacher I am aware that in almost every classroom I will find a mixed-ability group, at least in federal schools is a reality that I hve to face in every single group.

What are the implications of these statements for Teachers?
This statement implicate that as a Teacher I need to considerate that this kind of gruops requires that I know my Students leaning style, interests, level and to analyse all this information so that I can design strategies to reach the aim of the class.

Mixed ability is usually considered to be a problem but it is? could there be some advantages to having Student of different levels and abilities in the same class?
I think that when you get to used to work with this kind of gruops you don´t see it as a problem instead you see it as a challenge and you have the opportunity to work with multiple resources in order to reach all your Students. I consider that it help you to always be inovating and improving your teaching skills

[fernanda]

i agree with you, i think that every group is different and we have to deal with that instead of complain, we have to to be prepare for any situation and improve our teaching skills.
i see an advantage you can use advance students as monitors and help the rest of the class.