Mixed Ability : Part 1Noreen Caplen-Spence

• Mixed ability

• What does it mean in your context?

• Listening and speaking activity: A & B

Mixed Ability

Mixed Ability

• What strategies did you use to remember?

Mixed Ability

Is this a mixed ability gathering?

• Name 3 advantages of being here together.

• In groups

Mixed Ability

Mixed Ability

• What is a mixed ability class?

• In groups of 5- 8 write a definition.

Mixed Ability

What can be observed and experienced in a class where mixed ability teaching takes place?

• 3 minutes to think

Mixed Ability

What can be observed and experienced in a class where mixed ability teaching takes place?

• In groups 10 minutes to write as much as you can

Mixed Ability

• Feedback; whole group

• When you hear something you have written tick it so that it is not repeated.

Mixed Ability

• 5 principles and ideas for practical application

Mixed Ability

• Principle• Set the context

• Practice

Mixed Ability

• Principle• Set the context

• Practice• Practical• Visual clues• Scaffold structures• AFL

Mixed Ability

• Principle• Interaction

• Practice

Mixed Ability

• Principle• Interaction

• Practice• Discussion• Q & A• Graphic organisers• Collaborative groups• AFL

Mixed Ability

• Principle • Signpost concept/

structure

• Practice

Mixed Ability

• Principle • Signpost concept/

structure

• Practice• Headings• Graphic organisers• Restructure• AFL

Mixed Ability

• Principle • Previous knowledge and

experience

• Practice

Mixed Ability

• Principle • Previous knowledge and

experience

• Practice• From known to unknown• Quiz• Group activities• Brainstorm – Mind map• Restructure info from words to

graphic and vice versa• Personalise• Cross curricular links• AFL

Mixed Ability

• Principle • Language Modelling

• Practice

Mixed Ability

• Principle • Language Modelling

• Practice• Stem sentences• Writing frames• Lists• Tables• Questionnaires• Presentations• AFL

Mixed Ability

• What can be seen and felt

Mixed Ability

Students Teachers•Aware of goals for the lesson

•Allowed thinking time

•Set goals for the lesson

•Give time to work things out

Mixed Ability

Students Teachers•Aware of how to get help

•Learn a variety of strategies

•Reinforce resourcefulness

•Use a variety of strategies

Mixed Ability

Students Teachers•Identify when the pace is suitable for them

•Aware of their preferred learning style and working at developing others

•Use a variety of pace

•Use a number of learning styles

Mixed Ability

Students Teachers•Can make appropriate choices

•Aware of strengths and the next step

•Offer some choice

•Provide higher order thinking skills activities

Mixed Ability

Students Teachers•Awareness of weakness •Offer extension and

reinforcement activities e.g.Multi choice, cloze texts, create graphic organiser, word searches

Mixed Ability

Students Teachers•Aware of the need to work in different ways

• Provide individual, pair and group work

Mixed Ability

Students Teachers• Feel significant •Call the students by their

names

Mixed Ability

Students Teachers• Look, listen and engage Provide stimulus

Mixed Ability

Students Become Teachers• Altruistic

•Creative

Help them to think of others

Provide imaginative & innovative opportunities

Mixed Ability

Students Become Teachers• Resourceful

•Resilient

Provide opportunities to demonstrate strengths

Develop tasks which require determination to complete.

Mixed Ability

Students Become Teachers •Independent

•Collaborative

Use opportunities: to work alone without support

to work as part of a team

Do

Feel

Think

Mixed Ability

Experience

Know

Understand

Do RememberMixed Ability

Class

Mixed Ability

Do &

experience

Know & Remember

Analyse &Evaluate

Understand &

Apply

Think & FeelQuestions?

Matching materials with learners

10.25

CommunicationConnectionCognition

Mixed Ability

What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.

T. S. Eliot Four Quartets, Little Gidding

Mixed Ability

Where will you start?

Time to reflect and consolidate3…2..1.

3 things I remember

2 ideas I could adapt

1 question I have

Mixed Ability

Mixed Ability : Part 2Noreen Caplen-Spence

Mixed Ability Part 2

• Living/ tourist • Offer multi-perspectives• Assessment for Learning

Mixed Ability

That is the big question.

What are the small questions?

Mixed Ability

• Some answers through doing.• 3 activities; Poem, Building, and Growth of cities• Analysis, evaluation, reflection and finally create a

model using the check list.

Mixed Ability

• Remember the bridge?

• Autobiography in 5 Chapters

Mixed Ability

Mixed Ability

• Chapter 1 • Chapter 2• Chapter 3• Chapter 4• Chapter 5

Mixed Ability

• How did you remember?

• In groups write chapter 5

Create

Know & Remember

Analyse &Evaluate

Understand &

Apply

Think & Feel

Do &ExperienceQuestions?

Mixed Ability/AFL

Mixed Ability/AFL

• The power of the group in discussion, memory, experience

Mixed Ability/AFL

Find the person who has a key to what you need.

Mixed Ability/AFL

Mixed Ability

Scaffolding;

How?

What?

Who?

Why?

Mixed Ability

• In groups of no more than 8• Build the tallest, free-standing structure.• Each group has 20 straws• You cannot add anything to the straws.• 5 minutes

Mixed Ability

• What was the purpose of that activity?

Mixed Ability

• Strengths • Observations

Mixed Ability/AFL

• Reflection3…2..1. Ideas for classesIdeas to adapt for my classesquestion

Self then Groups of 5/6

Mixed Ability/AFL

• AFL becomes a bridge in the learning process.

Mixed Ability/AFL

The big question

• The little questions

• Reframe the question

Mixed Ability/AFL

What makes a good question?

Mixed Ability/AFL Tools

• Offer other perspectives by adding “ might or could” to a question

Mixed Ability/AFL •Waiting time after asking questions; traffic lights.

•Thinking time> consulting time > talk time

Mixed Ability/AFL

• The power of the group

Mixed Ability/AFL

• Group discussion before speaking

Mixed Ability/AFL

Mixed Ability/AFL

• Self & peer marking. By marking an assessment students become aware of some aspects of the learning process.

AFL

Oral group answers

AFL Tools

• Traffic lights to show understanding.• Fist or palm• 2 stars and a promise

AFL Tools

• All you know about X or Y• Links in learning and assessing• The feedback burger• What is good about..

AFL Tools

• Students review lesson and give a plenary

AFL Tools

• What was the best 5 minutes for me?• Journalist in the room.

AFL

• Thinking time

AFL

• Stop, Look, Listen……….

AFL Tools: me, myself, I

• Who do I need to help me?• What did I find difficult?• What I really don’t understand• Can I organise this information in a different way.

Graphically?• What might the test be about?• What else would I like to know about X?

AFL Tools

It’s all about me!• How I learn> evaluation• What I learn>assessment• What made me think?• What do I need help with?• What am I pleased about?• How would I change this

activity?

Time to reflect and consolidate3…2..1.

3 things I remember

2 ideas I could adapt

1 question I have

Mixed Ability

When will you start bridge building?