Optimizing mixed ability teaching with the GSE Teacher Toolkit

GSE Teacher Toolkit: Teaching mixed ability classes

Sara Davila Nisan 15, 2025

A teacher sat at a table with students helping them work

Okuma zaman谋: 4 minutes

One of the biggest challenges for language teachers is teaching a mixed ability class. Students with different levels and abilities will always be present in our classrooms. So, how can we use the to improve mixed ability teaching? Let鈥檚 find out.听

How to teach mixed-ability classes

Differentiated instruction is the best way to address the challenges of mixed ability classrooms. This is a method that helps teachers adjust aspects of the curriculum to match the different levels of听students.*听This practice ensures that all learners are meeting course outcomes, even though their learning experience may be varied and听different.

In order to differentiate instruction and support students with different needs, teachers can change:听

the content being taught听听
the process used to teach听听
the product students create听听
the environment where learning takes place

Adjusting the content tends to be the most obvious way to support learners. So, teachers who want to engage with differentiated instruction in mixed ability classrooms often find themselves producing a lot of content. This is great听as a way to听support learners. However, creating new content or leveling existing content is time-consuming, and it can become a real challenge for teachers.听听

Content vs process

Instead of adjusting your content, you can use the GSE Teacher Toolkit to adjust your process. When you鈥檙e not creating lots of new content, you鈥檝e got more time to consider how to teach new language to your students and how they can show what they鈥檝e learned.听The GSE Teacher Toolkit helps teachers to focus on the process and language production of learners, rather than the content you are teaching.听

This means less work for you, and more engagement from your students, no matter what their level is. And the GSE Teacher Toolkit can help you understand the skills we can expect students to demonstrate. So how does this work in practice? Let鈥檚听take a look.听

Differentiated instruction in practice

Let's apply differentiated instruction, using the , to a complicated grammar lesson for a mixed classroom where some students are still A2, most are A2+ and a few are emerging B1.

Once you have the content for your students, it鈥檚 time to think about how to differentiate the lesson.听

One option would be to create two new worksheets, at an A2 level and an A2+ level - but as noted above, it鈥檚 a lot of work. Additionally, creating leveled worksheets means that you may听actually be听preventing your students from making progress by not adding enough challenge.听

To differentiate appropriately, it鈥檚 best to focus on the process that students will use, in this case, editing. In the GSE Teacher Toolkit, this kind of editing is an A2+ level skill. So, the A2+ and B1 students should be able to complete this worksheet.听

However, it might be a bit challenging for the A2 students. Therefore, you can look in the GSE Teacher Toolkit to find what writing skills you can expect from your A2 students. There are two skills that can be used to process this grammar point:听

A snippet of the gse toolkits writing points

Now that you understand the difference in process for students at different levels, it鈥檚 time to plan your lesson.听

How to differentiate process听

By the end of the lesson all students will be able to identify and correct errors in simple sentences to demonstrate the ability to use 'all of', 'none of', 'most of', 'a lot of', and 'a little of' correctly in writing.听

You can adjust the process to support students at all levels of ability.听

Lesson procedure for the worksheet	How the process is differentiated to support all learners
1. Ask all students to read the crossed-out errors in the worksheet and underline specific mistakes.	This supports A2 students the most. However, it's useful for all students.
2. Ask students in groups to discuss the mistakes. A2+ and B1 students will guide a discussion to create a series of "rules" to correct the mistakes in highlights.	This will be the most useful to A2+/B1 students while challenging your A2 students. Using groupwork allows more skilled students to support their peers.
3. All students will submit their grammar rules as group work.	This allows A2+/B1 students to help A2 students express grammar rules in their own words, to help improve understanding and use.
4. When finished all students complete the worksheet.	All students from A2/B1 can now complete the worksheet.
5. After completing the worksheet, all students will be asked to highlight the correction in the new sentences.	Completing the worksheet may have been easier for your A2+/B1 students.
6. Finally, all students will write a new sentence using the target language. Each student chooses one student to collaborate with.	Adding this extra step ensures that all students make progress by asking them to transfer their knowledge and demonstrate learning by creating something new.
7. Partners review each other鈥檚 sentences and underline any errors in the use of quantifiers. Partners can point out the rules that need to be applied and do a final review once changes have been made.	Applying the grammar rules that learners created to the new sentences helps to fully internalize the language of the lesson for all of your students at every level.
8. Students review peer corrections and create final sentences to submit to the teacher. Students submit all work, including original worksheet, sentences submitted to peers, peer-reviewed sentences with underlines and rule guidance and final correct sentences.	Now, all students from A2/B1 have had an opportunity to understand the rules, clarify and demonstrate knowledge of the grammar point.

This differentiated process primarily supports the students whose level is slightly lower. However, all students will benefit from the change in process, which gives them a chance to deepen their understanding of the grammar rules.听

And, as you can see, students write rules, create new sentences, and conduct a peer review.听All of听this work is created and completed by the students.

As the teacher, you don鈥檛 need to create a new worksheet to teach a differentiated class. The GSE Teacher Toolkit can help you to find a solution that creates more work for students and less work for the teacher.听

Learn more听

If you are interested in differentiated instruction,听t听I recommend is thoroughly researched and detailed by听.听

For more uses of the , there is a whole听section听dedicated to GSE听on our听blog where you鈥檒l find articles on how to use the toolkit. If you need to teach听grammar听and听vocabulary, the GSE Teacher Toolkit is there to support you.听

Read our posts 'Grammar lesson planning with the GSE Teacher Toolkit' and 'Assessing listening skills with the GSE'.

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蜜桃app English International CertificateBa艧ar谋: 10 temel revizyon stratejisi
By Amy Malloy

Her 枚臒renci ve 枚臒retmen, s谋navlardan 枚nce revizyonun ne kadar 枚nemli oldu臒unu bilir. Bu sadece 枚臒rencilerin ne kadar g枚zden ge莽irdikleri ve pratik yapt谋klar谋 ile ilgili de臒il, ayn谋 zamanda bunu nas谋l yapt谋klar谋yla da ilgilidir.

Bu nedenle, siz veya 枚臒rencileriniz 蜜桃app English International Certificate (PEIC)haz谋rlan谋yorsa, i艧te size yard谋mc谋 olacak en iyi on revizyon stratejisi. A艧a臒谋daki tavsiyelerin t眉m眉, A1'den Seviye 5'e kadar alt谋 seviyenin t眉m眉ne uygulanabilir.

Ne bekleyece臒inizi bilin

T眉m seviyeler i莽in ayr谋nt谋l谋 '陌艧levler ve Kavramlar' k谋lavuzlar谋n谋 indirebilirsiniz. Bunlar, 枚臒rencilerin her seviyede 眉retmelerini bekledi臒imiz dil hakk谋nda size 莽ok net bir fikir verecektir. Her seviye i莽in test k谋lavuzlar谋n谋, al谋艧t谋rma testlerini ve di臒er 枚nemli belgeleri indirebilirsiniz.

E艧 anlaml谋lar ve ba艧ka s枚zc眉klerle ifade etme 陌艧

Genellikle okuma ve dinleme g枚revlerinde, cevaplar sorunun e艧 anlaml谋lar谋 veya ba艧ka s枚zc眉klerle ifade edilmi艧 versiyonlar谋 olacakt谋r. S谋n谋fta veya evde e艧 anlaml谋 kelimeler ve ba艧ka s枚zc眉klerle 莽al谋艧mak, kelime da臒arc谋臒谋n谋 geni艧letmenin ve s谋nava daha iyi haz谋rlanman谋za yard谋mc谋 olman谋n harika bir yoludur. A1 s谋nav谋nda 枚臒rencilerin sadece "莽ok temel bir kelime ve basit kelime da臒arc谋臒谋" g枚stermeleri beklenir, ancak seviyelerde ilerledik莽e kelime da臒arc谋臒谋 ve dilbilgisinde daha fazla 莽e艧itlilik beklenir.

C眉mle yap谋s谋 hakk谋nda Focus

Dilbilgisi kontrol眉n眉 geli艧tirmeye yard谋mc谋 olman谋n yan谋 s谋ra, c眉mle yap谋s谋na yak谋ndan bakmak, 枚zellikle dikte g枚revinde size veya 枚臒rencilerinize ger莽ekten fayda sa臒layacakt谋r (b枚l眉m 2). 脰rne臒in, bir fiilin zaman谋n谋 veya bunu veya bunlar谋 kullanmalar谋 gerekip gerekmedi臒ini belirlemek, gereksiz yere puan kaybetmekten ka莽谋nman谋za yard谋mc谋 olacakt谋r. Daha y眉ksek seviyelerdeki bo艧luk doldurma g枚revlerinde (B枚l眉m 3 ve 7) c眉mlelerin eksiksiz ve do臒ru olup olmad谋臒谋n谋 kontrol etmeleri de 枚nemlidir, bu nedenle her soru i莽in her zaman onlara s枚yleyin / t眉m c眉mleyi tekrar okudu臒unuzdan emin olun.

Hata listesi olu艧turma

脰臒rencilerin genellikle ayn谋 hatalar谋 yapt谋臒谋n谋 hepimiz biliyoruz, bu nedenle ki艧iselle艧tirilmi艧 bir hata listesi olu艧turmalar谋 iyi bir fikirdir.

Shifu: Ne zaman bir yazma g枚revi, dikte ya da bo艧luk doldurma yapsan谋z, yapt谋klar谋 tipik hatalar谋 yazmalar谋n谋 isteyin. Ard谋ndan, bir dahaki sefere, d眉zeltmeden 枚nce 莽al谋艧malar谋n谋 listeleriyle kontrol etmelerini s枚yleyin.

Kendi kendine 枚臒renen: Yapt谋臒谋n谋z hatalar谋 not ald谋臒谋n谋zdan ve gelecekte bunlardan ka莽谋nmaya 枚zen g枚stererek bunlar谋 bir listeye koydu臒unuzdan emin olun.听

Vurgulay谋c谋 kullan谋n

Kendinize veya 枚臒rencilerinize her g枚rev yapt谋臒谋n谋zda sorularda anahtar kelimeleri vurgulama veya alt谋n谋莽izme al谋艧kanl谋臒谋 kazand谋r谋n. Bu, 枚臒rencilerin dinlemeleri veya aramalar谋 gereken bilgilere odaklanmalar谋na yard谋mc谋 olur ve ayr谋ca onlar谋 bilin莽alt谋nda konuyla ilgili kelimeler hakk谋nda d眉艧眉nmeye ba艧lamaya te艧vik eder. Bu, 枚rnek bir s谋nav indirerek ve anahtar kelimelerin alt谋n谋莽izerek pratik yaparak uygulanabilir.

Daha fazlas谋n谋 s枚yle

S枚zl眉 s谋nav i莽in 枚臒rencilerinizi cevaplar谋n谋 geni艧letmeleri i莽in e臒itin ve kendileri hakk谋nda konu艧urken kendilerini rahat hissetmelerini sa臒lay谋n. Daha y眉ksek seviyelerde, 枚臒rencilerinize kendi bak谋艧 a莽谋lar谋n谋 destekleyebilmeleri i莽in dil verin. Onlara konular谋n daha karma艧谋k olabilece臒ini, ancak yine de onlar hakk谋nda fikir verebilmeleri gerekti臒ini hat谋rlat谋n.

M眉mk眉n oldu臒unca 莽ok dinleyin

Dinleme b枚l眉mlerinde, 枚臒renciler farkl谋 ya艧lardaki insanlardan 莽e艧itli aksanlar duyacaklar, bu nedenle s谋nava haz谋rlan谋rken onlar谋/kendinizi bir莽ok farkl谋 sese maruz b谋rakman谋z 枚nemlidir. Bu, bir ma臒azada bir 莽ocukla veya ya艧l谋 bir ki艧iyle konu艧an bir ebeveyn olabilir, bu nedenle birisi farkl谋 diyaloglar谋 dinleme konusunda ne kadar 莽ok deneyime sahipse o kadar iyidir. Ders kitaplar谋ndaki dinleme etkinliklerinin yan谋 s谋ra, 枚臒rencileri bo艧 zamanlar谋nda podcast dinlemeye veya YouTube video izlemeye te艧vik edin.

Gayri resmi (gayri resmi) olun

Yazma ve rol oynamada, 枚臒rencilerin her g枚rev i莽in hangi d眉zeyde formalitenin gerekli oldu臒unu bilmeleri 枚nemlidir. Bir arkada艧, bir tezg芒htar veya bir banka m眉d眉r眉 gibi farkl谋 insan t眉rleriyle ba艧a 莽谋kmak i莽in yaz谋l谋 ve s枚zl眉 yap谋larda 莽ok fazla prati臒e sahip olmal谋d谋rlar. Ayr谋ca, s枚zl眉 s谋navda rol oynamaya haz谋rlanmak i莽in sahip olduklar谋 15 saniyeyi en iyi 艧ekilde de臒erlendirmelerini ve ihtiya莽 duyacaklar谋 yap谋 ve kelime da臒arc谋臒谋 t眉rlerini d眉艧眉nmelerini hat谋rlat谋n.

Kelime s谋n谋r谋na uyun

Yazma g枚revlerinin her biri i莽in, 枚臒rencilerin birka莽 kelime fazla veya az olmas谋na izin veren bir 'tolere edilen kelime s谋n谋r谋' vard谋r. Ancak, 枚臒rencileri ne kadar yazd谋klar谋na dikkat etmeleri i莽in e臒itmelisiniz, b枚ylece gerekli g枚rev uzunlu臒una a艧ina olurlar. 脰臒renciler, yaz谋lar谋ndan ortalama bir sat谋r se莽erek, o sat谋rdaki kelime say谋s谋n谋 sayarak ve ard谋ndan toplam tam sat谋r say谋s谋yla 莽arparak tam olarak ka莽 kelime yazd谋klar谋n谋 hesaplayarak zamandan tasarruf edebilirler.

脰臒rencilerin g枚revleri h谋zl谋 bir 艧ekilde tamamlamaya al谋艧malar谋 i莽in s谋nav ko艧ullar谋nda yazma prati臒i yapmalar谋 da 枚nemlidir. S谋n谋fta veya kendi kendine 枚臒renen biri olarak baz谋 s谋nav al谋艧t谋rmalar谋 ekledi臒inizden emin olun, ge莽mi艧 bir s谋nav ka臒谋d谋yla sessiz bir yerde pratik yapmaya 莽al谋艧谋n, s谋nav ko艧ullar谋n谋 olabildi臒ince yak谋n bir 艧ekilde 莽o臒alt谋n.

Cevaplar谋 tekrar kontrol edin

Son ipucumuz ger莽ekten bir revizyon stratejisi olmasa da, 枚臒rencilerin di臒er t眉m revizyon stratejilerini uygularken ak谋llar谋nda tutmalar谋 kesinlikle 莽ok yararl谋d谋r. 脰臒rencilerin s谋nav谋n sonunda ka臒谋tlar谋n谋 kontrol etmek i莽in kendilerine zaman ay谋rmalar谋枚nemlidir: Her soruyu doldurdular m谋? Bo艧luk doldurma g枚revlerinde c眉mleler tamamland谋 m谋? Yaz谋lar谋n谋 kontrol ettiler mi ve s谋k s谋k yapt谋klar谋 hatalar谋 hat谋rlad谋lar m谋? T眉m cevaplar a莽谋k ve okunmas谋 kolay m谋? Son bir kontrol her 艧eyi de臒i艧tirebilir!

Bu en iyi ipu莽lar谋yla, siz veya 枚臒rencileriniz s谋nava fazlas谋yla haz谋r olacaks谋n谋z. 陌yi 艧anslar!

Ekim 13, 2020

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