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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陌ngilizce枚臒retmek i莽in neden hikaye anlat谋m谋n谋 kullanmal谋s谋n谋z?
By Richard Cleeve
Okuma zaman谋: 5 dakikad谋r.
Hikayeler bizi g眉ld眉rebilir, a臒latabilir veya korkudan titretebilir. Bize de臒erli hayat dersleri verebilir ve bizi ba艧ka d眉nyalara ta艧谋yabilirler. Dilin ba艧lang谋c谋ndan beri varlar, ama asl谋nda bir dil 枚臒renmemize yard谋mc谋 olabilirler mi?

Hikayeler, 莽ocuklara听陌ngilizce枚臒retirken en kullan谋艧l谋 ara莽lardan听biridir. Sadece dinleme ve okuma becerilerine yard谋mc谋 olmakla kalmaz, ayn谋 zamanda ba臒lam, dil ve yap谋 sa臒layarak konu艧ma ve yazma becerilerini de destekleyebilirler.听

脟ok k眉莽眉k ya艧taki 枚臒renciler hikayelere zaten a艧ina olabilirler - bunlar谋 kre艧te, okulda veya evde ebeveynleriyle birlikte duyabilirler. Bu nedenle, bunlar谋 dil derslerine dahil etmek, 莽evrelerinde kendilerini daha rahat hissetmelerine yard谋mc谋 olabilir. Ve e臒er 莽ocuklar kendilerini rahat hissederlerse, 枚臒renmeye a莽谋k olma olas谋l谋klar谋 daha y眉ksektir.听

Hikaye anlat谋m谋 genellikle s谋n谋ftaki bir grubun par莽as谋 olarak ger莽ekle艧ir. Bu, 莽ocuklar i莽in ileti艧im kurabilecekleri ve bilin莽alt谋nda anahtar dili 枚臒renebilecekleri bir ba臒 kurma etkinli臒i haline geldi臒i anlam谋na gelir. Hikayeyi dinlerken ve onunla etkile艧ime girerken e臒lenirken, 枚臒rendiklerinin fark谋na bile varmadan bilgiyi emerler听.

Peki, gen莽听枚臒rencilerle hangi hikaye anlatma etkinliklerini kullanabiliriz? Hadi bulal谋m.听

Gen莽枚臒rencilerle hikaye anlat谋m谋 i莽in pratik aktiviteler

脟o臒u zaman, hikaye anlat谋m谋n谋莽ocuklara y眉ksek sesle kitap okumak olarak d眉艧眉n眉r眉z. Yine de yapabilece臒iniz ba艧ka aktiviteler de var. Bunlar 艧unlar谋 i莽erir:

1. Koro tekrar谋

K眉莽眉k 莽ocuklar谋n hikayeyle etkile艧ime girmesini sa臒lamak i莽in 枚nce tek ba艧谋na bir c眉mle okuyun. Ard谋ndan, 莽ocuklar谋n bir grup olarak sizinle ayn谋莽izgiyi tekrarlamas谋n谋 sa臒lay谋n. 脟ocuklar dilden emin olana kadar gerekti臒i kadar tekrarlay谋n.听

2. Bireysel tekrarlama

脰臒rencileriniz mutluysa, sizden sonra c眉mleyi tek tek tekrarlamalar谋n谋 isteyin. Her birinin bir s谋ras谋 oldu臒undan emin olun ve cesur olduklar谋 ve dili kullanmaya 莽al谋艧t谋klar谋 i莽in onlar谋枚v眉n.听

3. Oyunculuk oynay谋n

脟ocuklarla iyi 莽al谋艧an bir aktivite, hikayenin karakterlerini canland谋rmakt谋r. 脰rne臒in, her birinin hareket edebilece臒i hayvanlar, periler, canavarlar veya di臒er heyecan verici karakterler olabilir.听

Okurken bir atmosfer yaratmak i莽in hayvanlar谋n, r眉zgar谋n veya manzaran谋n seslerini 莽谋karmalar谋n谋 isteyin. Bu, onlar谋n hikaye ve grubun geri kalan谋yla etkile艧ime girmesini sa臒lar, bu da ileti艧im ve dinledi臒ini anlama becerilerine yard谋mc谋 olur.听

4. Kuklalar veya bebekler kullan谋n

Gen莽枚臒renciler 枚zellikle g枚rsel yard谋mc谋lara ve ger莽ek莽ili臒e iyi tepki verirler. Neden karakterleri canland谋rmak i莽in kuklalar veya bebekler kullanm谋yorsunuz, hatta 枚臒rencilerden onlarla birlikte olmalar谋n谋 istemiyorsunuz? Hikaye ve dil ile daha fazla ilgilenecekler.听听

5. Resimlere dal谋n

脟ocuk hikaye kitaplar谋 genellikle ill眉strasyonlar ve resimlerle olduk莽a g枚rseldir. Hikayeyi anlat谋rken bunlardan en iyi 艧ekilde yararlan谋n. Kelime da臒arc谋臒谋n谋 kullanmalar谋n谋 sa臒lamak i莽in 枚臒rencilere resimler hakk谋nda sorular sormay谋 deneyin.听

Onlara "ne g枚rebiliyorsun?", "ne giyiyor?" veya "bir elma bulabilir misin?" diye sorabilirsiniz. Bu, s谋n谋fta 枚臒rendikleri kelimeleri peki艧tirmenin ba艧ka bir harika yoludur.听

Bu aktiviteleri ayr谋 ayr谋 kullan谋n veya听derslerinize bir kar谋艧谋m ekleyin. Her iki durumda da, hikaye anlat谋m谋, 枚臒rencilerinize 陌ngilizce dil becerilerini geli艧tirmekten daha fazlas谋nda yard谋mc谋 olacakt谋r.听

驰别迟颈艧办颈苍 dil 枚臒renenlerle hikaye anlat谋m谋

Hikaye anlat谋m谋n谋 genellikle 莽ocuklar i莽in bir e臒lence olarak d眉艧眉nsek de, yeti艧kinler i莽in de yararl谋 bir dil 枚臒renme etkinli臒i olabilir.听

Hikayeler, haberlerden sosyal medyaya, kitaplara ve filmlere kadar g眉nl眉k hayat谋m谋z谋n bir par莽as谋d谋r. Bu nedenle, 陌ngilizce dil 枚臒renimi i莽in son derece faydal谋 ara莽lar olabilirler.听

Yine de, hikaye anlat谋m谋na yeti艧kinler i莽in bir s谋n谋f etkinli臒i olarak yakla艧ma 艧eklimiz, gen莽枚臒rencilerinkinden farkl谋d谋r. Genellikle k眉莽眉k 莽ocuklara peri masallar谋 okurken, yeti艧kinler i莽in 莽ok daha geni艧 bir i莽erik yelpazesi sunabiliriz, 枚rne臒in:
- Haber hikayeleri听鈥� 脰臒rencilerin ilgilendi臒i g眉ncel bir haber hikayesi olabilir. S谋n谋fta tekrar anlatmak i莽in bir makale getirmelerini isteyin.听听
- Geleneksel halk hikayeleri听鈥撎柲焤encilere, memleketlerinde b眉y眉yen 莽ocuklar olarak hangi geleneksel halk hikayelerinin veya hayalet hikayelerinin anlat谋ld谋臒谋n谋 sorun. Bu hem dil hem de k眉lt眉rel fark谋ndal谋k i莽in ger莽ekten ilgin莽 olabilir.听听
- Ki艧isel ya艧am 枚yk眉leri 鈥� Hayatlar谋m谋z, 莽ok ilgin莽 okumalar yapabilecek bir dizi k谋sa 枚yk眉d眉r. 脰臒rencilerden s谋n谋fta s枚zl眉 olarak hikayeler payla艧malar谋n谋 isteyebilir veya s谋n谋fa anlatmak i莽in hayatlar谋ndan bir "b枚l眉m" yazmalar谋n谋 isteyebilirsiniz. 脰rne臒in, ba艧lar谋na gelen komik bir 艧ey veya 莽ocukluklar谋ndan bir anekdot olabilir.
听
Film konular谋听鈥� 脰臒rencilere en sevdikleri filmlerin ne oldu臒unu sorun ve gruba olay 枚rg眉s眉n眉n 枚zetini anlatmalar谋n谋 veya dersin sonunda payla艧mak i莽in yazmalar谋n谋 sa臒lay谋n.

Reklamlar听-听脺莽 dakikadan k谋sa s眉rede mini hikayeler anlatan baz谋 harika reklamlar var. 脰臒rencilerin birini se莽mesini, s谋n谋fa g枚stermesini ve grup olarak tart谋艧mas谋n谋 sa臒lay谋n.听

Hikaye anlat谋m谋 hem 莽ocuklar hem de yeti艧kinler i莽in harika bir dil 枚臒renme arac谋 olabilir. 脰臒rencilerinizin ilgisini 莽ekmek, onlara ilham vermek ve onlar谋 motive etmek i莽in yeni bir yol ar谋yorsan谋z, neden bir sonraki s谋n谋f谋n谋zda denemiyorsunuz?听
Mart 19, 2024

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