Teaching Differing Proficiency Levels

1. Teaching Differing Proficiency Levels Dr. Latricia Trites Academic Advisor Fulbright Yilan Project 2008-2009

2. Problem Posing – Different Proficiency Levels In small groups, • Describe the language ability levels of the students in your classes. • Discuss what you do when you have students with different language proficiency or intellectual ability levels in your classroom?

3. Problem Posing – Different Learning Styles In small groups, • Describe the learning styles or characteristics of the students in your classes. • Discuss how you address different learning styles in your classroom?

4. Determining Students’ Levels • Needs Assessment • What do you know about their language performance? • What can they do in the classroom (observation)? • What do you know about their background? • Special education, gifted and talented, cram schools • Parental role • Proficiency Guidelines • Speaking Guidelines • Writing Guidelines • Plan of Action

5. Teaching Considerations • Students’ learning process • Teacher’s role • Teacher talk • Role of native language • Authenticity of language • Fluency and accuracy • Student creativity • Classroom techniques • Listening and speaking goals • Reading and writing goals • Grammar

6. Differing Learning Styles • Take a sheet of paper and draw three columns. • In each column, describe three different people that you know well. • Compare your list of people in a small group. • Finally, as an entire group, let’s list the classroom activities at which these people would excel.

7. Multiple Intelligences • Linguistic • Logical-Mathematical • Visual-Spatial • Musical • Bodily-Kinesthetic • Interpersonal • Intrapersonal • Naturalistic Concept by Howard Gardner

8. Learning Styles Comparison • Active vs. Reflective Learner • Sensing vs. Intuitive Learner • Visual vs. Verbal Learner • Sequential vs. Global Learner Based on Felder & Soloman

9. Differentiated Curriculum • Plan alternative activities for different student proficiencies. • Set lesson objectives that all students must meet, then set other objectives for more advanced learners. • Remember to challenge student to their ability level; otherwise, you’ll overwhelm the slower students and bore the advanced students.

10. Suggested Alternative Activities • Pair work • Group work • Centers (reading, listening, computers, videos, etc.) • Puzzles, games, story boards, etc. • Songs

11. Break-out Activity • In groups of 3-4, think of a lesson/activity that you recently taught. • How could you modify it for slower learners? • How could you modify it for more advanced learners? • What activities could you add, remove, etc.?

12. Discussion • How can you implement these alternative activities in your classroom?