Tag Archives: differentiation

Strategies for teaching multi-level language classes

Multi-level classes, sometimes called mixed ability or combined classes, refer to groups of students who are enrolled in different courses and are combined into one class or section. For example, both German 3 and German 4 students may be combined into one class.

Multi-level classes tend to occur in scheduling situations where there are too few students signed up for a particular course. The choice on the part of the school scheduler is to either cancel the course altogether or to combine the students into a class of a different level course.

Strategies for teaching multi-level classes

I would argue that every world language class is a group of mixed levels even though it may have a label like “level 2.” In a proficiency-based classroom, the teacher is offering both support and challenge to a wide range of learners with the goal of providing learning experiences to students that allow them to advance along the proficiency continuum. Language teachers are accustomed to differentiating instruction for their classes on a daily basis. Many of the suggested strategies within this post for multi-level classes are applicable to all language classes.

One approach to multi-level classes is where the teacher selects high interest unit themes for a Year A course and other themes for Year B. The students of both levels experience the same content themes and direct instruction (Year A) aimed at the proficiency targets for both levels. Students who continue the following year in the multi-level classroom will have a new set of unit themes (Year B). Through classroom tasks, the expectations for student performance will differ based on their level. Some small group instruction may occur for specific skill building based on the students’ proficiency expectations per level.

Here is an example of Year A and Year B curriculum themes:

Some additional strategies and approaches for multi-level classes are:

1.Open-ended tasks: The teacher designs communicative tasks that allow students to demonstrate their language proficiency in the communicative modes. Using real world prompts, open-ended tasks

  • have multiple valid answers
  • encourage creativity and deeper thinking
  • and allow for personal responses.

Here’s an example of an open-ended task prompt for presentational writing:

You can find resources and guidance for designing performance task prompts here: https://www.grahnforlang.com/designing-performance-tasks.html

2. Flexible grouping: Students are given multiple opportunities to work with a variety of partners and small groups, including those of the same level, different levels, or similar interests. Students learn from and support one another through collaborative work. Processes and protocols for flexible groups include cooperative learning strategies.

3. Student self-assessment and goal setting: Students are given frequent opportunities to self-assess and set goals for their growth in language proficiency using rubrics and checklists. They are also provided specific, meaningful feedback on a regular basis on how they can advance in their proficiency.

Below is a sample list of feedback for students in the interpersonal mode from which teachers might choose:

4. Learning centers/station rotation: Students practice speaking, listening, viewing, reading, and writing skills through a variety of open-ended tasks that allow them to demonstrate their language proficiency. The learning stations may include a teacher-guided center where the teacher does mini lessons with a strategically chosen group of students. For more details on learning centers, here are links to previous blog posts on the topic: Post #1, Post #2, Post #3

5. Tiered texts and tasks: The teacher provides students with authentic texts and tasks of a variety of difficulty levels that allow for differentiation of support and challenge to students. For more details on tiering texts, check out this blog post. For more information on tiering tasks, see this blog post.

Here is an example of three authentic texts in German on the topic of family pets of a variety of difficulty levels. Note that one chart can be used by all students while interpreting the differentiated texts.

6. Student choice and voice: Students are given agency over their learning by having choices in the tasks they complete. The teacher also solicits input from students on the language they want and need to express themselves. Choices may be provided through choice boards, free voluntary reading, and through project-based learning.

This is an example of a This or That choice board on the topic of food waste for French students:

To do a deeper dive into the topic of multi-level classes, here are some resources for you:

Teaching Mixed Level Classes (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4BUSfhZta0: A video from Klett World Languages

Teaching Mixed Proficiency levels: https://ioannanifli.wordpress.com/2021/08/17/teaching-mixed-proficiency-levels/: ESL focus, has helpful visuals

Multilevel World Language Classes: Teacher Perspectives and Practical Solutions: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1390096.pdf: A research article

Supporting Mixed-Ability Classrooms: Research in Language Education Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/902405863258202/posts/3376695779162519/: Helpful strategies visual

It’s all about choices

Over the last several years, I’ve been doing a lot of work in the areas of student engagement and differentiated instruction.  Once aspect that stands out in both areas is the power of student choice.  According to Kanevsky and Keighley, in their article entitled “To Produce or Not to Produce: Understanding Boredom and the Honor of Underachievement” (2003), choice ranks among the 5 characteristics of an optimal learning environment that students seek along with the aspects of control, challenge, complexity and caring.  Choices are motivating to most people and we often make choices based on our personal preferences.

In the world of differentiation, choice also plays center stage and no other strategy illustrates this more than Choice Boards (also called Learning Menus, Think-Tac-Toes).  Choice boards offer a menu of options for students that can vary in content, process, or product.  They are most often constructed with varied learning styles and interests in mind.  Choice boards can even be tiered so that advanced learners are steered toward more challenging choices and struggling learners toward more scaffolded choices.

Here is a link to my wiki called Dare to Differentiate where you will find a plethora of examples of choice boards in various formats (one of my favorites is the dinner menu) for various subject areas and levels.  Also check out a new type of choice board I’ve recently found called the 2-5-8.  On the wikipage, I have also linked to or uploaded examples of rubrics for choice boards along with multimedia examples of ways to deepen your knowledge on the topic.

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I’m so much more than a test score!

As Student Growth is becoming a pivotal part of teacher evaluation, teachers need to become data experts.  Baseline data, formative assessments, and artifacts and evidence will be central to measuring student learning.  Standardized and district-created tests yield data that can be sorted and separated.  Teachers collect daily data from students in the form of student work, exit tickets, and observation.  For some great ideas for formative assessment strategies, visit this link.

So, the question is… do all of those data points paint a complete picture of who your learners are?  I think not.  There is so much more to know about our students beyond just test scores.  What are some ways you can collect data about student interests and learning preferences?

I’ve assembled a variety of resources on the topic of Knowing Your Learners on my wiki called Dare to Differentiate.  There are many tools that have been created, both low and high tech to collect information about our learners in terms of their interests and learning preferences which are customized to the age/grade level of the students.  There are even multiple intelligence and learning styles surveys that can be administered to World Language students in the target language.

Two of my favorite tools were developed by a colleague.  The first, “Where Does Your Intelligence Lie?,” is an Xcel worksheet on which students indicate True or False to a series of statements.  Once you have the student data, you use the second tool, “Class Intelligence Profile,” where you input the two strongest intelligences for each student in a particular class.  The results are then created in a chart and also in the form of a pie graph.

Many teachers with whom I have worked love this tool!  They print out the pie graph for each class and keep it in their plan books.  As they plan lessons for their classes, they refer to the graph to align activities they are planning with the students’ intelligences.

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Another great resource I’ve found recently is called a “personality array.”  You compare your personality with the characters from Winnie the Pooh.

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Happy data collecting!