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Read about Sol’s many extracurricular activities, including Science Olympiad, a school club that prepares for a science competition.

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Last week in the Teacher’s Corner, we presented the basics about how to address the needs of students from multiple levels in your classroom through learning stations. This week, we will focus on suggestions for how to use teacher-supported groups either in conjunction with learning teams or learning stations, or as a stand-alone strategy. Additionally, we will discuss how to create leveled assignments to differentiate instruction for your students.

Teacher-Supported Groups

If you are using the learning teams described in Week One of this month’s Teacher’s Corner, you can differentiate instruction by assigning only a portion of your class to learning teams. While more advanced students can benefit from a learning team that works without teacher assistance, beginners have different instructional needs. For these lower proficiency students, create a teacher-supported group. Note that this group can still be called a learning team so that students do not feel singled out. The difference is that you will work directly with this teacher-supported “learning team” rather than the students completing work independently. You can include this group on a list of learning teams posted in the classroom so that the difference is less obvious to students.
 
Once you have given the signal for learning teams to assemble, the students you have selected for the teacher-supported group can join you for an alternative activity. This group can meet in a designated area of the classroom, such as a specific table or open area where everyone can sit comfortably. Use the extra time with lower level students to provide additional instruction or practice, review challenging concepts, or provide an alternative task that is better suited to their level of English. Gathering these students in a small group will also make them more comfortable. They may be more likely to participate and ask questions than they are as part of the whole class.

If you are not using learning teams, you can still provide additional support to your beginner level students in a small group. After you present a lesson, give the class a practice activity to work on independently. Then, simply gather the students who need extra support or an alternative assignment in the area you have designated. Teacher supported groups can also be used to challenge more advanced students. Follow the same procedure, but instead gather your most advanced students to work on a more complex task or assignment.

Planning Ahead

When using teacher-supported groups to differentiate, you will be more effective if you decide which students to include ahead of time. You can create several different groups based on the levels in your classroom. Then, make a schedule of which group you will meet with each day. Use the groups and schedule to plan the activities and type of support you will give to your students. A sample schedule is shown below. If you plan to post the schedule in your classroom, give each group a name rather than listing the students’ levels.


Day

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Group

Beginner:
Miguel
Li
Bardan
Jeffrey
Marisol

Advanced:
Anaam
Sarah
Catherine
Viet
Ro

Beginner:
Miguel
Li
Bardan
Jeffrey
Marisol

Advanced:
Anaam
Sarah
Catherine
Viet
Ro

Beginner:
Miguel
Li
Bardan
Jeffrey
Marisol

Activity

Review vocabulary from the unit by playing concentration as a group.

Create a skit using new vocabulary from the unit. Start writing script.

Match vocabulary words and definitions and then write sentences with words as a group.

Create a skit using new vocabulary from the unit. Finish writing a script and practice it.

Review vocabulary words and definitions. Use words to fill in the blanks in a short passage on the unit topic.

Creating several groups and scheduling time with each one works well for classrooms with many different levels. However, sometimes a majority of students in a class are at the same level, and there is a smaller portion of beginner or advanced level students who have different needs. In this situation, it works best to create a group (or a few groups) with the students who are outliers and meet with them more frequently. How often you meet and with which students can also be adjusted based on the content of your lessons. For instance, if you know certain students struggle with a particular verb tense, you can give them extra practice in a teacher-supported group.

If you are planning to include a teacher-supported group as one of the learning stations described in Week Two of this month’s Teacher’s Corner, the same idea applies. Plan the activity based on the needs of the students you will work with according to the learning station schedule. This is a great opportunity to provide targeted instruction to small groups of students.

Leveled Tasks

Another option to address multiple levels in the same class is to assign different tasks on the same topic. Planning for this is similar to creating different assignments for a teacher-supported group because you base the task on the needs and abilities of your students.

Let’s use an example class with 5 beginner-level students, 23 intermediate students, and 7 advanced students. As teachers with limited time, we often do what will benefit the majority of our students. Therefore, we might give this class a task suited to the intermediate level since they are the majority. If we do this, the advanced students might find the work too easy and become bored while the beginners might struggle.

The 5 beginner-level and 7 advanced students could definitely benefit from work that is better suited to their capabilities. While our curriculum or government standards may require that we teach certain topics and skills in a set course, we can support all of our students by considering their abilities when we plan lesson activities. Below are some sample topics you might teach in an English course and examples of how you can create leveled tasks for each one. Note that these example tasks would be assigned to students after you have provided a lesson or series of lessons on the topic.

Topic

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Poetry

Give students a poem with one or two words missing per line. The words should all be the same part of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives) or from the same category (colors, animals, foods). Have them choose their own words to fill in the blanks and create a new poem. If needed, provide a word bank.

Provide students with an example poem similar to the one you want them to create. Provide a document with the first one or two words of each line followed by a blank. Allow students to create their own poem by writing the rest of each line independently, referring to the example as needed.

Ask students to create their own poems independently. Examples of poems you have studied in the lesson can be referred to for support if necessary.

Post Reading (Fiction)

Give students a simple graphic organizer with three sections, one each for the beginning, middle, and end of a story. Low beginner level students can draw pictures to represent what happened in each part of the story or chapter you have read. They can add words or simple sentences, or orally retell the events.

Have students write 3-5 sentences for each part of the story or chapter  (beginning, middle, and end). Have students identify the setting, characters, and major events. A graphic organizer can be used if needed.

Ask students to write an essay describing the events in the text you have read. Require them to include sequence words such as first, next, then, and finally, as well as to identify the characters, setting, and major events. Ask them to include a paragraph predicting what they think will happen next or providing an alternate ending.

Post Reading (Nonfiction)

Provide students with a graphic organizer appropriate for the text being used, such as a timeline. The graphic organizer should be partially completed (at least half of the dates and events filled in). Ask learners to work in pairs or small groups to fill in the missing information using the text.

Give students the same graphic organizer as the beginner level students, but with less information provided (perhaps only the dates). Have students work in pairs or small groups to fill in the missing information using the text.

Give students a blank graphic organizer. Provide them with instructions about how it should be completed. Have students work independently to fill in the missing information. For an extra challenge, ask students to summarize the information in writing.

Vocabulary

Give students a matching activity where words and definitions must be correctly paired. Then, have them refer to the words and definitions to fill in the blanks in sentences with the vocabulary words missing. This can be completed independently or in pairs.

Require students to fill in the blanks in sentences with vocabulary words missing. Then, ask learners to write their own original sentences using the new words.

Provide students with a list of the vocabulary words. Ask them to create a cohesive composition or short story using all of the new words correctly.

Grammar Concepts

Ask students to identify the new concept in a text or choose from several options. For example, if you have taught the future tense, ask them to highlight verbs in the future tense in a story. Have students explain why they chose the words.

Provide learners with a list of verbs to change to the future tense. Have students write sentences that correctly use the future tense of each verb.

Ask students to create a poster explaining the future tense and giving examples. The poster should include when and why the tense is used, how the verb changes, and sample sentences. Students can work in small groups and present the posters when they are finished.

Teaching students with varying English levels and abilities in the same classroom can be overwhelming. However, with a bit of planning, teacher-supported groups and leveled assignments can help you provide instruction that is more appropriate for all of your students.

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Activity 3
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This document provides the answer keys for the Comics in the Classroom materials.

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Answer Keys
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Max plays piano and bass guitar. Read and listen to Max talk about his school orchestra's trip to Georgia, and what he does on a typical school day.

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Last week in the Teacher’s Corner we looked at how to use learning teams to manage large classes. Another common issue that many English teachers deal with is having students from multiple levels in the same course. This makes planning for and meeting the needs of individual students quite difficult. This week in the Teacher’s Corner we will explore how to set up learning stations to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students from various levels.

Learning Stations

Stations are an excellent way to provide students with activities that are tailored to their abilities.  Setting up stations and training students in proper procedures does take time, but the investment is worth it because it can help you meet students’ needs more effectively.

There are many different ways to include learning stations as part of your instruction. Some teachers choose one day of the week to use stations while others designate a portion of the class period every day. Before you get started, consider the amount of time you have, the number of students you have, and how many learning stations you plan to set up.

Grouping Students and Creating a Schedule

Once you have decided which stations you plan to set up, you can divide your class into groups according to the number of stations. For example, if you have five learning stations, divide your class into five groups. To address the different levels in your class, plan to have one station where students work with you, the teacher. For this purpose, create groups based on English level so that you can create activities in your teacher-led station based on what each group of students needs. (See more about teacher-led groups below.) Give each group a name, create a chart like the one below, and post it in the classroom so students can refer to it.

Learning Station Groups

Blue

Red

Yellow

Green

Orange

Jose

Emilia

Kristin

Ali

Fin

Miguel

Li

Bardan

Jeffrey

Marisol

Anaam

Sarah

Catherine

Viet

Suchita

Juan

Ayden

Tomas

Cing

Ginny

Yasin

Sarmila

Maryan

Alahama

Beth

After forming groups, determine how often you would like students to work in learning stations and create a schedule to post in the classroom. Two examples, one for daily learning stations and one for a single day of learning stations, are shown below.

Learning Station Schedule (Daily)

Stations

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Writing

Blue

Red

Yellow

Green

Orange

Reading

Orange

Blue

Red

Yellow

Green

Games

Green

Orange

Blue

Red

Yellow

Listening

Yellow

Green

Orange

Blue

Red

Teacher

Red

Yellow

Green

Orange

Blue

Note: Teachers who have students work in learning stations for part of each day usually divide the class period. Part of the time is allotted for the teacher to deliver a lesson and the other part is used for students to work in learning stations. The amount of time you spend on each of these activities depends on the needs of your class. Many teachers also create station activities based on the content they are teaching each week.

Learning Station Schedule (Single Day)

Stations

Time

Time

Time

Time

Time

Writing

Blue

Red

Yellow

Green

Orange

Reading

Orange

Blue

Red

Yellow

Green

Games

Green

Orange

Blue

Red

Yellow

Listening

Yellow

Green

Orange

Blue

Red

Teacher

Red

Yellow

Green

Orange

Blue

Note: For a single day where groups rotate through all of the learning stations, you will need to divide the class period into equal amounts of time. This way each group will spend the same amount of time working in each learning station. When you are planning, it is important to add transition time (time for students to clean up and move to the next station) into the schedule. Keep in mind that younger students require more time to transition. You can label each column in the schedule above with the amount of time that works for your class.

Setting clear expectations and rehearsing the procedures ahead of time will help your stations run smoothly. It also helps to use a timer that makes a sound, such as a kitchen timer or one on a mobile phone. Alternatively, you can loudly and clearly utter a consistent phrase such as, “Groups please rotate!” or “Change stations!” so that students become accustomed to your signal.

Ideas for Learning Stations

The table below suggests learning stations that do not require a lot of materials or planning. Of course, any activity that you can train your students to work on independently can be used as a learning station. The goal of the stations is to have students practice English, whether they are listening, speaking, reading, or writing. Usually, working in a group on the activities described below allows students to use multiple skills at the same time.

Station Name

 

Materials

 

What Students Do

Writing

Photos/illustrations, old magazines, picture dictionaries and/or regular dictionaries, previously studied vocabulary word lists, nonfiction books on familiar topics, graphic organizers (such as beginning-middle-end, main idea and details), posters describing previously studied types of writing (narrative, poetry, informative, persuasive, etc.), specific questions or topics you want students to write about (can be written on the board or posted in the writing area)

Create lists, cut out magazine photos and label them or use them create a story, write essays/stories using vocabulary words, use graphic organizers to plan fiction or nonfiction pieces of writing, research a topic and write about it, respond to specific prompts or questions, write journal entries, or create posters.

Reading

A classroom library (if available) or books selected by students or the teacher, printed reading passages and response questions, tablets for students to access e-books or online reading resources, any books or reading materials students are currently studying, graphic organizers

Use the reading materials in the station to read independently, read aloud to or together with a peer, or take turns reading parts of a text (if sharing materials). Respond in Learning Station Journal by drawing, writing about the text, or answering specific questions. Complete a graphic organizer based on the chosen text.

Listening

Any device (stereo/boom box, phone, tablet, computer, etc.) that can be used to play a recorded text or dialogue for students using headphones or speakers. Recordings can be teacher-created, found online, or materials specifically created for a listening center.

Listen to the text or dialogue at least two times. Respond in Learning Station Journal by drawing and labeling, listing words, writing a response, or answering specific questions posted by the teacher.

Technology

Tablets, computers, mobile phones, or other technology and internet access if available

Use educational apps or games, research a specific topic, use educational software to practice specific skills, or visit teacher-selected websites for specific purposes.

Games

Items needed to play familiar games used in the classroom or other learning games such as board games, cards, bingo, crosswords, or puzzles.

Play a single game as a whole group, or choose games to use with a partner or portion of the learning station group.

Teacher

Lessons or activities prepared for each group of students based on English level. The activities can be use to teach new concepts, review concepts that students need extra help with, or provide a challenge to advanced learners.

Work with the teacher to learn, review, or reinforce a specific skill or concept. Complete an activity or task tailored to the group’s needs and abilities.

Collecting and Grading Students’ Work

To keep track of the work your students complete in stations, provide a composition book or notebook for each student. Write the student’s name on the front and then designate sections of the notebook to each of the stations the student will visit. The pages can be divided by using sticky notes, paper clips, or by simply folding a page at the beginning of each section. Train students to use the appropriate section of the notebook in each learning station and to write the date on each entry they make.

Notebooks can be stored in one area of the classroom, such as a specific shelf or in bins. They can be stacked according to station groups so that a group member can easily distribute them each time students work in learning stations. If you prefer, students can keep track of the notebooks individually. Since the notebooks will only be used in class, there is no need for students to take them home.

Work that students complete in the teacher led station can be assessed for a grade. To keep students accountable and monitor their progress, you should also choose to grade some of the work they complete in stations. This can be accomplished by choosing a date or station and then checking each student’s notebook for completion for that specific day or activity.

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Activity 2
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Below is a mind map about maps. Your job is to fill in the blanks to complete the mind map. (A mind map is a graphic organizer that shows how ideas can be connected and grouped together.)
 
Unscramble the Map Words in the column on the left to spell words that are related to maps: there are four directions, four natural features (such as mountains), and five features made by humans (such as streets). Then use those words to fill in the blanks in the Mind Map.
 
For example, “TESTERS” can be unscrambled to spell “STREETS.” And STREETS can then be written in the box marked “Features Made by Humans.”
 
Now see if you can unscramble the other words and place each in the proper box in the Mind Map.
 

(Download the attached PDF for the full Mind Map exercise and answer key.)

 

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The Lighter Side: A Maps Mind Map (Forum page 49)
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LEVEL: Intermediate to Advanced
 
TIME REQUIRED: 45–60 minutes
 
GOALS: To practice alternative ways of brainstorming and activating learner knowledge; to collaborate with classmates on discovering the potentials of career choices; to reinforce vocabulary related to jobs and careers; to engage in self-discovery related to career interests
 
MATERIALS: Chalk and blackboard ormarkers and poster paper; pens and paper; tape
 
OVERVIEW: A mind map is a type of ideas to be written and linked to related ideas on a “map.” Imagine the central idea in the middle of the paper with related ideas connected to the central idea as well as to other ideas. When students step back and look at a mind map, they have a clear visual representation of how their ideas are connected.
 
This activity can be used to brainstorm ideas, develop existing ideas for projects and activities, or review content students have learned. The example below uses the topic of jobs and careers to demonstrate how the activity works; however, you can use the activity for other topics that fit your students’ needs and interests. In this case, students will start with a job or career that interests them, work together to compile what they collectively know about each job, and finish with a brief writing activity.
 

(Download the attached PDF to access the full Try This exercise.)

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Try This: Collaborative Mind Mapping (Forum pages 44-48)
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If you are an English teacher in Upper Burma, particularly in Mandalay, you probably know Nyein Ei San. Ms. San has been active in the English language teaching (ELT) community in Burma for the past decade, teaching English as a foreign language and training English teachers in her local community. Ms. San works as what is commonly considered a private teacher. Being a private teacher in Burma means that she is not affiliated with a single school, but instead teaches at multiple institutions.
 
Ms. San realized she wanted to teach English when she was a university student, through an unusual situation. “Most of my friends were my students, as they did not understand the lessons our teachers taught,” she said. “And from that time on, I tried to find teaching methods to make my friends understand more. It was then that I realized that I wanted to become an English teacher.” 
 
Still, even though she had chosen her career, Ms. San had to overcome many obstacles on her professional journey. For example, during her time at Mandalay University, the university was frequently closed down, so often that it took her more than ten years to finish her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Yet Ms. San persisted; during the multiple university closings, she instead visited the local American Center in Mandalay to work on her English. No challenge could have changed her goal of becoming an English teacher.
 
 

(Download the attached PDF to read the full My Classroom text.)

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My Classroom: Burma (Forum pages 40-43)
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When students generate mind maps, the maps are usually on paper, computer screens, or a blackboard. Here is a way for your class to create a Human Mind Map. 
 
Human Mind Maps require few resources and little preparation. The main requirements are space where students can move around and a little creativity and imagination. 
 
The technique works best if students are already familiar with mind maps (sometimes called concept maps). They should also have knowledge of a set of terms or concepts related to a particular topic. Before you begin the activity, select a topic. It could be one the class has just studied—perhaps weather, the environment, or your school. Then follow these steps:
 

(Download the attached PDF to read the full Teaching Technique.)

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Teaching Techniques: Human Mind Maps (Forum pages 37-39)
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The process of learning a second language requires vulnerability, and vulnerability demands trust. To put students into a language-learning environment where they are unsure of their abilities, do not know their classmates, and are getting a grade for their performance can lead to an atmosphere of hesitation and fear. It has been said that “words are the voice of the heart” (Confucius), and to ask our students to allow others to see their inner thoughts and heart is a hefty request and one that should be approached delicately and with intentionality.
 
One way to create a safe environment for sharing, collaborating, and vulnerability is to foster an authentic community within the English as a second language (ESL) classroom. This does not need to be something we must add to our list of things to do but rather something that, with a bit of thoughtfulness in our planning, can be cultivated through the practice of the English language.
 
I have used a lesson on adjectives to promote a sense of community while reinforcing the ability of students to use adjectives authentically. This activity can be adapted for use with adults and children alike. This particular lesson was done in Los Angeles, California, with an adult group of beginning, intermediate, and advanced ESL learners from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. I taught a standard lesson on adjectives with presentation, practice, and production phases. However, in the production phase, I tweaked the activity to give my students the chance to use language to empower one another. I spoke to my students about the power of language and how easily it can be used to either build up or tear down others. Furthermore, we discussed how we are all one community working towards the same goal, albeit with our own individual struggles, and how as a class we need to encourage one another in the process.
 

(Download the attached PDF to read the full Teaching Technique.)

Author: Christa Bixby Format: Text
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Using the Power of Language to Foster Community (Forum pages 33-36)
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