Planning to Support Mixed Ability Teaching

1. Planning to Support Mixed Ability Teaching Sharon Gunn SDP Coordinator

2. Background in Mixed Ability Teaching • School opened in ----- • Broad banding • 1998 Switch to Mixed Ability • Ongoing evaluation of Mixed Ability

3. Mission Vision and Aims

4. SPHE Programme • Closely linked to our Mission Statement • Our wish is that …’our students leave us with a positive self-image, with the skills and attitudes which will enable them to make a positive contribution to an ever-changing society.’

5. Class Organisation issues…Class Group 1 • Concerns about inferiority complex/ poor self-image/ low expectations/ discipline issues/ motivation issue • Sense that we were doing this group a disservice • Since Mixed Ability we no longer have a ‘Problem Class’ & discipline issues are diluted.

6. Class Group 2 • Misplaced students not catered for in Higher level Maths/ English/ Irish • Extra classes offered by concerned teacher • Need therefore to address this issue of access • Result: Mixed Ability has allowed us to offer all subjects to all pupils

7. Planning for Mixed Ability Teaching • Inservice prior to decision (establish the rationale) • Subject departments used to working with one another (work through concerns together/ share materials & methodologies) • Tutor System (monitor student achievement through attendance & Journal) • SPHE Programme promotes positive self-image & tolerance of difference • Learning Support initiatives

8. Role of SDP Coordinator • Support Subject Departments: Timetable inservice/ department meetings • Provide evaluation materials & encourage dialogue on teaching & learning issues • Facilitate end of year subject planning day • Communicate with Student Tracking POR

9. Mixed Ability Teaching pupils of different learning styles with different levels of talent, knowledge, speed and motivation………

10. The Teacher: Planning challenges • Can involve extra planning for the teacher • Involves planning for all learners • As awareness of all types of learner develops the task gets easier as resources build up over time. • Challenge is to engage the better able and maintain the interest of those who struggle. • Differentiation is the key

11. Differentiation • How does it work? • Differentiation - the merits…..Variety of stimulus/ encourages a number of ways of approaching the same topic so that all learners gain/ encourages innovation/ encourages peer mentoring. • Differentiation can occur: by resource/ by task/ by outcome/ by classroom organisation. • A move away from teaching ‘to the middle’ by employing good teaching methodologies.

12. Class Plan for MAT: German • Core information: Learn vocabulary (Draw a picture/ word search/ crossword/ hangman) Must know • Developing the skills of sentence construction (mix & match exercises/ pair work conversation) Should know • Look for deeper understanding (reading comprehension/ application of grammar previously learned /ability to express own ideas in writing) Could know

13. MAT techniques • Questioning (open) • Self-marking • Role play • Use of homework for extension exercises. • AFL inservice provides useful support for MAT.

14. Maths • 1st Year: Mixed Ability • Set number of topics covered with all classes • ‘Wouldn’t have it any other way’ • ‘No problem getting the course covered’ (McGarry 2006) • 2nd Year: classes are set based on the results of a common paper at the end of 1st Year • Range of questions on the paper i.e. it is differentiated- building in opportunities for success

16. Assessment • Differentiation by outcome: Pupils do the same task with the same resources but the teacher’s expectations for each pupil will be different and will be reflected in the marking. • Differentiated worksheets: pupils are given the same worksheets containing gradated exercises. • Differentiation by task: Pupils do different tasks with different resources.

17. Supporting MAT • Student Tracking POR • SDP Coordinator • Effective Subject Departments: Reporting structure/ shared resources • Inservice to refresh/ remind/ revise • Learning support initiatives: Team teaching/ SNA s support classroom teaching • Induction of new staff • End of year subject planning day/ annual evaluation

18. Support/Inservice can… • Help initiate the exploration of Mixed Ability Teaching • Update methodologies • Refresh the approach • Help us assess our effectiveness at what we do.

19. Agenda for Subject Departments • What were the desired outcomes for MAT? • Have they been achieved? • Have results changed/improved? • How do departments organise the ability of students for teaching and learning and how are students grouped in each year group? • What values are behind these decisions?

20. Workshop 1 What structures do you have in your school to support Mixed Ability Teaching at the moment? What steps do you need to take to support effective introduction of mixed ability teaching?

21. Workshop 2 Evaluating mixed ability teaching: • Identify indicators of success in relation to mixed ability teaching at • whole school level • at subject department level

22. Initiatives for evaluation of student achievement • Look at results – student tracking (POR) • Better use of available data: using it proactively • Template to identify the achiever/underachiever • Formative assessment in first year • Subject department questionnaire • Student questionnaire: What Qs might give clues about the value of MAT

23. Mixed Ability 10 years on… Concerns about high achievers • Student tracking • Social benefits: no ‘problem class’ • Educational benefits: equality of access • Discipline issues have been diluted • Recent AFL inservice maintains momentum • Regular evaluation