How to Teach a Multi-Grade Classroom

Multi-grades are a common occurrence in our current educational system.

Teaching students in combined grade classrooms can be intimidating. The extra workload of preparing and teaching different curricula to multiple grades requires a great deal of patience, energy, and determination. There are different strategies to teaching multiple grades. Having a positive attitude and a clear approach to teaching combined grades can make this daunting task manageable.

Things You'll Need

• Teaching resources such as textbooks and workbooks at the beginning of the year

Instructions

1. Collect teaching resources such as textbooks and workbooks and use them to make a long range plan. Note connections in these resources and organize your year so that similar topics are taught at the same time but at different grade levels.

2. Set up the classroom so that students in the same grades sit together. This allows you to address the individual grades easily.

3. Have a clear division between the grades and give appropriate work to each grade. This will help your older students remain challenged and keep your younger students from getting overworked or frustrated.

4. Practice group work and encourage positive group dynamics. This may be difficult to set up in the beginning, especially if the class is not used to working in groups. Take the time to teach the students how to work successfully in groups, and it will make all the difference when you expect them to work on grade-specific projects.

5. Teach a topic or concept to the entire class and have students answer grade-appropriate questions.

6. Have the students in different grades help one another. Students in the older grades can help the younger students. Students in the younger grades can share what they have learned with the class.

7. Give clear instructions and make work expectations visible so that students within certain grades can work quietly while you teach another grade. Have clear expectations of what students are to do when their work is done so that they do not interrupt your lesson to another grade if they are finished with their work early.

8. Remember that you don't have to teach the same subject to every grade in the class at the same time. For example, one grade can finish an art project while you teach science to another grade.

9. Have a mix of quiet work and active work. Let go of any notion that your class is always going to be quiet and orderly. There are multiple grades, and noise is often part of the learning process.

10. Stay organized throughout the year and prepare in advance for your lessons. Organization is fundamental to balancing a multi-grade classroom.

11. Set up reasonable expectations for yourself. Preparing, teaching, and evaluating multiple curricula can be overwhelming. Just do your best.

References

• A Study on Multi-grade/Multi-class Teaching: Status and Issues
• Rhonda McMaster, Former Teacher of 3 Grade Classroom, Renfrew, Ontario, Canada
• Jennifer Zwiers, Former Teacher of a 4 Grade Classroom, Napanee, Ontario, Canada
• The Multigrade Teaching Module for Zambian Teacher Trainers: Curriculum Planning in a Multi Grade Classroom