TESL 120 - Unit 4 reflection


This unit focused more on the differentiated classroom and having multiple levels in a class. In all learning situations, you will never find a classroom that is completely homogenous. Everyone learns at a different pace and so you can start with a group of learners that have similar skills and strengths, but as time goes by, their learning will vary as well. However, it is also possible to have classes with beginner, intermediate and advanced learners all grouped together due to many different reasons. According to Mathews-Aydinli and Van Horne’s article, it is important when you have a multilevel class to discuss this with the learners and let them understand that working with more than one level can be beneficial for them (Mathews-Aydinli and Van Horne, 2006, p.2). They also describe different strategies that can be used to help students to work together based on combined skills as well as individualized work (Mathews-Aydinli and Van Horne, 2006, p.2). I have actually had the chance to do this with my own classes. It works well to plan based on the skills that the different levels have in common and then the possibility of doing activities in pairs or groups, while still getting the information in for all present levels. One part that I found quite interesting was the section of the text that talked about having counselors for the learners (Mathews-Aydinli and Van Horne, 2006, p.4). I had not thought about this aspect. It is interesting and I find it quite important, as it will help with the classroom environment. I was also questioning the part of the text that discusses using the learners native language (Mathews-Aydinli and Van Horne, 2006, p.2-3). I understand the usefulness of it, but I question what happens for the instructor if they do not speak the learners’ native language.

References:

Mathews-Aydinli, J. & Van Horne. (2006). Promoting success of multilevel ESL classes: What teachers and administrators can do. Retrieved from
http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/multilevel.pdf





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