Mixed Ability : Part 1
Noreen Caplen-Spence
Mixed Ability
• Mixed ability
• What does it mean in your context?
• Listening and speaking activity: A & B
Mixed Ability
• What strategies did you use to remember?
Mixed Ability
Is this a mixed
ability gathering?
Mixed Ability
• Name 3 advantages of being here together.
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In groups
Mixed Ability
• What is a mixed ability class?
• In groups of 5- 8 write a definition.
Mixed Ability
What can be observed and experienced in a class
where mixed ability teaching takes place?
• 3 minutes to think
Mixed Ability
What can be observed and experienced in a class
where mixed ability teaching takes place?
• In groups 10 minutes to write as much as you can
Mixed Ability
• Feedback; whole group
• When you hear something you have written tick it
so that it is not repeated.
Mixed Ability
• 5 principles and ideas for practical application
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Set the context
• Practice
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Practice
• Set the context
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Practical
Visual clues
Scaffold structures
AFL
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Interaction
• Practice
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Practice
• Interaction
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Discussion
Q&A
Graphic organisers
Collaborative groups
AFL
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Signpost concept/
structure
• Practice
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Practice
• Signpost concept/
structure
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Headings
Graphic organisers
Restructure
AFL
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Previous knowledge and
experience
• Practice
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Previous knowledge and
experience
• Practice
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From known to unknown
Quiz
Group activities
Brainstorm – Mind map
Restructure info from words to
graphic and vice versa
• Personalise
• Cross curricular links
• AFL
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Language Modelling
• Practice
Mixed Ability
• Principle
• Practice
• Language Modelling
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Stem sentences
Writing frames
Lists
Tables
Questionnaires
Presentations
AFL
Mixed Ability
• What can be seen and felt
Mixed Ability
Students
Teachers
•Aware of goals for the
lesson
•Set goals for the lesson
•Allowed thinking time
•Give time to work things
out
Mixed Ability
Students
Teachers
•Aware of how to get help
•Reinforce resourcefulness
•Learn a variety of strategies •Use a variety of strategies
Mixed Ability
Students
Teachers
•Identify when the pace is
suitable for them
•Use a variety of pace
•Aware of their preferred
•Use a number of learning
learning style and working at styles
developing others
Mixed Ability
Students
Teachers
•Can make appropriate
choices
•Offer some choice
•Aware of strengths and the
next step
•Provide higher order
thinking skills activities
Mixed Ability
Students
Teachers
•Awareness of weakness
•Offer extension and
reinforcement activities e.g.
Multi choice, cloze texts,
create graphic organiser,
word searches
Mixed Ability
Students
Teachers
•Aware of the need to work
in different ways
• Provide individual, pair and
group work
Mixed Ability
Students
Teachers
• Feel significant
•Call the students by their
names
Mixed Ability
Students
Teachers
• Look, listen and engage
Provide stimulus
Mixed Ability
Students Become
Teachers
• Altruistic
Help them to think of others
•Creative
Provide imaginative &
innovative opportunities
Mixed Ability
Students Become
Teachers
• Resourceful
Provide opportunities to
demonstrate strengths
•Resilient
Develop tasks which require
determination to complete.
Mixed Ability
Students Become
Teachers
•Independent
Use opportunities:
to work alone without
support
•Collaborative
to work as part of a team
Mixed Ability
Do
Feel
Think
Mixed Ability
Understand
Do
Experience
Mixed Ability
Class
Know
Remember
Matching materials with learners
Analyse &
Evaluate
Understand
&
Apply
Do
&
experience
Questions?
Know &
Remember
Think & Feel
Mixed Ability
Communication
Connection
Cognition
10.25
Mixed Ability
What we call the beginning is often the end. And to
make an end is to make a beginning. The end is
where we start from.
T. S. Eliot
Four Quartets, Little Gidding
Where will you start?
Mixed Ability
Time to reflect and consolidate
3…2..1.
3 things I remember
2 ideas I could adapt
1 question I have
Mixed Ability : Part 2
Noreen Caplen-Spence
Mixed Ability Part 2
• Living/ tourist
• Offer multi-perspectives
• Assessment for Learning
Mixed Ability
That is the big question.
What are the small questions?
Mixed Ability
• Some answers through doing.
• 3 activities; Poem, Building, and Growth of cities
• Analysis, evaluation, reflection and finally create a
model using the check list.
Mixed Ability
• Remember the bridge?
Mixed Ability
• Autobiography in 5 Chapters
Mixed Ability
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Mixed Ability
• How did you remember?
• In groups write chapter 5
Mixed Ability/AFL
Analyse &
Evaluate
Understand
&
Apply
Create
Questions?
Know &
Remember
Do &
Experience
Think & Feel
Mixed Ability/AFL
• The power of the
group in discussion,
memory, experience
Mixed Ability/AFL
Find the
person
who has
a key to
what you
need.
Mixed Ability/AFL
Mixed Ability
Scaffolding;
How?
What?
Who?
Why?
Mixed Ability
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In groups of no more than 8
Build the tallest, free-standing structure.
Each group has 20 straws
You cannot add anything to the straws.
5 minutes
Mixed Ability
• What was the purpose of that activity?
Mixed Ability
• Strengths
• Observations
Mixed Ability/AFL
• Reflection
3…2..1.
Ideas for classes
Ideas to adapt for my classes
question
Self then Groups of 5/6
Mixed Ability/AFL
• AFL becomes a bridge in the learning
process.
Mixed Ability/AFL
The big question
• The little questions
• Reframe the question
Mixed Ability/AFL
What makes a good question?
Mixed Ability/AFL Tools
• Offer other perspectives by adding
“ might or could” to a question
Mixed Ability/AFL
•Waiting time after
asking questions;
traffic lights.
•Thinking time>
consulting time > talk
time
Mixed Ability/AFL
• The power of the group
Mixed Ability/AFL
• Group discussion
before speaking
Mixed Ability/AFL
Mixed Ability/AFL
• Self & peer marking. By marking an assessment
students become aware of some aspects of the
learning process.
AFL
Oral group answers
AFL Tools
• Traffic lights to show understanding.
• Fist or palm
• 2 stars and a promise
AFL Tools
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All you know about X or Y
Links in learning and assessing
The feedback burger
What is good about..
AFL Tools
• Students review lesson and give a plenary
AFL Tools
• What was the best 5 minutes for me?
• Journalist in the room.
AFL
• Thinking time
AFL
• Stop, Look, Listen……….
AFL Tools: me, myself, I
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Who do I need to help me?
What did I find difficult?
What I really don’t understand
Can I organise this information in a different way.
Graphically?
• What might the test be about?
• What else would I like to know about X?
AFL Tools
It’s all about me!
• How I learn> evaluation
• What I learn>assessment
• What made me think?
• What do I need help with?
• What am I pleased about?
• How would I change this
activity?
Mixed Ability
Time to reflect and consolidate
3…2..1.
3 things I remember
2 ideas I could adapt
1 question I have
When will you start bridge building?