Differentiate

Learning at your own level, time and pace is one of the strengths of English Premium/Tweens. In principle, students can work at their own 'point' in the learning path. You can easily monitor and control this.

However, how do you deal with the differences in levels in the classroom? What do you do when your students are working (online) at 2 or more levels?

Just in advance:

1. The difference in level between the students is already a fact (whichever method you work with). With Holmwood's, the differences per student become clearly visible.

2. The degree of differentiation in the lesson strongly depends on the skills of the teacher; such as classroom management, knowledge of language acquisition and level of English (active skills). This differs per teacher. If you need support or training in this, we can provide that.

When working with English Premium/Tweens we support different 'forms' to differentiate , see the diagram below.

As a teacher/team you decide which form suits you. You can also start 'carefully' (option 1) and later 'move' to option 2 or 3. Preconditions such as school organization and ICT resources also influence the possibilities and choices.

EXPLANATION OF OPTIONS:

Option 1 - If you choose this option, this is very similar to teaching from a book, where you also work with the class from 1 unit. Differentiation is limited to the classroom lesson. When you choose option 1, we advise you not to use the "entry test", but to LET the students/class start at the same point in the learning path.

Option 2 - With this option, the most important instruction for the classroom lesson is: teach from the lowest level that occurs in the classroom, without assuming 1 or 2 exceptions. For example, in a class in which 6 students work in Explorers, 11 in Pioneers and 7 in Breakthrough, you teach from Explorers. Students at a higher level can easily 'link in' to an active lesson from a lower level. The other way around it is much more difficult. A variation on this option tends to be option 3, where you teach at different levels every other week; for example, one week from Explorers, where the Pioneers students participate in this lesson, and the next week a lesson from Breakthrough.

Option 3 - The learning efficiency is greatest with this option, but this naturally demands more from you as a teacher/lecturer and from the school organization. Most schools that choose this option are used to full differentiation in other subjects, or have built up their school system differently; smaller (level) groups instead of large classes.

If you would like tailor-made advice, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy  to think along with you to optimize the learning efficiency..