Challenges of Teaching Multi-Level Classes

There are many challenges in teaching a multi-level class. When teaching a multi-level class the teacher must be adaptable and able to cater to the needs of a variety of different skill levels. Students who have a higher level of understanding for the subject could easily get bored because it is not challenging enough for them. On the other hand there are the lower level students who could feel anxiety, nervousness and inadequacy when confronted with difficult questions. Consequently, this could be very frustrating for the student and the teacher.

I have taught some small multi-level classes just recently and found it challenging. However, I feel like I have learned many new things that I could try when teaching them in the future. I would begin the activity with the entire group united and have them discuss the theme that the lesson would be focusing on. I would then divide them into equal ability groups and each group would be responsible for completing a specific task according to their skill level. Each specific task would contribute something towards completing the big picture. I would then divide them into mixed ability groups where they would do something interactive such as a role-play to enhance their communication skills. I would set up stations for different levels in the classroom so that those who finish early can continue to learn and practice their skills.

It is especially difficult to evaluate students in a multi-level class. Our goal is to evaluate the students in comparison with their personal goals and personal best, not compare them against each other. Some ways we can monitor their progress without this kind of awkward dynamic is to find alternatives such as journals, participation, and observation of the students and for the students to monitor their own progress with a checklist.

by Ken Lam