A mixed ability or multi-level ESOL class is a group of learners who have various levels of language proficiency (note that there is natural learner variation in any one class – even within the same level – and this should be seen as normal).

Factors Contributing to a Multi-level Class

There can be many and various reasons why you may end up teaching a group that comprises more than one ESOL level. Here are some ideas:

  • Lack of teacher and volunteer capacity, skill/experience/confidence/resources to cater for a particular level.
  • Learners are not tested on entry so their ability is formally unassessed.
  • Lack of space and furniture.
  • Language-learning ability including educational background, literacy in heart language, disabilities, and personal experiences of learning language.
  • Cultural influences and attitudes to learning language. e.g. the role, style, and approach of the teacher.
  • Learners overestimating their own ability

Discerning the Level of Learners

It’s useful to have some sort of ‘placement test’ for all newcomers to a class to help group learners accordingly. This can be through a short spoken interview, written task, or graded grammar and vocabulary exercises.

To get a fuller picture of the different levels at play in the class, personal surveys, questionnaires, worksheets or gap-fills ‘about me’ can shed more light on where learners are at.

Questions can also help build relationships such as their reasons for learning English, their feelings about being in the class with other abilities, and the interests they have outside of class.

Advantages of a Multi-Level Class

Multiple levels within a group can help surface positive aspects alongside some very real challenges. First the positives. Here are some thoughts:

Learners may have opportunities to…

  • Go at their own pace.
  • Form relationships with peers in and outside the classroom.
  • Become partners in learning – explaining to someone else helps stronger learners consolidate learning; stronger learners challenge weaker learners.
  • Be accepted no matter their level of English.
  • Help with gentle peer correction. Teacher talks less.
  • Broaden their perspectives with lower levels seeing something to aim for, higher levels can see progress made.

Challenges of a Multi-level Class

Now for some of the challenges for both learners and teachers:

Learners may…

  • Feel self-conscious or critical.
  • Stop participating or dominate.
  • Mis-correct lower levels.
  • Be overconfident.
  • Hold up the class by constantly asking for explanations.

Teachers and volunteers may be stretched…

  • Pitching the level of the lesson.
  • Preparing differentiated tasks. Finding appropriate teaching resources and materials.
  • Organising appropriate groupings.
  • Determining individual needs of learners.
  • Ensuring learners are challenged and interested.
  • Balancing ‘English only’ with translation in group work.
  • Balancing focus on main cohort along with higher and lower levels.

Tips for Approaching a Multi-level Class

A multi-level class is not for the faint-hearted. But they are possible, even enjoyable. Here are some pointers stemming from personal experience, observation, and pooled wisdom from others teaching ESOL.

Prepare intentionally

Teaching ESOL classes calls for a measure of spontaneity and flex although being well-prepared increases the chances of a fruitful class session.

  • Become aware of and identify different ‘mixed abilities’ among learners.
  • Choose tasks with familiar language for all learners.
  • Pre-teach collocations and vocabulary within context.

Follow a routine or structure. Learners generally appreciate knowing what to expect in class. This could be always starting with a warm-up that involves the whole group, then dividing learners off into groups or pairs, revolving that group around, and finally bringing everyone back together again for a whole group game.

Think about Classroom Management & Roles

  • Differentiate error correction according to level – but we should raise the bar for all levels in terms of quality but being sensitive. Use peer correction.
  • Give learners role and autonomy. Examples include:

Learner decision-making – nominating someone to answer or go next. Helping teachers and volunteers by taking the register, keeping time, putting away furniture, helping other learners, writing on the whiteboard.

Think about Aims

Set a “Super Objective” or overarching aim for the whole lesson and then an objective for each level of a multi-level class. For example:

Super Objective By the end of class, learners will be able to plan healthy meals

Beginner-Elementary aim – Make a shopping list

Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate aim – Use information from the food pyramid to distinguish good and bad eating habits

Upper Intermediate aim – Make a menu of healthy food choices based on data from government sources including the food pyramid

Think about Differentiating Activities

‘Differentiation’ is approaching the same activity in different ways to accommodate as many learners as possible.

See differentiation as…

  • The input (e.g. alternative versions of the same text)
  • The process (how the same input is used – do learners read and find answers, read with an information gap, or read then research more?).
  • The output (tasks are open-ended and learners can engage in their own way – at a hypothetical market, do learners record names of fruit and vegetables, find out prices or interview sellers?).

Note: Differentiate ONE task/activity/stage within a lesson as it simply takes too much time to do this for everything. AI tools such as ChatGPT can be useful for generating differentiated text – if used with caution.

Think about Grouping

Use different groupings of differing abilities. It could be easier to assist in a smaller group. Anxiety and shyness may be reduced and learners could contribute more. You could group learners by: Random pairing – use pieces of string held in the middle of the group of learners all together. Each learner takes an end and finds a partner.

  • Intentional grouping. Giving coloured pieces of paper to different learners according to who you want to be together.
  • Mixing: Learners start working in groups. After a time, one learner joins another group to share information.
  • Matching: Sit with someone wearing blue and other variables.
  • Numbering: Number learners ‘1,2’ or ‘1,2,3’ and all ‘1’s work together, etc.
  • Topic choice/shared interest: Those who play football, who like to cook etc.
  • Lining up: Alphabetical order of first name/name of country, shortest to tallest.
  • Heart language.

Think about Activities & their Focus / Benefits

  • Set the activity where the lowest level learners are at – activities can always become gradually more difficult if needed.
  • Whole group warm-up – fosters community.
  • Information gap exercises – all levels bring different knowledge to the room.
  • Art and images – all levels activate vocabulary and discussion.
  • Dictation – lower levels have fewer gaps to fill; higher levels have more and larger gaps.
  • Self-access materials around classroom for learners to do at their own pace.
  • Language games such as Spot the Difference, Hangman, and Bingo.
  • Learners speak on a topic and others ask questions to see what they have understood.
  • Role-play, dialogue and discussion – learners find own level for output and use simpler/more complex language.

Conclusion

It’s understandable to be anxious about coping with a multi-level class but being intentional about becoming more aware of and preparing for different levels can be springboard to positive and joyful teaching and learning. Why not give some of them a go with an upcoming class?

 

Authors

These Top Tips have been edited by Daniel Whetham – based on a seminar on “Teaching Mixed Abilities” by Marina Swainston-Harrison for 2:19: Teach to Reach (2022).

Suggested Resources

Whetham, Daniel, ‘A Beautiful Community: Navigating the Mixed Level Classroom – ‘Christianly’, 2:19: Teach to Reach Website: ‘Mixed Level Classrooms’ Article (last accessed Nov 24)

2:19: Teach to Reach Article, ‘Top tips for placing students’, https://www.twonineteen.org.uk/2019/top-tips-for-placing-students/ (last accessed Nov 24)

Englishclub.com Article: ‘Teaching English to Multi-Level Classes’, Englishclub.com (last accessed Nov 24)

Jenkins, Rob. ‘Making the Multilevel ESL Classroom Work’. Santa Ana College School of Continuing Education. Article: ‘Making the Multilevel ESL Classroom Work’ (last accessed Nov 24)

A 2:19: Teach to Reach summary of Penny Ur’s British Council workshop: ‘Teaching Mixed Ability Classes’,  (last accessed Nov 24)

FluentU English Educator: ‘Make It Happen: 5 Strong Strategies to Teach Different Levels of ESL Learners at Once’ (last accessed Nov 24)

 

Videos

Teaching mixed ability classes, Cambridge Assessment English (last accessed Nov 24)

Facilitating Multilevel Classrooms, Ventures, Cambridge University Press ELT (last accessed Nov 24)

Cambridge Secondary: Tips for Managing Mixed Ability Classes, Cambridge University Press ELT (last accessed Nov 24)