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[sheeba]

My current classes have differing levels . I have always thought that this has been one of the biggest problems that I have encountered on my first teaching assignment here in China .

This year has been experimental for me in many ways and I have tried teaching basic tasks from a Beginners Book (Interchange) and also from Interchange Level 1 (I think it's level 1 - A Red and Silver book) . Occasionally I have used a Green and silver version (I think for the more advanced) but this just seems too hard for all of my students.

The problem is If I teach from the higher level books the lower level students really have no idea what is going on . If I teach the lower level books I hear sighs from the higher level students .

Last week I had an idea but I am not sure whether to implement this idea . I decided to test the students to find their differing levels . I have found students that are able to easily and quickly deal with the lower level material and others that find this a challenge . I did this test as I thought that next week I could set different tasks for different level students - Group the levels in the same class . I have been thinking about the pros and cons to this action and am unsure whether this could be detrimental to my students . I wonder that the students in the lower level bands may lose confidence- some may feel I am unfairly putting them into an inappropriate level . I thought that students could move up and down levels in class if they find the work too easy or difficult . I only have 5 weeks left with these classes so I feel that if the students get pissed with me for doing this it'll only be for a few weeks !! But at the same time I don't want to leave them feeling low about their level when I leave. Really it is an experiment for me for next semesters classes
(at a different Uni)

Do you think to set different tasks for different levels in class is a good idea ? I don't really know how to deal with this

[kev7161]

I think many of us share your frustrations. It's simply not practical in a foreign language class (or math classes too, in my opinion) to have all these different levels. Lessons are too easy, lessons are too difficult, students get bored, very few can be involved . . . there are a lot of teaching decisions to be made. I too teach from the New Interchange books. One thing I must caution you on (now that you're almost finished for the year): You skipped a whole level. It goes from Yellow beginner book to Red Level One to Blue Level 2 to Green Level 3, then on to "Passages".

If I were organizing the Spoken English classes in my school, I would start with the first Yellow book (Intro) at Junior Middle School grade one, then the second Yellow at grade two, first Red at grade 3, second Red at Senior Middle grade 1, first Blue at grade 2, and second Blue at grade 3. The green books can be there as an assist if you have a class full of really good English students in your high school classes (or if you want to do some extensions to your more advanced students). You may have noticed that the lessons tend to repeat themselves when it comes to grammar. They just get more complicated with higher level vocabulary and speaking/writing exercises. So you may be able to teach the same lessons to all, then copy worksheets out of a higher level to give to the more advanced students and lower level to the ones that aren't doing so well.

I think the trick is (whether using this book series or some other) is to make sure you think of lessons/activities BEYOND the book. I'm talking games, of course, but other things that the students can do in pairs or groups that will hopefully let them practice what they've learned. These can include: skit-writing and performing, "what if" scenarios where they have to think on their toes ("Sally, what if it started to snow in July? What would happen?"), spelling bees, class conversations, student surveys, etc.

But, I'm making an assumption here. Is your class called "Conversational English" or "Spoken English" or are you just teaching English? I have found (as have others here) that so-called "Conversational" English is pretty much a joke. I call my classes "Pronunciation English" as I have trouble getting my students to speak off the cuff, as it were. So, we have a lot of reading out loud exercises, listening exercises, and pronunciation drills. The few students that do enjoy showing off their English prowess certainly get called on often enough to hone their skills a bit, but those shining stars are few and far between (although I must say that many of my Senior 2 students' skills have certainly progressed a lot this year).

So, bottom line is this: Break up the monotony of the book by doing some activities that most kids enjoy - - word search puzzles, for example, or team competitions. Although you may have what is called a "Spoken" English class, I feel they are more like classes to expose them to English in any fun and interesting way that you can.

(PS: I just noticed that you said you teach at the University level. Oops! Perhaps my advice is meaningless. Quite frankly, if they can't master at least the Red Level of the Interchange series, then they probably never will. These are probably students that had/have no interest in learning English. However, if you want some extension ideas, please feel free to PM me and I'll tell you a few things that I've done that seemed to be successful.)

[sheeba]

Thanks Kev

I think I can take something from your experience - Don't think it's meaningless . Yes I also believe that many of these students have absolutely no interest in English . I think many of them here just don't see much point in learning English - I can kind of see where they are coming from. I'm now thinking do they really need spoken English in China ?How important is it? I can start to understand their lack of motivation. It makes me feel less useful here and I really start to question the worthiness of this Oral English class. I've just agreed on another year teaching too !!! But my interest in China is starting to grow outside the class.Just as well . It's a shame in a way - After CELTA I was so motivated to go out there and teach - Develop myself as a teacher. I guess I chose the wrong gig in teaching Uni students - Maybe even the wrong Country for serious EFL teaching !

Cheers

[Roger]

Don't take it personally, sheeba; we were much the same in our childhood when we were studying subjects that were part of the must-study package without which you could not go higher in your study career. No one is intrinsically motivated to study a foreign language, not at their age anyway.

But the differing levels are there for all to see and to cope with; why do CHinese teachers ignore them? They are part of the problem - all their students pass, no matter how good they are at English. Question the wisdom of how they perform those tests and exams! Question too the power of the parents over the teachers. Question furthermore the format of these exams - "exams" held by the very same teacher that taught the subject matter!!! Exams made out of the blue. Exams that are not standardised. In the end, teachers have to be "friends" with their students, and they ignore those truants among their flocks that merely copy the answers from their student neighbours during the "exam".

[Plan B]

I have the same problem with my classes at the moment. I am at a new school with few students and teachers, so the issue of different levels comes up often.

Some techniques I find useful for SMALL classes (less than 5) :
1. Choose your textbook to be at a level lower than your best students. Explain to the good students that they will probably know the grammar, but that the course is fundamentally a conversational course utilizing this grammar. In the lesson, to keep the students happy, you can extend the content in the book and talk about more advanced points - maybe use Murphy's "Grammar in Use" as a reference. The weak students will understand that you are simply responding to the demands of the good students.
2. When the difference in level is obvious, and sensitivity is not an issue (in cases of just a couple of very strong students), for reading and listening exercises you can tell the stronger student(s) to write notes on the answers. After completion of the exercise, ask the strong student(s) to remain quiet as you ask for feedback from the rest of the class. Check the students notes before playing the tape or reading again. Once the weaker students have grasped most of the information, the stronger students can complete the details, and the material can be discussed as a class.
3. Be pedantic and meticulous when correcting the strong students' grammar and pronunciation, but allow the weaker students to make the occassional error. This will hopefully build some confidence in the weaker students. If the weak students consistantly make an error, this can be corrected as a class, once the task is complete. This way, the error becomes "anonymous".