Lesson 1: The Multi-Grade Teaching

Learning Outcomes:

1. discuss the meaning and overview of multigrade teaching;

2. identify the prevalence of multigrade teaching in the world;
3. assess the conditions under which multigrade teaching becomes a necessity;
4. conduct interview to the teachers handling multigrade classes; and
5. determine the significance of improving the quality of multigrade teaching.

Overview

Multigrade schools combine students of different ages and abilities in one

classroom, under the direction of one teacher. They take a variety of
organizational forms, ranging from a grouping of several formal grade divisions
under the direction of one teacher to a completely non-graded learning
environment. This module introduces to the concept of multigrade teaching. You
may be either a teacher who has been engaging in multigrade teaching for a
number of years or a teacher who was recently recruited to a multigrade school.
You might also be a monograde teacher who has to address multigrade
situations at times. Nevertheless, this lesson will help you to understand the
concept of multigrade teaching.

Bachelor’s Degrees for Elementary Teachers

If you picture yourself in front of a classroom as an elementary education teacher, a bachelor’s

degree along with state certification is often all that is required. While an elementary education degree
is certainly a bonus, a bachelor’s degree in just about any discipline can open the door to an
elementary education job.

Some elementary teaching jobs will require a few additional education-based credits, but many
will allow you to teach and earn the credits simultaneously. Private schools often hire elementary
education teachers with bachelor’s degrees in their subject area and don’t require teacher
certification. So simply getting a non-education bachelor’s degree is all you need to start your
teaching career in many instances.

If your degree is in the field of computer science, music, art, drama, earth or marine science,

agronomy, speech and hearing pathology, foreign language or psychology you’ll find elementary
schools looking for teachers with those skills for district-wide programs as well as classroom teaching
positions.

THE 4 (FOUR) EFFECTIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEARNERS

Whether teachers are entering their first year in the classroom, or they are classroom veterans,
educators are always searching for new ways to improve the learning experience for students. From
dealing with behavior issues to enhancing existing lesson plans, here are some effective strategies for
teaching elementary school students.

1. Take Small Steps and Ask Questions

It takes more than a love for learning and teaching children to be an effective educator. Along
with passion and dedication, specific skills and familiarity with proven classroom practices are also
needed to motivate students and increase their learning potential. By learning new strategies and
teaching methods, educators can promote learning and actively stimulate children’s natural thirst for
knowledge.

The impact of an effective elementary school teacher can remain with a child for the rest of his
or her life. Quality grade-school teachers often set the expectations for their students’ outlook on the
education system as a whole. This is what makes effective teaching strategies so important at this
early age. Sparking the student’s interest at a young age is an absolutely critical part of their learning
development. A teacher who can make learning not only fun, but engaging and memorable, will help
establish the value of education in the mind of the student.

Great teachers can help make the material more memorable by taking small steps. It’s known
that the place in our brains where we process the most information is quite small. When we’re asked
to learn too much at one time, we can get overwhelmed. For a child’s developing memory, a teaching
strategy called “chunking” has proven to be most effective. Chunking refers to teaching in small steps
while checking for understanding along the way. Be sure to ask many questions and talk about the
answers with students.
 In order for the chunking method to be effective, teachers need to ask a lot of questions. They
should ask their students to explain how they got their answers to promote vocal problem solving.
Asking a student to think out loud while solving a problem helps the teacher identify key areas where
a student needs more help.

2. Carefully Manage the Seating Chart

Children’s social relationships are extremely important throughout grade school. At this age,
children are more likely to build friendships and learn how to work in groups. Often, teachers will
select groups based on shared interests and abilities. But it’s important for children to develop an
understanding of themselves as learners and to be able to increase their awareness of their own
thinking, a process psychologists call metacognition. This makes the classroom seating chart a vital
piece of the learning

Teachers should use a variety of factors to carefully plan seating charts. When considering
special needs students, in particular those with behavior issues, selecting neighbors who will be
positive role models is often the best strategy.

Children want to fit in and are not always sure what the best way to blend into the class is.
Seating them near students who will model appropriate actions can help them understand simple
tasks such as note-taking, being on the right page while following along in a book, or even raising
their hand and waiting to be called upon. Switch up the seating chart frequently to expose the
students to different learning styles and note which method works best for each student.

3. Establish Expectations on Behavior Early in the School Year

Every teacher will have at least one challenging student throughout the year, and for some
teachers, teaching such a child can be a daily struggle. It’s important to work with every student and
create a plan for accepted behavior in the classroom. Some ideas can include:

 Use a paper star or coin token to drop on the student’s desk when they are working productively,
which can be redeemed for a cool prize or tasty treat at a later time.
 Create a special pass or card to hand to the student when an immediate timeout to cool down is
needed.
 Identify a different item to place on the student’s desk when they are not working appropriately, as a
subtle private reminder that will not draw more attention to them. A red chip to indicate “STOP” is a
great example.
By identifying behavior cues early in the school year, teachers can better manage students who are
not motivated or who are distracting others from learning to their full potential. Be sure to work with
such students and use various strategies to maintain control and showcase the benefits of education
to steer the child toward a positive change.
 4. Be a Leader in Education

The online Master of Arts in Educational Leadership offered by Queens University of Charlotte

is designed for educators who want to become school administrators and make a significant change
in the lives of young students. This program offers instruction on how to identify and use natural
leadership skills to improve teacher and student performance, and how to design a plan for
improvement.

The program works toward nurturing students’ professional and personal growth. The
dedicated faculty members provide guidance and support through small class sizes and mentorship.
Students in the program can also learn from fellow students, who are colleagues with similar
experiences and the same desire to make a difference in children’s lives through education.

Tasks to Do by Elementary Teachers

What is an Elementary School Teacher?

Elementary school teachers are trained to educate children from kindergarten through sixth
grade. They are responsible for the educational and emotional growth of children in a classroom setting,
as well as managing the materials and resources used for educating them. This career demands
communication, patience, creativity, and energy,

Some elementary schools also include grade six, while some private and rural public schools
include seventh and eighth grades. An elementary school teacher performs a variety of tasks during
their workday. These tasks vary depending on the grade of the students they work with. The average
elementary school holds classes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

An elementary school teacher is responsible for the academic and emotional well-being of his
or her students. As such, a teacher will need strong communication skills as well as the ability to be
patient and understanding with students of each level. A large amount of energy is needed for each
day, as well as a great amount of creativity to keep students interested in learning.

Kindergarten Teachers - will spend the day teaching children in a way that keeps them actively
learning and helps them to develop a love for learning as well. This type of teacher will require the
ability to create an engaging environment, nurturing the children's natural curiosity and encouraging
them to learn on their own as well. The basic skills taught by kindergarten teachers are letter
recognition, phonic learning, early mathematics, very basic reading skills, proper social skills, and
confidence.
 First Grade Teachers - will use many hands-on learning approaches as well as discussion
groups in their classroom. The core subjects of math, science, and English will form most of the day,
with art, physical education, and music being taught throughout the work week as well. These teachers
are a vital building block in early development, as they continue to build confidence in each student and
create a positive view of the world and themselves. Patience, communication skills, problem solving,
and the ability to motivate these young children to learn are all very important skills needed.

Second Grade Teachers - spend less time helping children become adjusted to standard
school routines than pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, or first grade teachers. A second grade teacher will
expect more from students and often children will notice that they have more responsibilities during the
school day. A second grade teacher is responsible for further learning in the aforementioned core
subjects, as well as continuing to shape each student's behavior and emotional well-being. Students at
this stage are far more likely to notice inconsistencies in expectations and rules; therefore, teachers
need to be firm and focused, as well as fair and encouraging.

Third Grade Teachers - are responsible for more core learning subjects as students at this
stage are ready for a more diverse field of learning. In addition to math, reading, and English, students
now move into the studies of social studies, science, and a higher level of physical education, art, and
music. Teachers will begin to deal with social differences as well as racial differences in students, as the
students are at this stage beginning to solidly react to the diversity around them.

Fourth Grade Teachers - are responsible for all the core learning subjects, though at this point
the job becomes more complicated as students have matured and need a strong, intuitive teacher that
possesses excellent communication skills and is capable of guiding students effectively. A fourth grade
teacher will need a wealth of patience, energy, and creativity to hold the attention of their class. While
more meaningful material is taught, these teachers must find a balance between classic teaching and
the fun teaching of earlier grades.

Fifth Grade Teachers - will need the same wealth of patience and communication skills as a
fourth grade teacher. At this stage of learning, it is easier to recognize which students will need more
attention than others. Getting to know each student is necessary to offer a solid learning experience to
each one. Teachers at this level need to be firm, but kind.

The Concept of Multigrade Teaching

The term “multigrade teaching” generally refers to a teaching situation where a single
teacher has to take responsibility for teaching pupils across more than one curriculum grade within a
timetabled period. Schools with multigrade classes are referred to as multigrade schools. In most of
the world’s education systems, formal education is expected to be imparted in a monograde teaching
environment, where one teacher is responsible for a single curriculum grade within a timetabled
period. Although, this is the general norm, in many countries in the world there are schools in which
all classes function as multigrade classes. These schools are called “fully multigrade schools”. In
some other schools only some of the classes function as multigrade classes while others function as
monograde classes. These are called as “partially multigrade schools”.

Why do multi-grade schools function in the world?

Multi-grade teaching has been commonly understood as a teaching condition arising as a result
of shortage of teachers. In this type of a situation educationists believe that multi-grade teaching has
a significant role to play if the goals of the World Declaration for “Education for All”, affirmed
(Jomtien,1990) and the Dakar Framework of Action in 2000 are to be reached. Multi-grade teaching
may be the only option available for children who live in low population areas and other marginal
conditions where small numbers of children do not justify the provision of one teacher for each
curriculum grade.

Most systems of education which face such conditions, adopt multigade teaching as it becomes
the only option or the last resort. In such systems the quality of multigrade schools are poor. Only a
few systems of education have transformed this necessity into a positive teaching approach. This
program is implemented in rural areas. A multigrade curriculum and teaching strategies are adopted
with the support received from the education system. Many other countries also have adopted this
program. However, “necessity” is not the only reason why multigrade teaching is adopted. Certain
systems of education deliberately adopt multigrade teaching considering the advantages that can be
drawn out of this approach. An example from England is given by Little (2006). In England in order
to implement the child-centered approach vertical grouping rather than horizontal grouping was
encouraged through which children are encouraged to learn through social interaction of the
different grade groups.

The following arguments are used in support of Multi-Grade teaching:

1. Provides an efficient means of providing basic education in thinly populated

areas, utilizing scarce educational inputs, such as trained teachers,
classrooms, and materials
2. Helps in maintaining a rural school as an important center in building village
identity and cultural life
3. Promotes students to “learn to learn” and ‘learn to teach’ through
independent inquiry and peer tutoring
4. Promotes the social learning of students
Why does your school need to adopt multi-grade teaching?

1. Schools in areas of low population density where schools are widely

scattered and inaccessible and enrolment is low;
2. Schools that comprise a cluster of classrooms in different locations, in
which some classes are multi-grade and some are monograde;
3. Schools in areas of declining population, where previously there was
monograde teaching, and where now, only a small number of teachers is
employed;
4. Schools in areas of population growth and school expansion, where
enrolment in the expanding upper grades remains small;
5. Schools in areas where parents send their children to more popular
schools within reasonable traveling distance, leading to a decline in
enrolment and a fewer teacher in the less popular school;
6. Schools in which the official number of teachers deployed justify
monograde teaching but where the actual number deployed is less. The
inadequate deployment arises from a number of reasons including
inadequate supply of teachers, teachers not reporting fully though posted
to a school or teachers going on medical or casual leave;
7. Schools in which the number of students admitted to a class comprise
more than ‘one class group’, necessitating a combination of some of them
with students in a class group of a different grade; Schools in which
teacher absenteeism is high and ‘supplementary teacher’
arrangements are ‘non-effectual’ or ‘non.
 Activity Sheet
Name:_________________________ Program/Yr.& Sec._________ Date:_______Rating:_______

I. PRACTICE: Preliminary Questions

Instruction: Answer the following questions.
As you proceed with this module, think about the following questions:
1. What do you observe the basic idea on multigrade classroom?
2. In what way teacher/s can manage multigrade classes?

Examine the following table, which lists some attributes or characteristics in which the
multi-grade situation may differ from that of the single-grade or monograde class. Read this
table carefully. Then provide your additional thoughts regarding what may be missing from the
table. Do include items from your own research. (Answer the following questions through a
video blog and a presentation using presentation application).
*** The first two characteristics were already done for you***

Characteristics Monograde Multi-grade

A whole-class approach is A variety of methods are

used to meet the needs of used to meet the needs of

Methods individual learners with individual learners who

different abilities in the have different abilities and

same grade. are in different grades.

The teacher is responsible More time is needed for

for only the mandated organizing and planning

Organization
curriculum for that instruction.

particular grade.
 Relationships

Tutoring

Teacher Training

Number

Curriculum

Remuneration

Skills

Resources

Now that you have completed your observation, participated in an interview and reviewed the
comparison chart above, write a report on the situation you observed. Your report should compare the
situation in the monograde class and the multi-grade class. You may want to highlight the following:
• similarities between multi-grade and monograde classes
• differences between multi-grade and monograde classes
• classroom management and organization techniques
 • disciplinary issues
• overall reflections.

II. PERFORMANCE

The following activity will require you to visit, observe and other teachers.

Student’s Tasks:

In this activity, you will need to visit teachers at a neighboring school, to watch their classes

and to talk to them about what they do, as well as their feelings about their job situation.

• If you are a multi-grade teacher, arrange to visit a teacher who teaches a single-

grade class. If possible, visit someone who teaches one of the same grades you do.

• If you teach in a single-grade class, arrange to visit a multi-grade teacher.

• You should spend about three hours at the school you visit. While you are

there:

– Observe your host’s class during a teaching and learning session and

record your observations in the observation form provided for this exercise.

– Ask your host some questions and complete the questionnaire provided.

Observation Form :(Present this form through a video blog using presentation application).

This form will help you conduct your classroom observation.

ISSUES COMMENTS

1. Classroom Organization
(Consider making a sketch or layout of
the room on the reverse side of this
form)

2.Number of Children and Age Range

3.Methods used by the teacher (e.g.,
lectures, demonstrations and
discussions)

4.Types of activities performed by the

students (e.g., reading, writing,
constructing an object and group work)

5.Support provided by the teacher, the

learners and the community (You may
interview the teacher)

6.Challenges

(You may interview the teacher)

Reflection:
Instructions: Think about the information and skills you have acquired in this unit. Consider how you
would apply what you have learned in your teaching situation and answer the following questions
using the knowledge you have acquired throughout this unit.
1. Explain the concept of multi-grade teaching.
2. Compare multi-grade teaching and monograde teaching.
3. Describe your personal views on multi-grade teaching.