How do you deal with mixed level classes? 5 tips to help you cope

Split level classes can feel like teaching two or more classes at the same time; they certainly tend to demand more energy and monitoring – some might describe it more as patrolling!  Your higher-level students may get bored and can then be disruptive while your lower level students lose motivation and become disengaged.  Here are five tips to help you cope and keep the students engaged:

1   Have a supplementary activity (from the course book or a handout) to give to students who finish activities before their peers;

2   It’s important in mixed level classes that the more fluent students don’t always answer the questions.  The teacher must insist that students put their hands up when asked to answer a question allowing lower level students the opportunity to take part and boost their morale;

3   Avoid putting high level students together at a table – they’ll finish first and start chatting or looking at their phones;

4   Get the higher-level students to act as teachers/instructors and pair them with lower level students.  I sometimes break the cardinal rule of TEFL teaching in this situation – only allowing students to speak English in the classroom - in this situation I sometimes allow them to explain a complex aspect of grammar in their native tongue;

5   Ask high level students to stand up front and go through the exercises – explaining aspects of grammar when necessary.  Once students become aware that they may be nominated to do such a thing, they are more likely to spend time preparing and checking their work rather than chatting etc. It also gives the teacher a break and makes the lesson more student centred.

Have you got any suggestions?  If so, let us know.

By Delv