Planning to Support

Mixed Ability
Teaching
Sharon Gunn
SDP Coordinator
 Background in Mixed
Ability Teaching

 School opened in -----

 Broad banding

 1998 Switch to Mixed Ability

 Ongoing evaluation of Mixed Ability

 Design of Whole-School
Review in 1998 Approach to Mixed Ability
Teaching

Mission
Vision and
Aims

Evaluation of
Implementation of
Mixed Ability
Mixed Ability
Ongoing
SPHE Programme

 Closely linked to our Mission

Statement
 Our wish is that …’our students leave
us with a positive self-image, with the
skills and attitudes which will enable
them to make a positive contribution
to an ever-changing society.’
 Class Organisation
issues…
Class Group 1
 Concerns about inferiority complex/
poor self-image/ low expectations/
discipline issues/ motivation issue
 Sense that we were doing this group a
disservice
 Since Mixed Ability we no longer have
a ‘Problem Class’ & discipline issues
are diluted.
Class Group 2

 Misplaced students not catered for in

Higher level Maths/ English/ Irish
 Extra classes offered by concerned
teacher
 Need therefore to address this issue
of access
 Result: Mixed Ability has allowed us to
offer all subjects to all pupils
Planning for Mixed Ability
Teaching
 Inservice prior to decision (establish the
rationale)
 Subject departments used to working with
one another (work through concerns
together/ share materials & methodologies)
 Tutor System (monitor student
achievement through attendance & Journal)
 SPHE Programme promotes positive self-
image & tolerance of difference
 Learning Support initiatives
Role of SDP Coordinator

 Support Subject Departments:

Timetable inservice/ department
meetings
 Provide evaluation materials &
encourage dialogue on teaching &
learning issues
 Facilitate end of year subject planning
day
 Communicate with Student Tracking
POR
Mixed Ability

Teaching pupils of different learning

styles with different levels of talent,
knowledge, speed and
motivation………
The Teacher:
Planning challenges
 Can involve extra planning for the teacher
 Involves planning for all learners
 As awareness of all types of learner
develops the task gets easier as resources
build up over time.
 Challenge is to engage the better able and
maintain the interest of those who struggle.
 Differentiation is the key
Differentiation
 How does it work?
 Differentiation - the merits…..Variety of stimulus/
encourages a number of ways of approaching the
same topic so that all learners gain/ encourages
innovation/ encourages peer mentoring.
 Differentiation can occur: by resource/ by task/ by
outcome/ by classroom organisation.
 A move away from teaching ‘to the middle’ by
employing good teaching methodologies.
Class Plan for MAT: German
 Core information: Learn vocabulary (Draw a
picture/ word search/ crossword/ hangman)
Must know
 Developing the skills of sentence
construction (mix & match exercises/ pair
work conversation) Should know
 Look for deeper understanding (reading
comprehension/ application of grammar
previously learned /ability to express own
ideas in writing) Could know
MAT techniques

 Questioning (open)
 Self-marking

 Role play

 Use of homework for extension

exercises.
 AFL inservice provides useful support
for MAT.
Maths
 1st Year: Mixed Ability
 Set number of topics covered with all classes
 ‘Wouldn’t have it any other way’
 ‘No problem getting the course covered’ (McGarry 2006)
 2nd Year: classes are set based on the results of a
common paper at the end of 1st Year
 Range of questions on the paper i.e. it is differentiated-
building in opportunities for success
 Motivation Success Experience

Can do attitude Positive reinforcement

Assessment
 Differentiation by outcome: Pupils do
the same task with the same
resources but the teacher’s
expectations for each pupil will be
different and will be reflected in the
marking.
 Differentiated worksheets: pupils are
given the same worksheets containing
gradated exercises.
 Differentiation by task: Pupils do
different tasks with different
resources.
Supporting MAT
 Student Tracking POR
 SDP Coordinator
 Effective Subject Departments: Reporting
structure/ shared resources
 Inservice to refresh/ remind/ revise
 Learning support initiatives: Team teaching/
SNA s support classroom teaching
 Induction of new staff
 End of year subject planning day/ annual
evaluation
Support/Inservice can…

 Help initiate the exploration of Mixed

Ability Teaching
 Update methodologies

 Refresh the approach

 Help us assess our effectiveness at

what we do.
Agenda for Subject
Departments
 What were the desired outcomes for
MAT?
 Have they been achieved?

 Have results changed/improved?

 How do departments organise the

ability of students for teaching and
learning and how are students
grouped in each year group?
 What values are behind these
decisions?
Workshop 1

What structures do you have in your

school to support Mixed Ability
Teaching at the moment?

What steps do you need to take to

support effective introduction of mixed
ability teaching?
Workshop 2

Evaluating mixed ability teaching:

 Identify indicators of success in
relation to mixed ability teaching at
 whole school level
 at subject department level
Initiatives for evaluation of
student achievement
1. Look at results – student tracking (POR)
2. Better use of available data: using it
proactively
3. Template to identify the
achiever/underachiever
4. Formative assessment in first year
5. Subject department questionnaire
6. Student questionnaire: What Qs might
give clues about the value of MAT
Mixed Ability 10 years on…

Concerns about high achievers

 Student tracking

 Social benefits: no ‘problem class’

 Educational benefits: equality of access

 Discipline issues have been diluted

 Recent AFL inservice maintains momentum

 Regular evaluation