Multi-grade teaching Practical strategies to promote learning and teaching in the multi-grade classroom

Overview Strategies to support teaching and learning in the multi-grade classroom Tutor’s input Participants’ input

Overview of workshop Individual Teacher Planning Timetabling - samples - curricular objectives Timetabling - samples Promoting the Independent Learner – linked strategies

By the end of the workshop… What? A possible whole school practice in the planning of English Why? To improve our teaching and learning How? CD-ROM: related planning resources

Individual Teacher Planning Ensuring that the objectives of the Primary School Curriculum are at the centre of all learning in the multi-grade class

Considerations Awareness of the objective? Over-reliance on the use of textbooks to address the objectives? Curricular documents perceived not to be multi-grade friendly?

Objectives user-friendly for the MGC English Curricular Objectives

English Objectives – in the context of multi grade Link with appropriate methodologies “ If children cannot learn the way we teach, then we must teach the way they learn.”

English Whole School Plan - Agreed approaches Long-term plan - English Short-term planning: Templates

Timetabling Sample timetables An alternative approach Time allocation for every curricular area per week An alternative approach A timetable in terms of how things are best learned

Independent Learner The curriculum aims to ensure that the children’s experience of school will be such that they will come to value learning and will develop the ability to learn independently. Primary School Curriculum (1999 p. 10)

WSE (two teacher school) Pupils with learning difficulties need closer monitoring and work needs to be assigned which is appropriate and allows them work more independently as they moved through the classes.

Practical strategies to develop the independent learner Planning for implementation Focus on the English Curriculum Linkage Integration Differentiation

Promoting the independent learner through… Oral Language Language Experience Charts- across the curriculum Visual Arts - Looking & Responding Maths- Problem Solving

Promoting the independent learner through… Reading ‘Extra Reading’- USSR, DEAR Reading Buddies

Promoting the independent learner through… Writing Writing Process – “My Writing Buddy”

CD-ROM contents Folder 1: Individual Teacher Planning English Multi-grade Objectives Sample Long-term English Plan Sample Short-term Templates Organisational Considerations to support Learning General Information Small Schools

CD-ROM contents Folder 2: Timetabling Multi-grade Samples Folder 3: The Independent Learner Oral Language Reading Writing

Workshop Discuss the ideas you have just heard. Agree on 2-3 of these ideas which you feel you would definitely implement in your school Suggest 2-3 other ideas which you have found useful.

Go n-éirí go geal libh go léir