Multi-grade Classes

Prepared by:Kathy J. BinondoIV – 34 BSE Mathematics

What is Multigrade Classes?

o A multi-grade classroom refers to a class that has two or more grade level of children in one classroom.

o Multigrade classes also called A Multi- Age Group. Multi-age is a term commonly used today to describe mixed-age groups.

o The meaning of multi-age is “Use multi-age to mean two or more grade levels that have been intentionally blended together to improve learning".

o Multi-age grouping may be implemented for institutional or pedagogical reasons by the administration of the school, but the outcome is that students are able to interact across age groups and have long-term relationships with other students and teachers. In a multi-age middle school program students from more than one grade level learn side by side. The oldest students eventually move on and are replaced by a new group of younger students each year.

Why Multigrade Class Exists?

1. Multigrade classes were organized as a matter of necessities for remote barangays where the number of children enrolled could not meet the required number to organize a single grade class and assign the necessary teacher fro each class. 2. Distance of the barrio and the small number of students for each class3. Shortage of funds teachers and school buildings

Roles of Teacher in MultiGrade Class

• As a teacher• As a facilitator• As a planner• As an evaluator• As a material designer• As an action researcher• As contact with the community

Advantages and Challenges of Multigrade Teaching

Advantages for LEARNERS:

• Maximum social interaction between peers

• Cooperative learning is predominant• Will learn to be independent, self-

directed learners and can learn to be more resourceful.

• Prepared for rea life.• Can learn to assume leading and

supporting role as needed in diff work situations.

• Stigma associated with failure an repetition is removed.

• Girls who are expected to stay home will have more chances to go to school since schools are located within the community.

• Students can attain higher achievement levels especially in math, science and language.

Challenges for LEARNERS:

• Requires more discipline, greater concentration and more focus in order to benefit from effective strategies

• Less reliance on direct supervision by teacher

• Requires more initiative and resourcesfful to function effectively

• May receive less individual attention from a less experienced teacher

Advantages for TEACHERS

• can make the most of inter-age, multilevel situation to facilitate learning process

• Can get to know students more and carefully assess their needs and adopt appropriate teaching strategies

• Can innovate and experiment with different age groups and deal wit curriculum content across subject areas.

• Shares responsibility for facilitating learning with pupils, parents, other community members.

• More opportunities for activity-centered, experience-based approaches rather than whole group, lecture/drill/rote methods of teaching

Challenges for TEACHERS

• Requires more preparation of curriculum learning materials

• Requires more careful study of learner’s developmental characteristics across the age levels involved in the class, approaches and strategies that are effective and variable within a multigrade class.

• More inestment in organization of the classroom as learning environment

• More meticulous and systematic record keeping to keep track of student progress, curriculum development and implementation is required.

Advantages for Community and School System

• Efficient means of providing educational services to thinly populated areas and remote communities

• Efficient means of using limited educational resources

• Maintaining small bariio schools hlp to build and sustain the identity of the community and the cultural life of the people in the community.

Challenges for COMMUNITY and SCHOOL SYSTEM

• Student achievement maybe poor in programs do not have the required resources and teachers are not properly trained

• Requires investment in training of teachers, supervisors and administrative personnel to prepare them for the demands of multigrde teaching and administration of multigrade schools

Basic Principles

1. Children are unique.2. Children can learn best from experience3. Children can and do learn well from one another4. The role of teacher5. The implementation of the curriculum must consider

the varied abilities, levels and interests within particular group.

6. The evaluation of educational program7. Inter-aging or the combination of children of

different ages is more respectful of individual needs of learners and reflects real life.